Anyone else following the Tim Bosma trial?

[Tabby]

I realize this forum is virtually dead but I know some Canadians stop by here occasionally. I live in Hamilton where the trial is taking place and my horse is boarded just up the road from the Bosma residence but it's the drama of it all that has me hooked. Anyone else following? The 2 accused are absolute sociopaths - the both of them - but it is absolutely fascinating the evidence that has been coming out. I can't imagine either of these guys getting off, though I wonder if Mark Smitch might get found guilty of a lesser charge. The primary evidence against him is that toolbox with the gun which, of course, was never found. The whole entire case is based on circumstantial evidence but it is such compelling evidence I can't imagine a different verdict. Anybody else watching?

[Chisamba]

I was not, but i went and read up on it when you mentioned it. Lots of unanswered questions.

[Tabby]

Yay I'm so glad people are still reading this! I didn't post a link because I've been following the daily blog which is an awful lot to go through for anyone not familiar with it. There's tons and tons on any google search with a lot better summaries. The way I see it is the evidence against Millard includes:

-Bosma's wife identifying him along with Smitch as the 2 guys that went on the test drive
-cell phone pings along all routes between the Bosma home and the airplane hanger
-surveillance video from several businesses along the way showing the truck going along that route
-witness seeing the truck and reading the vin number in the hanger after it had been power washed and stripped
-bullet shell in the truck
-blood matching Tim Bosma in the truck
-blood matching Tim Bosma on the incinerator
-human remains in the incinerator
-burn marks in the field around where the incinerator was found
-witnesses stating fire going on the night of the incineration
-airplane hangar closed on day after Bosma disappeared
-truck found in a trailer at Millard's mother's house
-previous theft "missions" with friends
-same friends getting drugs out of Millard's house after he was arrested
-co-accused girlfriend says he did it all
-witnesses and text messages eluding to premeditated actions (at least in terms of stealing the truck)
-money problems
-letters to his girlfriend from prison (these just came out yesterday and they are pretty damning)

Evidence against Smitch:
-violent tendencies including writing violent rap lyrics
-drug addict
-freaked out after "incident" before arrest (according to a couple of witnesses including his girlfriend)
-had the toolbox that supposedly contained the gun
-arranged hiding/disposal of the gun and Millard's drugs
-according to girlfriend, buried the gun after wrapping it with duct tape

It is pretty much 100% certain that these 2 participated in the murder of Tim Bosma. We will probably never know who actually pulled the trigger but both of them participated in the coverup and both are equally guilty. Every single piece of evidence is circumstantial. There's no body and no murder weapon, but there's mountains of evidence.

In addition to everything that's being presented in this trial, Millard is also charged with the murder of his father and an ex girlfriend. I thought it was the one who is now testifying but it's a former girlfriend. A lot of Millard's money problems seem to be stemming from debt he "inherited" from his dad. That trial might be interesting to watch as an epilogue to this one.

[Chisamba]

i read that there was a body, but it was so burned that the casket was the size of a shoebox. they must have had enough to identify it though, right?

I also read that he has now been implicated in two more murders that were previously thought accidental. i gues that must be the father and the ex girlfriend

[Tabby]

They found some bones and teeth in the incinerator but they were too charred to identify. They could only say that they were human bones. There was blood on the outside of the incinerator that identified as Bosma's.

Millard has 2 other murder charges (father and ex girlfriend). Smitch has nothing that I know of. I'm surprised they didn't try to plea bargain but perhaps they didn't want another deal with the devil like Karla Homloka (who is apparently back in Canada again). I'm curious if he will take the stand. His only chance is to convince the jury he was just an accessory to this whole thing. The evidence against him is weaker and mostly revolves around hiding the gun. One has to wonder why he would get rid of the gun so thoroughly if his fingerprints weren't all over it.

[Tabby]

The Crown rests, Millard's lawyer rests, but Smitch's lawyer is electing to call evidence. The only thing we don't know is if Smitch himself will take the stand. If he does, both the Crown and the other defense lawyer will be all over him. The trial is going to resume Wednesday. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/ ... -1.3573088

[Tabby]

Trial is still very interesting. Smitch took the stand to say that he was following behind in the other truck when Millard shot Bozma. He also said Millard loaded Bozma into the incinerator and burnt him while he destroyed evidence off blood in the truck. For an entire week, Millard's lawyer cross examined him putting forth his side saying that the test drive went out onto the highway where Smitch, from the back seat, threatened Bozma, Bozma grabbed the gun and it went off killing him. According to that story, both men put Bozma's body in the incinerator. Now the Crown is cross examining and he has a 3rd angle - that the entire murder and body disposal was a planned, joint effort. I don't know how long he will take - they had a full day today and aren't anywhere close to being finished. I almost felt bad for Smitch last week - 5 days of cross examination - and he's still got the Crown to deal with. The only thing he seems to have accomplished is cementing in fact that the 2 of them were present when Bozma died, and that it is indeed his remains in the incinerator. What was previously circumstantial evidence has now been confirmed.

My initial interest in this trial was because it all happened down the road from where I keep my horse. I drive past the Bozma home all the time. But it is truly fascinating. It is a 3 way trial - Crown and 2 independent defendants. As a scientist, I'm used to gathering evidence using the scientific method which is completely different but similar at the same time. I honestly feel like we really are honing in on the truth of what happened. It probably isn't exactly like the 3 versions that have been presented but not far off either. I feel so bad for that family who has had to spend the last 4 months in the court room listening to all this. I'm pretty sure both will be found guilty.