Pat LaLama Report: Stephanie Lazarus - Icy To The Bitter End

May 14, 2012

Reblog

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Read Pat's coverage on the latest L.A.news.  Read her Bio >> ]

 

Stephanie Lazarus Sentencing

What’s inside of Stephanie Lazarus’ head? Or her heart? If the former LAPD detective harbors any remorse for the murder of nursing supervisor Sherri Rasmussen 26 years ago, I doubt we’ll ever know about it. Friday was sentencing day for Lazarus. Even facing the potential for life in prison, her cool, detached persona remained intact. She entered the courtroom from lockup donning a bright orange inmate jumpsuit, heavy security chains wrapped around her waist. Lazarus directed a reassuring smile to her family in the gallery, including husband, LAPD Detective Scott Young. Seated at counsel table she remained icy, stoic and indifferent throughout the proceeding. I didn’t catch a hint of reaction or even attention paid to the victim’s family during their gut-wrenching impact statements.

 

It’s clear the passage of time has done little to ease the pain for the Rasmussen family. “… a pain for which there is no cure,” Loretta Rasmussen, Sherri’s mother, told the court. The victim’s sister, Teresa Lane, delivered a heartbreaking tribute; uttering through sobs that Sherri still lived in her. “You dream my dreams. I love you.”

Sherri’s widower John Ruetten offered a moving revelation—confessing that his heart was filled with an extraordinary sense of guilt. It was Ruetten’s marriage to Sherri that incited ex-girlfriend Lazarus’ murderous rage and jealousy. “The fact that Sherri’s death occurred because she met and married me brings me to my knees,” he said.

Judge Robert Perry sentenced Lazarus to 27 years to life. Lazarus didn’t flinch-no apologies. Sometimes I truly believe she’s wiped the memory of the murder from her head—or has smugly convinced herself it was somehow justified. In any event, this once revered cop, devoted wife, adoptive mother and stellar athlete traded it all in for a life of lonely, stifling incarceration.

For the Rasmussen family, justice could have prevailed long ago—but for the LAPD’s refusal to consider Lazarus a suspect. Detectives at the time operated under the theory that Sherri’s murder was the result of a burglary gone wrong.  Nels Rasmussen, Sherri’s father, says he implored LAPD to investigate Lazarus, whom he claimed had been harassing his daughter. Rasmussen says he was ignored. The family is pursuing a lawsuit against the police department. In the words of their civil attorney, John C. Taylor, “There should be some kind of accountability. They owe answers to the family.”

 

 Share Your Thoughts About This Case On Our Facebook Page

 

 

Related Links:

>>Watch: Bone-chilling tales of Deadly Women

>>Watch: Who The (Bleep!) Did I Marry?

 

 

Photo Credit:
Former Los Angeles Police Officer Stephanie Lazarus at Los Angeles Superior hearing Wednesday, July 29, (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Aphrodite Jones Reports: Sandusky Linchpin Witness Is Not Credible

May 09, 2012

Reblog

 [ Aphrodite Jones gives her perspective on the latest crime news. Check in for her regular reports.   Read her Bio >> ]

 

Should we believe former Penn State Assistant Coach, Mike McQueary? The ex Penn State quarterback's credibility has been called into question time and again -- but the scandal's newest twist, leaked to the media yesterday, is a legal bombshell. News reports state that star witness Mike McQueary's sworn testimony has been contradicted by statements of the alleged victim of the assault himself.

According to McQueary's grand jury testimony, he allegedly saw Sandusky assaulting a boy in the showers in the Spring of 2002. Now, the most recent filing by the prosecution indicates they have evidence that the shower incident happened an entire YEAR prior to McQueary's version of the story, in the spring of 2001. Unless Sandusky has decided to change his story -- that evidence can only be in the form of the victim's statement -- from the 10-year-old boy himself.

 

In 2011, McQueary told the grand jury that he witnessed an alleged sexual attack of a boy in the showers and that he left the locker room feeling “immediately distraught."  Back then, the grand jury found McQueary's testimony extremely credible. But what will happen when Sandusky's defense team picks apart the changing stories of McQueary, who failed to do anything to stop the alleged attack?

