Andrew F. Branca is in his third decade of practicing law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He wrote the first edition of the "Law of Self Defense" in 1997, and is currently in the process of completing the fully revised and updated second edition, which you can preorder now at lawofselfdefense.com. He began his competitive shooting activities as a youth in smallbore rifle, and today is a Life Member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and a Life Member and Master-class competitor in multiple classifications in the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA). Andrew has for many years been an NRA-certified firearms instructor in pistol, rifle, and personal protection, and has previously served as an Adjunct Instructor on the Law of Self Defense at the SigSauer Academy in Epping, NH. He holds or has held concealed carry permits for Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Pennsylvania, Florida, Utah, Virginia, and other states.
Evidence so far inadequate even for SD instruction; seems likely Dunn testifies tomorrow...
Medical Examiner presents graphic testimony, indicates Davis leaning away from fire when struck; State rests...
Defense accomplishes little in cross of homicide detective, fiancé, others...
(Defense Counsel Cory Strolla and State Attorney Angela Corey.)[/caption]
State Attorney Angela Corey would take the lead on the two evidence technicians, before turning things over to Assistant State Attorney Erin Wolfson for direct of the Deputy.
[caption id="attachment_78073" align="alignnone" width="450"]
(State Attorney Angela Corey.)[/caption]
Ron Davis, father of Jordan Davis, was again present in the courtroom.
(Detective Andrew Kipple.)[/caption]
The first State's witness was Detective Andrew Kipple, the senior evidence technician involved in processing the crime scene and evidence.. His testimony would consume the large majority of the morning.
(Patrol Officer Robert Holmes)[/caption]
Assistant State Attorney handled the direct examination of Holmes.
[caption id="attachment_77963" align="alignnone" width="450"]
(Assistant State Attorney Erin Wolfson)[/caption]
Holmes is a 7-year veteran of the police department, with prior Navy service. Perhaps the most remarkable part of his testimony to me was how little first aid training he'd received either as a policeman or seamen. Basically, his training was limited to CPR (last taught to him 7 years prior at the police academy) and how to use a tourniquet. Period.
Holmes described receiving the call of shots fired, arriving at the scene to see Jordan Davis cradled in the arms of his friends. Davis had no pulse. There was no pool of blood (of course, given the deep internal nature of the wound and the fact that Davis' blood pressure would have been zero at that point, there wouldn't be much blood). When Andrew Williams performed CPR compressions, however, Holmes observed blood coming from Davis' back. He described Davis' friends as shocked, as he drove them collectively back to the police station to meet with detectives.
On cross, Strolla asked why Holmes hadn't performed first aid himself, rather than let a "civilian" do it. It was here Holmes explained the paucity of his first aid training, and indicated that he'd thought it best to defer to a civilian who purported to have greater skills.
Strolla also explored the apparent fact that the interviews conducted at the police station by detectives were not recorded, despite the station having adequate capabilities to do so. It seems he intends to argue that this allowed the statements of the Durango survivors to be altered and coordinated over time.
One interesting point on direct arose when Corey asked Holmes where his notebook was from the night of the shooting, and Holmes casually indicated that the notebook was gone, destroyed. This seemed as if it might have some import, but Strolla never touched upon it in cross.
Offline, a Federal law enforcement officer contacted me to share that in his service notebooks were dated and destroyed by fire at pre-determined intervals, to ensure the confidentiality of their contents. Perhaps a similar policy is being followed by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Holmes came across as professional and objective, as is typical of police officers of any meaningful experience.
(Patrol Officer Robert Holmes)[/caption]
(Assistant State Attorney Erin Wolfson)[/caption]
(William Spicer, Paramedic)[/caption]
(Attorney Cory Strolla, speaking to defendant Michael Dunn)[/caption]
The jury selection process was completed yesterday, with 16 jurors empaneled. Although no video or audio was broadcast during voir dire (in sharp contrast to the Zimmerman trial), thanks to the excellent on-location work of journalist Stephanie Brown of WOKV, we enjoy some understand of the jurors' profiles and possible perspectives.
10 women, 6 men empaneled as jury, trial begins tomorrow at Noonrop...
Media fumes over audio-only access to jury voir dire...
Michael Dunn on trial on charges of 1st Degree murder for the shooting death of Jordan Davis[/caption]
