Fairfax County Double Murder

[Anonymous]

Rewatching the opening statements right now. The defense lawyer mentions that Juliana had lost faith in her lawyer. Was her lawyer not from the same firm as Brendan’s lawyer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if the victims families are at court?

I saw Christine’s parents and her sister. Did not see anyone from Joe’s side.

God I hope Tess is adequately impugned and Christine’s family can raise Valerie. Does Brendan have a dad?

Yes, his father and stepmother live in Florida and sounds like they were writing to Juliana as well? Unless I misunderstood her testimony.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought someone might testify to Christine’s blood clotting disorder. I was also surprised that that wasn’t mentioned in the prosecution’s opening statement.

There is an OBGYN subpoenaed.

And if it’s the right one, she’s from Long Island, the area CB gave birth to her daughter.

[Anonymous]

Is Tess Banfield still living in the murder house with the little girl?

I remembered Christine’s family had tried to get custody but not that it had changed?

I hope Julianna is jailed longer, Brendan never walks free again and that Tess is convicted for obstruction.

Julianna mentioned his stepmother also wrote to her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did the defense ask any questions about whether the forensic experts discovered any evidence that Christine fought back at anytime? Or if she was asleep until she was woken up by the stabbing? I hope the prosecution clears that time gap up because they will definitely show the jury the extent that the murder happened before Joe even started any of the planned fantasy. And it will dispute the claim that BB disrupted Joe attempting to kill Christine.

That doesn’t matter. They have evidence that BB catfished Joe. No one thinks BB tried to save the day.

Agree, but still want to know what happened. Is there any chance she was stabbed before the rape scenario even started?

I do not think that is likely. Joe would have walked out or called 911 if he walked in on a bloody scene.

I do think it is possible that she was drugged by Brendan prior to Joe arriving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Prosecution said they have 2 witnesses left. Who do you think it could be ?
Could the former au pair be one of them?

They said one would take more than an hour and one would take 15 minutes. We still haven’t heard from whoever performed the autopsies right? It seems like we have to hear from them, even though the obvious COD is the stabbing and shooting. Maybe I somehow missed that but I don’t think so. I assumed we would also hear from another detective who does like forensic reconstruction work who would testify more with diagrams about angles and whatever. Some of the testimony on Thursday like the firearms expert got into that a little, she said the evidence showed Joe was shot from more than 12 inches away or something. But not like diagrams and such.

I was surprised it was only 2 more witnesses. That makes me think the commonwealth has something they feel is “key” and don’t want to fatigue jurors with too much more info. Which Juliana’s testimony is obviously compelling but they said there would be key forensics that supported it. I believe that but I feel like we haven’t quite gotten there.

They drew attention to the blood splatter pattern on Brendan’s pants a couple times and made sure to establish it was blood and it was Christine’s. This is just my own interpretation but I would assume they must have someone coming who will show that would have happened from stabbing someone, not from just rendering aid to a stabbed person (one of the FCPD guys made sure to point out “this area looked different from the other areas where blood came into contact with the pants and needed further investigation”).

They also kinda pointed out it was weird Juliana had blood on her socks, and I agree it is but I’m not sure it really ended up mattering for anything since she confessed to her part. She probably took her shoes off at some point and then put them back on? Odd, but doesn’t really answer any pressing questions.

The backpack I’m not sure, it could be relevant or not, I assume that it could help establish where Joe was shot and that he could have been moved, however, I assume that Brendan’s defense could just say yeah, he moved him to render aid to Christine. They need to go beyond that and show that and show that Brendan stabbed Christine and then staged the scene, and I’m not sure the backpack will be pivotal or not.

[Anonymous]

Forgot to say they were also asking the FCPD guys about whether they touched the contents of the backpack or repacked it, or saw anyone on bodyworn camera doing so and they all said no obviously. So I do think the backpack will come into it but not sure how.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is Tess Banfield still living in the murder house with the little girl?

I remembered Christine’s family had tried to get custody but not that it had changed?

I hope Julianna is jailed longer, Brendan never walks free again and that Tess is convicted for obstruction.