This major "flub" is not being addressed more aggressively in the news, perhaps because the judge has placed a gag order on both sides of the scandal.

Still, we all know that McQueary serves as a linchpin in the case against Jerry Sandusky. Without the credibility of a witness to the alleged attack, defense attorneys can argue, "he said, he said" and further claim that the other 9 alleged victims are people who are looking for a payday.

To further complicate matters, the grand jury testimony of McQueary’s family friend, Dr. Jonathan Dranov, was emphatic that McQueary said he heard "sex sounds" but stated three times that he "had not seen any sexual contact" between Sandusky and the boy. So which is it? Did Mike see Jerry sexually assaulting a boy? And if so, wouldn't his natural reaction be to go to the police?

Can the members of the jury hang their hats on McQueary's ever evolving story?

Will they wind up in a deadlock? Or perhaps find Sandusky Not Guilty?

As of yesterday, Sandusky's defense team has requested that the June 5, 2012 trial date be postponed. They want to comb through witness statements to look for further inconsistencies, perhaps to further malign Mike McQueary. One could argue that the 33-year-old deserves to be crucified for not doing the right thing in 2002 -- or was it 2001?

Talk about a messy trial. 

 

Discuss The Case On Facebook

 

Read Aphrodite's coverage on other cases

 

Related Jerry Sandusky Links:

>>Read: Sandusky's Next Play In The Game
>>Read: Jerry Sandusky Back On The Streets
>>Read: Jerry Sandusky Back In Cuffs
>>Read: Penn State Scandal: A Case of David vs Goliath?

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary is shown on the sidelines in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Michigan, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, the school's senior vice president for business and finance, face arraignment Monday, Nov. 7, 2011, on charges they lied to a grand jury investigating former defense coordinator Jerry Sandusky and failed to properly report suspected child abuse, a case that has left fans reeling. In 2002, State Attorney General Linda Kelly said, a graduate assistant, identified by two people familiar with the investigation as McQueary, saw Sandusky sexually assault a naked boy, estimated to be about 10 years old, in a team locker room shower. (AP Photo/Tony Ding, File)

 

Photo Credit: Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State assistant football coach charged with sexually abusing boys, arrives at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa. In a series of discovery requests made to the attorney general's office in recent months, Sandusky lawyer Joe Amendola has sought school transcripts, medical records going back to birth, Internet search histories, Facebook account details, employment-related documents and cellphone and Twitter records from the alleged victims. (AP Photo/Matt Rourkem File)

Pat LaLama: Race And The Media; Then And Now

April 23, 2012

Reblog

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Read Pat's coverage on the latest L.A.news.  Read her Bio >> ]

 

 Photo Gallery: The L.A. Riots 20 Years Later

This week marks the 20^th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots. For me it’s an extraordinary time for reflection upon one of the most significant events in our country’s history. For the last few days, my colleagues and I have been trading stories of dodging bullets and jumping flames in the midst of urban chaos.  On April 29, 1992, a jury had just acquitted four white LAPD officers in connection with the beating of a black motorist named Rodney King.  There I was, as a reporter for the CBS station in L.A., at ground zero.  It was nothing short of a war zone, but there was never any question that it was my duty to report and document the events.

 

 

 

Many people who lived in and around the epicenter of the riots viewed the news media, particularly we broadcasters, as exploiters… dispatched by TV executives for the sole purpose of sensationalizing the images—thus ignoring the social issues that ignited the violence.  Most of them were law-abiding citizens who watched helplessly as their cherished neighborhoods burned to the ground.

 

But in some cases we paid for our presence with guns waved in our faces, taunts and attempted shakedowns. Looters threatened to fire on us if we videotaped their nefarious deeds.  In one instance a group of armed men surrounded my crew and me as we prepared to go live. They demanded we leave the area immediately. We all ended up engaged in a fascinating dialogue and I finished my report without harassment.  

