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Monday, April 12, 2010

Brian House Tries to Make the Tonya Craft Jury a "Family Affair" and other Notes from Day 1

Well, if people are not yet convinced that "Judge" Brian House is running a kangaroo court in the Tonya Craft trial, I found out today that one of the people he has permitted to stay in the jury pool is a former brother-in-law of Ms. Craft. When they asked this man if he had discussed the case with family members, he said that he really had not done it that much.

Yeah, right. I'm sure that discussion slipped his mind. However, it gets even better. As one observer said to me today, "They should have asked him if he had discussed the case with Chris Arnt," who is the prosecutor. If this man and Arnt held a conversation about the case and neither one admitted to it, then we are witnessing criminal behavior on behalf of both men.

When Arnt was supposed to read the indictments to the prospective jurors, he read them verbatim - at first. Then he started to paraphrase, which simply is not done, but when the defense objected, House overruled them and permitted Arnt to continue. So, House is making it abundantly clear that Arnt is going to run the show, and he also is making the statement that, yes, this is a travesty of justice but that is too bad.

My sense is that he is going to do everything he can to grease the skids for conviction, realizing that he also has permitted too many reversible errors for even the Georgia appeals courts to turn a blind eye. Thus, he figures he can help his good friends put Craft in prison, and even if the verdict is overturned, he will have accomplished his goal of having her wrongly incarcerated.

To get a sense of the rigged game that House and Arnt are presenting, you have to go back to Durham, North Carolina, with the Duke Lacrosse Case. Prosecutor Mike Nifong lied at every turn, but he knew he could count on Judge Ronald Stephens and Stephens did not disappoint. First, Stephens permitted the $400K bonds to stand, and second, Stephens permitted people in the courtroom to call death threats to Reade Seligmann, who had to appear before Stephens for a bond hearing.

What is happening in Catoosa County now is a disgrace, and I am going to be speaking out as much as I can.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I live here in North Ga, And heard you on WGOW this morning, I couldn't agree with you more!House and Arnt have had things their way for so long they thing they ARE THE law.I can't wait till both of them are disbarred.and are on the other end of the stick.
the dr.

Anonymous said...

What are you going to do when the EVIDENCE shows that she DID DO IT???? So quick to say that it is one sided when you weren't even in the courtroom. You are getting your information from a biased party. If you are going to comment on the case, know your facts first. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

I live in North Georgia, I have seen the monkey/kangaroo court in action personally. Actually, I think comparing these two, House and Arnt, to any of the members of the animal kingdom, is a bit of an insult to the animals! That notwithstanding, anyone have any idea how to get national media attention? Maybe then we could at least have some "justice" in our "system".

Anonymous said...

What are you going to do when the EVIDENCE shows that she DID DO IT?

At this point, it doesn't matter whether she did it or not. The court and Arnt have clearly demonstrated their contempt for the legal process and the rights of the defendant.

William L. Anderson said...

What evidence? When testimony has been coerced by therapists and police, and when the prosecution cannot find a time, place, or even the month when alleged abuse occurred, we have a problem, a huge problem.

Don't forget that in the earlier discredited cases such as the McMartin, Edenton, Kelly Michaels, Grant Snowden, and Wenatchee, the "disclosure" pattern was pretty much the same as what we have in this case. Furthermore, this looks to be more a case of score settling than anything else.

Just because some kids have been coached to claim Tonya Craft molested them is not evidence, not by a long shot. Guess what? Crystal Mangum to this day insists that the Duke Lacrosse players raped her. Is that "evidence," or is it a lie? I think we know the answer.

Let me ask this question: If this is such a "slam-dunk" case, as so many seem to think, then why do the judge and prosecutor have to resort to the tactics they are using? House already has committed a number of errors that would help reverse a guilty verdict.

My guess is that they are trying to ramrod through a conviction, and then let the appeals courts pick up the pieces.

Anonymous said...

thank God for you Mr anderson, we have tried for almost two years to get someone, anyone to hear her story and see what is going on in Catooosa County Ga, but to no avail
Thank you so much hope its not to late

Anonymous said...

I wish I had known about you four years ago, when our nightmare with this so called justice system in Catoosa County began. This is a corrupt system!!

Anonymous said...

People who "rush to aquit" are no more useful than those who "rush to convict."

How about we let the judicial system do its thing BEFORE trying to convince everyone else that our personal opinions are "facts."

Anonymous said...

Well this case is no suprise for the Ga. court system they will try any underhanded means to get a conviction.Len Greggor is a low down crooked ast DA. trying to make a name for himself.He will withhold evidence ,and he really has no regard for the truth.