Julianna mentioned his stepmother also wrote to her.

Help us out. What did she say and has this been introduced as evidence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prosecution said they have 2 witnesses left. Who do you think it could be ?
Could the former au pair be one of them?

They said one would take more than an hour and one would take 15 minutes. We still haven’t heard from whoever performed the autopsies right? It seems like we have to hear from them, even though the obvious COD is the stabbing and shooting. Maybe I somehow missed that but I don’t think so. I assumed we would also hear from another detective who does like forensic reconstruction work who would testify more with diagrams about angles and whatever. Some of the testimony on Thursday like the firearms expert got into that a little, she said the evidence showed Joe was shot from more than 12 inches away or something. But not like diagrams and such.

I was surprised it was only 2 more witnesses. That makes me think the commonwealth has something they feel is “key” and don’t want to fatigue jurors with too much more info. Which Juliana’s testimony is obviously compelling but they said there would be key forensics that supported it. I believe that but I feel like we haven’t quite gotten there.

They drew attention to the blood splatter pattern on Brendan’s pants a couple times and made sure to establish it was blood and it was Christine’s. This is just my own interpretation but I would assume they must have someone coming who will show that would have happened from stabbing someone, not from just rendering aid to a stabbed person (one of the FCPD guys made sure to point out “this area looked different from the other areas where blood came into contact with the pants and needed further investigation”).

They also kinda pointed out it was weird Juliana had blood on her socks, and I agree it is but I’m not sure it really ended up mattering for anything since she confessed to her part. She probably took her shoes off at some point and then put them back on? Odd, but doesn’t really answer any pressing questions.

The backpack I’m not sure, it could be relevant or not, I assume that it could help establish where Joe was shot and that he could have been moved, however, I assume that Brendan’s defense could just say yeah, he moved him to render aid to Christine. They need to go beyond that and show that and show that Brendan stabbed Christine and then staged the scene, and I’m not sure the backpack will be pivotal or not.

Agree with you. Attorney here. Only two more witnesses?

Can someone explain the backpack issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prosecution said they have 2 witnesses left. Who do you think it could be ?
Could the former au pair be one of them?

They said one would take more than an hour and one would take 15 minutes. We still haven’t heard from whoever performed the autopsies right? It seems like we have to hear from them, even though the obvious COD is the stabbing and shooting. Maybe I somehow missed that but I don’t think so. I assumed we would also hear from another detective who does like forensic reconstruction work who would testify more with diagrams about angles and whatever. Some of the testimony on Thursday like the firearms expert got into that a little, she said the evidence showed Joe was shot from more than 12 inches away or something. But not like diagrams and such.

I was surprised it was only 2 more witnesses. That makes me think the commonwealth has something they feel is “key” and don’t want to fatigue jurors with too much more info. Which Juliana’s testimony is obviously compelling but they said there would be key forensics that supported it. I believe that but I feel like we haven’t quite gotten there.

They drew attention to the blood splatter pattern on Brendan’s pants a couple times and made sure to establish it was blood and it was Christine’s. This is just my own interpretation but I would assume they must have someone coming who will show that would have happened from stabbing someone, not from just rendering aid to a stabbed person (one of the FCPD guys made sure to point out “this area looked different from the other areas where blood came into contact with the pants and needed further investigation”).

They also kinda pointed out it was weird Juliana had blood on her socks, and I agree it is but I’m not sure it really ended up mattering for anything since she confessed to her part. She probably took her shoes off at some point and then put them back on? Odd, but doesn’t really answer any pressing questions.

The backpack I’m not sure, it could be relevant or not, I assume that it could help establish where Joe was shot and that he could have been moved, however, I assume that Brendan’s defense could just say yeah, he moved him to render aid to Christine. They need to go beyond that and show that and show that Brendan stabbed Christine and then staged the scene, and I’m not sure the backpack will be pivotal or not.

Agree with you. Attorney here. Only two more witnesses?

Can someone explain the backpack issue?

I think what they’re trying to prove w the backpack blood mark is that things were packed AFTER Joe was shoot and everyone was already bleeding to death.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if the victims families are at court?