I remember one afternoon when two young Asian-American women took a wrong turn off the freeway and ended up in the midst of the “war zone”. They were roughed up by black gang-members.  When I arrived on the scene, the women were sitting in the back of an LAPD patrol car crying. I put them on the air to tell their story “live”. An LAPD officer confirmed their account.  The next day, I was excoriated in the Los Angeles Times, accused of irresponsible reporting and fanning the flames of racism. I was devastated. My credibility was my most prized possession.  I didn’t see the story as African-American vs. Asian. I believed I was simply reporting a true life incident that illustrated the dangers of getting too near the riot area. The LAPD had told me they were having trouble with “looky-loo’s” driving into the area and asked me to advise my viewers to stay away. My news director at the time assured me that I did nothing wrong—but it didn’t stop me from tossing and turning a few anguished nights in a row…questioning the wisdom of my decision.  I was honestly sick to my stomach over the matter.

All of this leads to something very important. I believe with all my heart that most of my colleagues and I did our best to fairly and accurately report the events surrounding the Los Angeles riots.  We were trained, experienced journalists who believed firmly in the role of news media as purveyors of truth and objectivity. Yes, there were mistakes along the way—but never an intention to mislead or inflame. A few years later, we all found ourselves covering another huge race-fueled matter in Los Angeles—the murder trial of O.J. Simpson. We were faced with the same journalistic challenges.

Last week, I spoke to a large group of journalism students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.  I proudly recounted my many experiences as a correspondent on both the local and national levels.  It’s a great privilege filled with countless rewards. But I expressed my dismay at present day reporters covering the Trayvon Martin case.

I can’t say I am proud of the way I have seen the “objective” news media cover this controversial matter.  One network edits the 911 tape to help encourage the notion that George Zimmerman is an anger-filled racist. Another network uses audio experts who insist Zimmerman uttered a racial slur. Now it seems they were wrong.  Still others engaged in the “enhancement” of photographs to prove Zimmerman did not receive an injury to the head. Now it appears, he did. Then there are those who give a forum to the radical groups calling for violence, and “eye for an eye” retaliation.  

Have the media lost their minds? Or at least their sense of objective purpose? I’m not talking about the pundits and commentators, although I am extremely concerned about the political tone they’ve attached to this case. I’m talking about mainstream media whose job it is to gather the facts of the case, report them accurately and let the judicial system take its course.  It seems to me that many members of the media have decided it’s their duty to take a position in the Martin case, then bend and mold the facts to suit their purpose.  There’s another problem.  It seems the pursuit of ratings has superseded the quest for accuracy. But if the runaway news media does not reign itself in, they will be most certainly responsible for helping to encourage a dangerous, knee-jerk, irrational response to the issue of race-relations in America.

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Rodney King appears at a Los Angeles press conference on Friday, May 1, 1992, pleading for an end to the rioting and looting that has plagued the city for the past three days. (AP Photo/Mark Elias)

Photo Credit: Three unidentified demonstrators get into a heated discussion outside the Parker Center in Los Angeles, April 29, 1992, after a jury acquitted four LAPD officers on all but one count in their trial for the videotaped beating of motorist Rodney King. (AP Photo/Chris Martinez)

Keith Beauchamp: Why Charging Zimmerman is the Right Thing to Do

April 11, 2012

Reblog

By Keith A. Beauchamp Executive Producer/ Host ‘The Injustice Files.’ [Read his bio]

 

“Until the killing of black men, black mothers' sons, becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother's son. We who believe in freedom cannot rest until this happens.”

– Ella Baker

April 4, 2012 marked the 44th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King.  With all the breaking news in recent weeks, this significant day of mourning went by silently, a reminder of the troubled times in which we now live.

It’s been 44-days since the killing of Trayvon Benjamin Martin and it has just been announced that George Zimmerman will be charged with murder in the second degree for his atrocious crime. The amount of time it has taken to come to this decision will be a disgrace on the "Sunshine State" judicial system until Zimmerman fully faces his charges in court. Surely, I’m all about due process under the law, but the way this case has panned out is frustrating. It has taken way too long to arrest a man who killed an unarmed human being, Trayvon Benjamin Martin.

Since Zimmerman’s defense team has dropped their former client, it will be interesting to see which legal team rallies around him this time. More twists and similarities in this saga take me back to one of the greatest injustices of all time, the murder of Emmett Louis Till. 