Anonymous said...

It is sad when a person is fighting for their LIFE and the ADA, do not want the truth to come out, if you do not have any thing to hide why not lay all your cards out on the table and let the jury decide.Would they want a fair trial, or their child to have a fair trial. They would not let it get out on them. they would have the fbi on theirs.. but we are suppost to lay down and take what ever that low down scum puts out.. The judges on down, have noooo respect for any of them.The judge that was in my son case is a joke...

Anonymous said...

What an embarrassing bunch of back woods idiots Catoosa Co residents have to deal with. "I'm the man" what a looser thing to say. I bet he has a rebel flag in his front yard. My heart goes out to Tonya and especially her daughter. Her dad and his wife are disgusting. Why would she allow her step daughter to shower with her? The Henke's should be on trial and the Judge/DA should lose their jobs. Thank God I don't live in Catoosa County, if I did I think I would move

Kathy R said...

What is with all of Gregor's I'm the man comments? Someone needs to remind him he isn't the Attorney General, I have a college degree does that make me the woman..ha ha

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a Witch Hunt there in Ringgold! I believe Toyna is being Railroaded!!!!!!!!!! Truth will Prevail

Anonymous said...

Brian House is doing a better job at this than any of you or myself would do. Are you a judge? No, so don't be saying that he is doing his job wrong when you have no idea what he or his family is going through. Mr. House is a good Christian man, and our community needs to support him and pray for him as well during this trial.

Susan Burgess said...

SAB says - I am a resident of Catoosa Co. and I am very disturbed in what I am seeing in the Tonya Craft case. I do not know any of these people on trial but am very aware of the so called ADA Chris Arnt. He is a joke who is a puppet man for Bobby Lee Cook who is an atty in Summerville, GA. These two counties Chattooga & Catoosa are in the same Lookout Mtn. Judical District. Fact-In a Walker Co. court, which is also in the LMJD, Arnt actually let Atty. Cook slap him in the face in front of the Judge and nothing came out of it. This court system is a joke. This I don't know for sure but our DA Buzz Franklin did not want to prosecute this case and wants nothing to do with it. While he was gone on vacation Arnt and his cronies pulled the strings it took to get this case in the system and here we are today. Has anybody wondered why DA Franklin has not shown his face during the duration of this whole trial? Judge House has shown much prejudice against the defense team while letting the prosecution make morons out of themselves. If Judge Strickland in the Casey Anthony case can recuse himself as her attys requested, then why can't Ms. Craft's team do the same with Brian House who I did not vote for. He has not even been a judge for even a year, yet. That's how much trial experience he has. I have never in my entire life seen such a good ole boy system be brought out for all to see, and there is no one in our judicial system can step in and do something about it. I blog a lot against Catoosa co. judicial system under my real name but I am now starting to get scared that if they find out who I am they could do something to me. I want to help purge the corruption out of Catoosa co. legal system. If, Mr. Baker can step in and put a stop to this kangaroo court and doesn't, I can guarantee him that I will campaign against him, as well as for Sheriff Phil Summers, who I went to school with and have always voted for him. But not this time. It is time for Sheriff Summers to give it up. He is not the person who I thought he was. I have also heard that Buzz Franklin is not running for re-election and that Arnt wants his position. I will also campaign against him. I have lived in this community since 1988 and have family living in Chattooga co. which also runs a kangaroo court system. The only hope we have if anything happens to any of us, is that it goes in to the Federal system. I am scared for my life, as well as I am for Ms. Craft's life. I know the rules may be different in TN & GA but it shouldn't be under the Judge's personal decision. This case has went National and is being characterized as a "Witch Hunt"! No one is saying these little girls have done anything wrong but their parents have in my opinion along with the investigators. I would have like to seen if that father the other day the only one who has been involved shed any tears while he was on the stand. His face was blurred so you couldn't tell. A real man, in my opinion would have showed angered. He appears to be a man who does what his wife tells him to do. Mr. Anderson we need help and you seem to have the knowledge to help us. I beg you, please don't give up. In 3 weeks time only a fourth of the time has been spent on the allegations brought against this woman. My understanding the jury is made up of a lot of elderly people and that's why they are trying to try Ms. Craft's character, instead of the accusations that have been brought against her.

Anonymous said...

do you think it will ever come to light that Brian House is so biased on the Tonya Craft case and that his supeiors will see it

The RatShit Kid said...

So what did you have to say or write when Tonya Craft was ACQUITTED of all 22 counts of molestation etc. etc??