Johnny S. Clarke & Lisa Straub- young Ohio couple murdered

[Duchess]

i'm so pleased we have some Mock members there!

Me too! I've been concerned about this for months & I couldn't be more delighted with the posts that have been made by those that are there.

[Older Than Dirt]

Mustang, that was awesome! I almost feel like I was there. Have been told that jury is at the Straubs. And now CH 13 too.

[JsMom]

Great Job, Mustang! You did a fabulous job reporting.

[Older Than Dirt]

I much prefer our in-house reporters!!!!!!!http://www.toledoblade.com/Courts/2012/07/20/Jury-hears-opening-arguments-views-crime-scene-in-Springfield-Township-murders.html

[Older Than Dirt]

http://www.toledoblade.com/Courts/2012/0...rders.html Sorry, guess I screwed up first try.

[Lady Cop]

defense is going to HAMMER the unknown DNA.

Blade




Assistant Lucas County Prosecutor Rob Miller demonstrates how Johnny Clark's hands were bound behind his back, during his opening statement at Samuel Williams' trial.

As in the case against co-defendant Cameo Pettaway, prosecutors Friday morning pointed to a smoked Newport cigarette butt as the smoking gun tying Samuel Williams to the brutal slayings of a Springfield Township woman and her boyfriend.

Mr. Williams, 24, of 1626 Kelsey Ave., is charged with two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of aggravated burglary in the Jan. 31, 2011, deaths of Lisa Straub, 20, and Johnny Clarke, 21. The two were found lying on the floor of Ms. Straub’s parents’ home with plastic bags tied tightly around their necks with black duct tape. Their wrists also were bound as were Clarke’s ankles.

Mr. Pettaway, 23, of 133 Essex St., faces the same charges in the case, although only Mr. Williams could be sentenced to death if convicted.

During his opening statements Friday, Rob Miller, an assistant Lucas County prosecutor, described in detail the circumstances of the couple’s “slow, torturous” death and walked the jury through the investigation by the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office that eventually led to DNA test results of a cigarette butt found near a door leading from inside the house to the garage.

“The murderers in this case made a mistake — a mistake that only time and science can tell you,” Mr. Miller said.

He said the butt contained the DNA of both Mr. Pettaway and Mr. Williams.

Still, defense attorney Jane Roman told jurors during her opening statements that of all the fingerprints, handprints, shoe impressions, and other DNA collected at the crime scene, “none of them can be attributed to Sam Williams except the cigarette butt.”

She said at least two other unknown persons’ DNA was found on the bindings that were tied around Clarke’s neck, wrists, and ankles.

Ms. Roman cautioned jurors to rely on common sense and logic as they hear the evidence in the case.

The jury was then taken to the Straub home on Longacre Lane in Springfield Township.

Testimony in both Mr. Williams’s and Mr. Pettaway’s cases is to begin Monday.

[Duchess]

defense is going to HAMMER the unknown DNA.

That unknown DNA is so troublesome to me. I'm thinking it would be very easy to create reasonable doubt with that.

[ramseycat]

Hope this helps all you Mockers out there to be on top of this as much as possible from second-hand accounts.

That was a brilliant post! Thank you very much!

Very good! Thanks from me as well.

[pfifltrigg]

if the juries do find that there is significant reasonable doubt and rule not guilty, then is it likely that they would be tried again for a different crime in relation to the murders? such as being accomplices to "the unknown 2" or something of the like? just curious...

also, i agree with whoever stated before that the prosecutor in the pettaway case appears to have some tricks up his sleeve. he seemed to be pretty confident in the circumstantial evidence, most notably phone records. i got the impression that there was something strategic going on when he mentioned those.

i was glad that it was finally stated that there was thc or marijuana residue on the scales that they found. i don't know if this fact was definitively stated on here previously, but i always found it silly when fellow mockers indicated that perhaps the scales were used for cooking. seriously?