In September 1955, as the “Trial of the Century” for the murder of Emmett Till neared, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam (the two known murderers in this case) distributed glass Mason jars throughout the Mississippi Delta to raise funds for their defense and living expenses.  As a result, the two half- brothers would be acquitted by an all-white, all male jury, sparking outrage throughout the world and awakening the “Sleeping Giant” of African-American across the country.  However, even in the Till Case, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam were arrested for Emmett’s murder 3-days before his body was found.  Four months after their acquittal, they would confess to the murder to reporter William Bradford Huie for $4000, who would then published their story in 'Look' Magazine. Surprisingly, in the midst of the resignation of Zimmerman’s Defense team, he has made an unexpected move by reaching out to Fox News personality Sean Hannity. I wonder what is to come next… Are we going to see Zimmerman cashing in for telling "his" side of the story on that dreadful night? If I had a chance to speak with Zimmerman before his pending arrest, I would have said,"If you had any love for mankind in your heart, you should voluntarily turn yourself in." At least this act of courage would have shown compassion for the racial unrest that now exists throughout the country.

 

Read More Of Keith Beauchamp's Posts

Keith Beauchamp: Two Souls Lost

April 03, 2012

Reblog

By Keith A. Beauchamp Executive Producer/ Host ‘The Injustice Files.’ [Read his bio]

 

 

What happens to one’s soul, when his or her life is cut short in a tragic way? Well, if you are God-fearing person you would know that the soul never rests –energy lingering around until it finds it’s destination of peace and justice.

In the wake of the recent news about Trayvon Benjamin Martin’s 911 tapes, cold chills go through my body as we are getting news that the screams, which can be heard in the audio, are more then likely Trayvons’.  The same screams that Emmett may have yelled out during his time of despair – a life about to be lost in need of help. But as we continue to hope for a resolution in this case, we must not forget about another soul that has fallen from the grace of the media, James Craig Anderson of Jackson, Mississippi.

On March 21, 2012, nineteen year old Deryl Dedmon pleaded guilty and was given two-life sentences for the racial killing of 49-year old,  James Anderson.  Anderson who was standing near his car in a Jackson Hotel Parking Lot on June 26, 2011 was beaten by white teens and run over by a truck simply because the group decided to kill a “Nigger.” Have man and womankind come to the crossroads of their own inhumanity?

While growing up in the Deep South, I can remember how the “Black Male” code was imprinted in my consciousness.  From childhood, it was instilled in us to carry ourselves a certain way and to be aware of our surroundings when approached by Authority figures or even around our white counter-parts.  A trans-generational survival skill, handed down from my father, his father and his father before him. I know that every generation wants to break this traditional cycle, but how can you when we have modern day “strange fruit” continuing to fester our communities?   Can you understand the feeling of being vulnerable every time you walk out of your home, not knowing if today will be your last day?  I’m sure that when Trayvon walked down that street towards his father’s house in Sanford, Florida he didn’t think his steps taken would be his last or that when James Anderson, stood in the hotel parking lot, those headlights heading towards him, would be the last his eyes would ever see.

We must claim our humanity back and we must not be desensitized to the atrocities that are happening around us.  No more should you ever believe that we live in a Post-Racial Society, because that fairy tale doesn’t exists.  We hear, but we don’t listen, we see but we don’t visualize the affects of the tragedies before us.  In the words of the late great, Carter G. Woodson, “As another has well said, to handicap a student by teaching him that his black face is a curse and that his struggle to change his condition is hopeless is the worst form of lynching. It kills one's aspirations and dooms him to vagabondage and crime.”

 

Read More Of Keith Beauchamp's Posts

 

 

Photo credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Keith Beauchamp: Trayvon Martin, A Martyr Or Just Another Victim?

March 30, 2012

Reblog

By Keith A. Beauchamp Executive Producer/ Host ‘The Injustice Files.’ [Read his bio]

After two weeks of being bombarded by emails, Facebook and Twitter messages, I finally have decided to break the silence about the untimely death of Trayvon Martin.  As we brace ourselves for more facts on this tragic case, we now find our country in heated dialogue once again about “race” as cries for justice can be heard. 

Now considered to be the 21^st Century Emmett Till, I was not surprised of the comparison.  History has taught us that every once in a while, a generation gets its ultimate wakeup call. For me, it was learning about Emmett Louis Till at the age of 10. He was a 14-year old Black Chicago Youth murdered in 1955 for whistling at a white woman in Mississippi. Perhaps for many of this generation, it will be the tragic death of 17-year old, Trayvon Martin whose life was suddenly cut short on the evening of February 26, 2012. But will Martin become a martyr for change just like Emmett Till or will he just be another victim?