I saw Christine’s parents and her sister. Did not see anyone from Joe’s side.

God I hope Tess is adequately impugned and Christine’s family can raise Valerie. Does Brendan have a dad?

Who is Tess in all of this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prosecution said they have 2 witnesses left. Who do you think it could be ?
Could the former au pair be one of them?

They said one would take more than an hour and one would take 15 minutes. We still haven’t heard from whoever performed the autopsies right? It seems like we have to hear from them, even though the obvious COD is the stabbing and shooting. Maybe I somehow missed that but I don’t think so. I assumed we would also hear from another detective who does like forensic reconstruction work who would testify more with diagrams about angles and whatever. Some of the testimony on Thursday like the firearms expert got into that a little, she said the evidence showed Joe was shot from more than 12 inches away or something. But not like diagrams and such.

I was surprised it was only 2 more witnesses. That makes me think the commonwealth has something they feel is “key” and don’t want to fatigue jurors with too much more info. Which Juliana’s testimony is obviously compelling but they said there would be key forensics that supported it. I believe that but I feel like we haven’t quite gotten there.

They drew attention to the blood splatter pattern on Brendan’s pants a couple times and made sure to establish it was blood and it was Christine’s. This is just my own interpretation but I would assume they must have someone coming who will show that would have happened from stabbing someone, not from just rendering aid to a stabbed person (one of the FCPD guys made sure to point out “this area looked different from the other areas where blood came into contact with the pants and needed further investigation”).

They also kinda pointed out it was weird Juliana had blood on her socks, and I agree it is but I’m not sure it really ended up mattering for anything since she confessed to her part. She probably took her shoes off at some point and then put them back on? Odd, but doesn’t really answer any pressing questions.

The backpack I’m not sure, it could be relevant or not, I assume that it could help establish where Joe was shot and that he could have been moved, however, I assume that Brendan’s defense could just say yeah, he moved him to render aid to Christine. They need to go beyond that and show that and show that Brendan stabbed Christine and then staged the scene, and I’m not sure the backpack will be pivotal or not.

Didn’t the ME who performed the autopsies testify on the first day before Juliana?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we revisit that he paid $30k+ to get the windows?!

Why? That’s what that many windows for a house that big would cost. Have you priced windows lately?

Yes, but presumably he didn’t need windows, just got them to dampen the sound.

Eh, the house probably had builder grade windows, so they wanted better, as in the double pane with energy treatment. What they didn’t actually need were the triple pane which was more sound deadening. He had a different reason for wanting that.

They didn't make the kind of money to drop 30k on new windows on a whim. It was a new home, builder grade or not.

He probably asked mommy to pay for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think what they’re trying to prove w the backpack blood mark is that things were packed AFTER Joe was shoot and everyone was already bleeding to death.

This is a good point especially if some of it was Christine’s blood although to me the pic looked more like pattern/splatter and I’m not sure that would happen from packing or unpacking it after with blood on your hands? I am definitely no forensics expert though, and the scene was really terrible. I honestly forgot from testimony whether we established if the blood in the backpack contained Christine’s blood. If so, it seems like based on Brendan’s defense he (supposedly) shot Joe while he was stabbing Christine. In reality Joe was not stabbing Christine but was just near her. But either way Joe shouldn’t have been handling the backpack after being shot, so Christine’s blood would have had to be put there by another person.

I feel like Brendan’s defense can still make it seem like he was just trying to clear the scene for safety and thus touched the backpack. Or it was in the way when he’s rendering aid so he moved it. I don’t know if touching the backpack and just getting blood on it is enough. But I agree the defense asked several times meaningfully if other people on the scene touched the backpack. So hopefully there is something that can show clear staging. Juliana didn’t bring up the backpack in her recounting of the scene, as far as I can recall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Didn’t the ME who performed the autopsies testify on the first day before Juliana?

You’re right, right before Juliana started. I forgot that somehow and was so confused about how we hadn’t established that. But okay that’s established.

I still feel like we need a reconstruction person with some diagrams? Maybe not because Joe is shot by Brendan and Juliana in either version.