on a complete side note: it has been driving me crazy since this went down the way that many mockers use the word "opinion". I know this is very petty, but i always thought that the word was being used interchangeably with the word "theory". for example, "i think this is how the crime went down (insert story). but that is just my opinion, not fact." i always thught it should be "but that is just my theory". perhaps i am wrong, though after looking it up:

o·pin·ion   /əˈpɪnyən/ Show Spelled[uh-pin-yuhn] Show IPA
noun
1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
3. the formal expression of a professional judgment: to ask for a second medical opinion.
4. Law . the formal statement by a judge or court of the reasoning and the principles of law used in reaching a decision of a case.
5. a judgment or estimate of a person or thing with respect to character, merit, etc.: to forfeit someone's good opinion.


anywho, sorry for that waste of space, just wanted to throw that out.


lastly, thanks so much to our in court reporters. i don't think it can be emphasized enough how much it is appreciated.

[justme]

Thanks Mustang---that was a great post. I am so glad you were there as I was unable to attend today.

It's much different being on the "inside" than reading the Blade or watching a video. I like to take in how the jury responds and what family members are doing. Unfortunately, it also makes the family feelings more "palpable"---hard to watch at times.

I just hope that this trial is speedy and that the families find some peace at the end of it. Even the Clarke's --- I have no respect for them but no one deserves to lose a son/brother that way. My heart is still breaking for the Straub's. I am praying that these punks and whoever helped them are going down!

[misshmarie23]

]

That unknown DNA is so troublesome to me. .[/i][/size]

I was wondering does anyone know did they test everyone that was marked suspects dna before they arrested cp/sw? do see if one of those matched?

[misshmarie23]

defense is going to HAMMER the unknown DNA.

testimony in Mr. Williams’s and Mr. Pettaway’s cases is to begin Monday.

Jane roman is a really good defence att. I am praying to GOD the jury find these men GUILTY

[Duchess]

I was wondering does anyone know did they test everyone that was marked suspects dna before they arrested cp/sw? do see if one of those matched?

Yes, of course.

The DNA of both of them was discovered on a cigarette butt at the scene. They shared a smoke.

[Adub]

I was wondering does anyone know did they test everyone that was marked suspects dna before they arrested cp/sw? do see if one of those matched?

Yes, of course.

The DNA of both of them was discovered on a cigarette butt at the scene. They shared a smoke.

I think she means all the "other" PIECE OF FKIN SHIT SEWER RAT VILE EVIL DEMON MONSTERS PARASITES MAGGOTS (2012 MVC) that were interviewed during the investigation.

From reading the discovery on the court website, I know that some were asked, and volunteered. And polygraphs were taken.

[Older Than Dirt]

OMG! hahahaha

[Duchess]

Oops.

[NightOwl]

YourOtherLeft, Post# 20847 Great post! your thoughts/questions I really enjoyed! Yes a really big thanks! to Channel 13 for the Court Videos, I finally got to sit through the 3 of them later. Maytee can get to view what is going on at home and also read great reports on Mock we've got super reporters'!

You've got lots of good points in your post, I was really shocked about Aaron Griffin also why would he be Johnny's supplier?

Hope you'll be back with more thoughts/questions! Thanks.

[Adub]

Tiff was obviously helping AP out.

I'm really hoping that Pettaway used his cell phone that night in the area of the Straub's home. Or Williams.

[Older Than Dirt]

I just discovered something that would be very helpful if you care to watch the Pettaway video. I think you people know that the computer is not my expertise. Open Ch.13's site, type Pettaway in search. It brings up part 1, 2, and 3. I can hear you all making fun of me! Cheers

[NightOwl]

I just discovered something that would be very helpful if you care to watch the Pettaway video. I think you people know that the computer is not my expertise. Open Ch.13's site, type Pettaway in search. It brings up part 1, 2, and 3. I can hear you all making fun of me! Cheers

Yes glad you posted this, it may be very helpful for other folks who have not viewed the videos.

P.S. Your son Mustang did a superb job of reporting!!