In 1955, Emmett Till’s murder became the catalyst that sparked the American Civil Rights Movement. His death represented a part of America’s dark legacy of lynching. During this turbulent time in history, there were many black males losing their lives simply for the color of their skin, but what set Till’s case from all the others was the media attention it received. Thanks to the courageousness of his mother, the late Mamie Till-Mobley, it was the first time that the public was able to put a face to the victim.  When my eyes first set upon the picture of Trayvon Martin, I immediately thought of Emmett Till.  Just like the death of Emmett, I saw another mother crying out for justice for the death of her son.  Trayvon Martin is now the poster child for racial profiling and his death also represents hundreds or even thousands of innocent black lives lost.

However, we must remember that racial profiling has been a contentious issue for generations that affects nearly every ethnic background. Although many would say that blacks are synonymous with this controversial practice, in recent years we have also seen racial profiling being used on ethnic groups of the Muslim faith and Latinos.  No matter how you slice it, racial profiling is morally wrong. It incites racial violence and is in clear violation of our 14^th Amendment Right.  Discrimination against someone because of the color of their skin or ethnic clothing they are wearing without knowing anything about the subject is considered to be racial prejudice and it puts us all in harms way. 

Trayvon Martin’s death should serve as a reminder not only for those who suffered the same fate but for the living who still have time on this earth to make things right.

 

Related Links:
More About The Injustice Files
Videos: The Injustice Files: At The End Of The Rope

 

Photo Caption/Credit: Trayvon Martin - In this undated family photo, Trayvon Martin poses for a family photo. Martin was fatally shot last month as he returned to a Sanford home during a visit from Miami. His parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, accused Sanford police of botching the investigation and criticized them for not arresting 28-year-old George Zimmerman, who says he shot Trayvon Martin in self-defense. Martin was not armed. They say the police department hasn't arrested Zimmerman because he is white and their son was black. (AP Photo/HO, Martin Family Photos) 

Pat LaLama Reports: Lazarus Guilty Verdict (Lazarus Trial Update)

March 08, 2012

Reblog

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Follow Pat's coverage of the Stephanie Lazarus Trial.    Read her Bio >> ]

 

 Read Past Blog Posts On This Case

Stephanie Lazarus never showed a hint of emotion throughout her trial. Her reaction today to a conviction of first degree murder was no different.  The former elite LAPD detective stared straight ahead and never flinched as the clerk read the verdict.  Her attorney Mark Overland would tell reporters outside the courtroom that his client was disappointed. Bound by attorney client privilege, he would say no more about his client's reaction.  Overland said he was struck by the short amount of time it took the jury to weigh the evidence. They deliberated less than two full days. “We never had a chance,” he said. Lazarus’ mother and husband abruptly left the courtroom during the reading.  The victim’s family, sitting right behind me, held hands and sobbed. The verdict was a long time coming.

It’s been 26 years since Lazarus brutally beat and shot to death a 29-year-old nursing supervisor named Sherri Rasmussen, all because Sherri married the man Lazarus could only dream of having. But at the time, there wasn’t a hint of Lazarus’ presence at the crime scene. It was chalked up to a burglary gone wrong. Detectives preserved saliva taken from the bite mark on the victim’s arm and stored it in a coroner’s freezer for nearly 20 years.   Once DNA became an investigative tool, cold case detectives took another look and matched Lazarus’ DNA with the bite mark.  They arrested Detective Lazarus in June of 2009. She’s been behind bars ever since.

Friends and family members of Sherri Rasmussen waited a long time for justice to be served. Sherri’s best friend Jayne Goldberg wept as she briefly spoke with me. “We never let her down,” she said.  And they didn’t. The Rasmussen family was always convinced Lazarus committed the murder, but their pleas to the LAPD fell on deaf ears. Family members claim they repeatedly told detectives that Lazarus stalked and harassed Sherri. No one would listen. The family now plans to sue the city of Los Angeles and the LAPD.

