STORY: "Emotions run high as State argues motive in Ed Graf murder retrial," by reporter Chris Davis, published by KCEN TV on October 7, 2014.
GIST: Tuesday marked day one of a central Texas murder retrial that's gaining national attention. A day after jury selection, the state started to put forward its theory about what happened, and the defense countered with the promise of modern science. It comes down to different types of evidence: The defense is going to argue new scientific analysis shows Ed Graf, now 62, did not start the fire that killed his two adopted sons in 1986 The state argued on Tuesday that doesn't matter.........Through witnesses who worked with Graf at State Farm Insurance in the '80s, prosecutors showed Graf took out life insurance policies on the kids that cleared the day before they died. Defense attorneys said in their opening statement there was a good reason for that; the specific plans he bought would serve as investments for the kids' futures, as the policy Graf's parents got him put him through college. But the state said he had a financial motive to kill his two sons to collect the policy payouts: He owed the bank where he worked $75,000. One witness who worked with him at that bank, though, showed he paid that money back months before the fire. Still, prosecutors pushed forward with the theory he planned every aspect of the fire, including not renewing prescriptions or buying more cereal, because he knew the kids wouldn't be around to use them. An assistant district attorney said in the opening statement, "The reality is his plan has come to fruition. He's done exactly what he wanted to do." "He couldn't cover his tracks," the attorney went on. "And that's why we're here today." The defense will present a very different case, based on science from the scene. They'll rely on fire investigators to talk about how the science at the time of the fire was primitive compared to what we know now. In their opening statements, Graf's attorneys told the jury, "We're going to bring you 2014 science, not 1986 science.""
The entire story can be found at:
http://www.kcentv.com/story/26728888/emotions-run-high-as-state-argues-motive-in-ed-graf-murder-retrial
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.
I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.
The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-charles-smith-award-presented-to_28.html
I look forward to hearing from readers at:
hlevy15@gmail.com.
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;
