Thursday, August 9, 2018

OREGON STANDOFF FBI AGENT TRIAL:  THE CLOSING ARGUMENTS, PROSECUTOR: HE SHOT AT FINICUM


"Putting rounds down range and missing is a big deal....Remember this is the super agent who can hit a postage stamp at 50 yards....defendant had shot at the driver who in his mind had just killed his teammate....."


Federal prosecutor Paul Maloney closing argument


"However I feel that they (federal prosecutors) could have put a more robust case against this young man (Astarita). Most of the time I felt like LaVoy was the one on trial...."


Jeanette Finicum's observations about trial she has observed in Facebook-You Tube video 8/9/2018


(LATE UPDATE:  THE CASE IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE NINE MEN AND THREE WOMEN OF THE JURY.  THEY BEGAN DELIBERATIONS AT 230 PM PORTLAND TIME)


Today the closing arguments in the trial of FBI Hostage Rescue Team Agent W. Joseph Astarita.  He's accused of lying in connection with shots he fired moments before Oregon State Police killed Oregon Standoff protester LaVoy Finicum.  In his final arguments, a federal prosecutor said Astarita was shooting at Finicum.

But it was stressed that this is a case about accountability according to the federal prosecutor.  Paul Maloney argued that Astarita owns the shots he fires.   The prosecutor said he lied to cover them up.

He urged the jurors to watch the aerial video that shows him next to a state police truck in the cone of trajectory of the bullet that struck the roof of LaVoy Finicum's truck.

Regarding the video Maloney said:

"You can see him clearly defined"


Meanwhile, defense lawyer David Angeli said it was the FBI agents who 'kept their cool' and 'held their fire' while the Oregon State Police were 'reckless' at times on January 26, 2016.   He said the prosecution's case had many holes in it.

Angeli used a Power Point presentation mocking the 'circles and squiggles' in the prosecution exhibits to illustrate the line of fire.

He strongly suggested that Officer 1-Trooper 1 (revealed during the trial last week through social media as OSP Captain Casey Codding) was the person behind the two shots.

He noted no witness could identify Astarita as the shooter.

Angeli also said to the jurors:  

"When you have poor quality evidence you can't just ignore it and pretend it is more precise..."

He said there's reasonable doubt and the jury can't convict the FBI agent.

In his rebuttal, the federal prosecutor Paul Maloney said:

"It's with no pleasure or glee and it's with a heavy heart that the US government has to ask you to convict one of its brightest stars...because he's guilty."


After all the arguments were made, the case was turned over the jury in the afternoon with deliberations starting at 230pm in the afternoon.

Links below.......


Jeanette Finicum Report On Video 8/9/2018


Maxine Bernstein-"OregonLive" story 8/9/2018



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