As for 51-year-old Stephanie Lazarus, she now faces 27 years to life and will be sentenced in May. Here’s what strikes me…

Lazarus didn’t just break through the glass ceiling at the LAPD. She had a stellar career. She was a trailblazer.  She is the recipient of multiple awards and commendations. She had a pristine record and worked a prestigious detective detail.  She was athletic and strong. She married a fellow detective and adopted a little girl.  All of it now is thrown away because of an obsession with a man 26 years ago. She took a life and ruined her own life and the lives of others—all because of an obsession.  And I often wonder about all those years she carried around this murderous secret.  Did she think about it? Did she ignore it? Did she forgive herself?  Did she pretend it never happened?  Did she ever think this day would come?

In the words of the prosecutor, “she thought she got away with it.” If it hadn’t been for a single bite mark, she might have. 

I noticed throughout the trial that Lazarus’ husband Scott Young stayed stalwart and dedicated. I watched him mouth “I love you” to her a few days ago. He carries a bible. He will now raise a daughter by himself.  Mark Overland said, “He’s convinced she’s innocent and I believe he’s going to stand by her.”

 

What's your thoughts on this case? Comment on our Facebook page

Pat LaLama Reports: Jury Hears Closing Arguments From Defense (Lazarus Trial Update)

March 05, 2012

Reblog

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Follow Pat's coverage of the Stephanie Lazarus Trial.    Read her Bio >> ]

Follow Pat's Reports On This Trial

  

The Defense Closing Argument   

“Fluff and filler that proves nothing.” That’s how defense attorney Mark Overland described most of the state’s case against former LAPD detective Stephanie Lazarus.

Taking his turn in closing arguments on Monday, Overland insisted that the original detectives in the 1986 murder investigation of Sherri Rasmussen had it right when they concluded that her death was the result of a burglary gone wrong.  Three years after the murder, those same detectives told the victim’s widower, John Ruetten, that Stephanie Lazarus had been cleared of any wrong doing.

But when the cold case was reopened nearly 20 years later, investigators turned their attention to the respected female cop who by this time had worked her way up the ranks of the LAPD.  They say DNA analysis of a bite mark left on the victim’s arm overwhelmingly matched Detective Stephanie Lazarus. That bite mark is the crux of the prosecution’s case against Lazarus.  But Overland told the jury the DNA cannot be trusted. He argued that there is confusion over the number of DNA swabs that were taken, the manner in which the evidence was handled and where it was stored. Overland pointed to a large hole in the original evidence bag and an unsealed test tube protruding from the bag when it was finally discovered in a coroner’s freezer.  Overland accused the handlers and analysts of violating procedures for storing and logging evidence which ultimately compromised its integrity. “If you do that it has no value,” argued Overland.

 

 Here are some other key points made by the defense:

• Overland raised questions about blood and fingerprints from the crime scene that to this day remain unidentified.

• Not a single fingerprint from the crime scene is identified as that of Stephanie Lazarus.

• Sherri Rasmussen called in sick from work the day she was murdered. Overland wanted to know how Lazarus could possibly have known that the young nursing supervisor would be at home that day.

• Overland questioned the level of concern Ruetten had for his sick wife. Ruetten had previously testified that he tried several times to call his wife from his workplace, but the answering machine was off and he couldn’t leave a message. But Overland reminded the jury that Rasmussen’s sister Teresa had no problem leaving messages on the machine on that very day.

• Overland told the jury that Ruetten didn’t bother to come home for lunch (a 20 minute drive) to check on his wife. “Is he really worried? Is he really concerned? “Does that make sense? Is that what a loving husband would do? Is that what a concerned husband would do?

• Overland also implied that based on Ruetten’s own testimony, he didn’t appear to be appropriately disturbed by the discovery of his new bride’s dead body lying on the living room floor.  “Is he in shock? No.”

• Overland made it a point to remind the jury that Ruetten met up with Lazarus in Hawaii and Los Angeles a few years after the murder of his wife.

• Overland insisted that Lazarus was not the least bit obsessed over Ruetten. He cited a 597 page personal journal kept by Lazarus. In it, Ruetten is only mentioned on five pages. There is no reference to Ruetten’s wedding day.  But there are multiple references to several other men in whom Lazarus appeared to be interested.

• Overland also told jurors that the prosecution spoon fed some of its witnesses—essentially telling them what to say even though those witnesses had no independent recollection of events.

 

The case should go to the jury sometime Tuesday.

What's your thoughts on this case? Comment on our Facebook page

 Photo Credit: thinkstock

Pat LaLama Reports: Lazarus Case Wrapped Up With Five Key Points (Trial Update)

Reblog

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Follow Pat's coverage of the Stephanie Lazarus Trial.    Read her Bio >> ]

Follow Pat's Reports On This Trial

  

Closing Arguments

 

“This wasn’t a melee. This wasn’t a fair fight. This was prey caught in a cage with her predator.” Those were the dramatic words of Deputy District Attorney Paul Nunez spoken this morning to the jury hearing the first degree murder trial of former LAPD Detective Stephanie Lazarus.

In closing arguments, Nunez wrapped up the case with five key points; Motive, opportunity, means, police skills and DNA.

 

Motive: Jealousy that Lazarus’ ex-boyfriend married Sherri Rasmussen.
 

Opportunity: Defendant had three days off from work at the LAPD to plan the murder.
 

Means: Defendant used her .38 caliber, five shot, Smith and Wesson back- up weapon. Also Lazarus was incredibly athletic and strong.
 

Police Skills: Lazarus was trained in locksmithing and had acute knowledge of finding and lifting fingerprints. Also, she knew how to “stage” a burglary.
 

DNA: Evidence lifted from a bite mark found on the victim overwhelmingly matches Lazarus. The prosecution says the chance that the DNA could belong to anyone else is 1 in 1.7 sextillion. (The population of 240 billion earths.)

Nunez told the jury that bullets fired from the murder weapon matched those mandated by the LAPD at the time of the murder in 1986. Soon after, Lazarus claimed her gun had been stolen. “Conveniently, the gun was lost 13 days after the murder,” said Nunez.

Nunez dismissed the defense theory that the bite mark DNA had been contaminated by poor handling. “Degraded DNA doesn’t turn into someone else’s DNA,” he said. As for the potential that the evidence was planted, Nunez said it was impossible to imagine that someone got past security in the coroner’s office, then found the right freezer containing the right test tube and deposited Stephanie Lazarus’ DNA.

“Justice has waited a long time for this day,” Nunez told the jury. “Twenty six years ago the defendant thought she got away with it.”

Later today, I will have details of the defense closing arguments.

 

 Share Your Thoughts About This Case On Our Facebook Page

 

 

Photo Credit:
Former Los Angeles Police Officer Stephanie Lazarus at Los Angeles Superior hearing Wednesday, July 29, (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Pat LaLama Reports: No Testimony From Stephanie Lazarus - The Defense Rests

February 28, 2012

Reblog

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Follow Pat's coverage of the Stephanie Lazarus Trial.    Read her Bio >> ]

Follow Pat's Reports On This Trial

 

Day 15/The Defense Rests

Jurors in the murder trial of former LAPD detective Stephanie Lazarus heard the last piece of evidence on Tuesday afternoon. What they will never hear is the testimony of Lazarus herself who did not take the witness stand.

It’s not surprising she didn’t.  Her defense attorney Mark Overland is a savvy veteran who probably made the right choice from a legal perspective. And of course jurors will be told that they may not apply any weight or value to the fact that she didn’t testify.

Thinking out loud now... Lazarus was law enforcement. An elite cop. Decorated. Respected. 
Is it human nature to set a higher standard for these purveyors of public safety? Was the jury expecting Lazarus to courageously get up on the stand and let herself be heard? Was the jury disappointed that this former officer of the law chose not to state her case? I’m just curious. And let me repeat. The jury cannot even consider such a question while deliberating.

If the prosecution believes that Lazarus was an obsessed jilted lover who was driven to murder her ex-boyfriend’s new bride on February 24, 1986, Overland presented the jury with a different characterization.

Entries in Lazarus’ personal journal and calendar show a woman who was quite busy with numerous male subjects of interest. Here are just a few:

 

• May 19^th, 1985-“I met two firemen from Glendale. Really cuties. I even got their phone numbers so we could go bike riding.”

• September 28, 1985 “Manhattan Transfer (concert) with Roger.”

• October 12, 1985-“I saw this guy that I couldn’t keep my eyes off of.”

• January 25, 1986 (one month before the murder) “I saw Gene’s car and said hello. He is so good looking.”

• January 28, 1986- “Basketball  game with Roger.”

• January 31, 1986-“Schmidt keeps hinting at wanting to take me out.”

• April 17, 1986- “Dinner with Gene.”

• July 9, 1986- “Out with Gene.”

• July 10, 1986- “I had a lunch date with a D.A. (District Attorney) investigator.”

 

Do these entries show a woman who was depressed an obsessed with an ex-lover? Lazarus’ defenders say no.

Some of Lazarus’ friends and family were paraded before the jury as character witnesses. “A natural leader,” said a fellow cop. “Not from the farthest reaches of my mind would I ever believe she is a violent person,” said a close cousin.

All of this may be important to the defense, but what Overland is truly banking on is science (or the corruption and unreliability of it) to win freedom for his client.

The state’s most damning evidence against Lazarus is the bite mark found on the arm of the victim. Prosecutors have tried to convince the jury that the DNA taken from the mark overwhelmingly points to Lazarus.

Overland’s retort is that 26 years of mishandling, poor packaging and inferior record keeping renders the evidence tainted and unreliable.

Closing arguments begin Monday morning. I will detail the key points from both sides then.

 

 Share Your Thoughts About This Case On Our Facebook Page

 

Photo Credit: thinkstock

Pat LaLama Reports: Sherri Rasmussen Died From A Horrific Rage Fueled Attack?

February 25, 2012

Reblog

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Follow Pat's coverage of the Stephanie Lazarus Trial.    Read her Bio >> ]

 

Follow Pat's Reports On This Trial

 

Stephanie Lazarus Murder Trial
Day 13

On the 26^th anniversary of the brutal bludgeoning and murder of Sherri Rasmussen, family members were subjected to devastating details of the rage fueled and obsession driven attack that led to Rasmussen’s death. At least that’s how one prosecution witness in the murder trial of former LAPD detective Stephanie Lazarus sees it.

Forensic behavioral analyst Mark Safarik reconstructs crime scenes to try and determine “what, how and why” a particular crime was committed. The 23 year FBI veteran, now in private practice, analyzed the Rasmussen case. In front of the jury he painted a horrific picture of a bloody struggle that spanned two floors and three different areas of attack in the victim’s Los Angeles town home more than two and a half decades ago.  Safarik used his knowledge and background to form an expert opinion.  It was an opinion that devastated the Rasmussen family…many of them weeping through the testimony. Here are the key points in Safarik’s theory:

• Rasmussen was first attacked in the kitchen area. Two shots were fired by the perpetrator, at least one of them barely missing the victim. (Soot was discharged on her right little finger indicating just how close the gun was to her hand when it was discharged).

• Rasmussen got away from her attacker and ran down a set of stairs into a foyer area. The perpetrator chased Rasmussen down the stairs, caught up with her, and began inflicting heavy blows to her head.

• The attack moved into the living room area where Rasmussen was most likely smashed in the face with a heavy ceramic vase, causing her to fall to the ground.

• Once Rasmussen was down, the suspect rapidly fired three shots at close range.  One of them a “kill” or “contact” shot, where the gun is placed right up against the body and fired.

• Rasmussen was tied up with rope at one point.

• A bite mark found on the victim’s arm indicates she was trying to push the gun away and was bitten by her attacker.

• The perpetrator tried to “stage” the scene to create the illusion of a burglary gone wrong by placing stereo equipment near the exit of the town home. Nothing was ransacked and there seemed to be no search for valuables.

On cross examination, Safarik admitted his conclusions were only an opinion, and that no one really knows what transpired.

The defense begins its case on Monday.  Is it remotely possible that Stephanie Lazarus will take the stand some time during the trial? It’s good fodder for debate.  I’ll have more.

 

 Share Your Thoughts About This Case On Our Facebook Page

 

 

Photo Credit:
Former Los Angeles Police Officer Stephanie Lazarus at Los Angeles Superior hearing Wednesday, July 29, (AP Photo/Nick Ut)