WEEK THREE Live Updates for Staley’s Challenge

Editor’s note: Below is the news from the third week of the trial, which began on Monday, March 13, in the murder of James Irven Staley III in connection with the death of 2-year-old Jason Wilder McDaniel on October 11, 2018 in Wichita Falls.

Wilder was found dead at Staley’s house, and law enforcement suspects the child was suffocated with a pillow. Staley maintained his innocence. Staley maintains his innocence.

The first testimonial week blog is here. The jury is expected to hear closing arguments and discuss the verdict on Monday, March 13. Stay tuned for updates on the Week Two blog.

FORT WORTH, Texas – 9:15 am Monday, March 13, 2023: Wichita County District Attorney John Gillespie makes closing arguments before the jury.

The courtroom is packed as jurors approach their verdict of guilty or not guilty in the murder of James Irven Staley III in the courtroom on the eighth floor of the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in downtown Fort Worth.

21:48 Monday, March 12: Defense Attorney Mark G. Daniel delivers closing arguments to the jury.

He says his biggest fear is the tendency to paint with a very wide brush. But you don’t paint with a wide brush, he says.

Daniel tells them that there should be no doubt in their mind.

“The law requires specific proof of facts to the point where there is no question,” says Daniel.

They must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Daniel says that Staley has foul language and a bad sense of humor, but also a soft side.

If you look at the text messages from Staley, you will see that someone is planning for the future.

“You also know that Staley is capable of slapping a child,” says Daniel, going on to point out that this is not what Staley is accused of.

He proceeds to discuss the fact that Amber Odom McDaniel found the baby, saying that he does not suggest that Amber did anything.

Amber says she went to bed and didn’t know where her phone was, but we all know it was found in her bed. She is online and participates in a background conversation between Staley and Jason Odom.

Jason Odom has nothing to do with Amber.

We also know that Wichita Falls Police Department detective Chad Nelson portrays Staley as not being sad enough or crying enough.

But on the morning of October 11, 2018, a WFPD sergeant saw Staley crying and panting. “Charlie Eipper,” says Daniel.

Staley was described as not cooperating with the police, but he actually cooperated with the police. Also, he was going to give the police a full interrogation, but his lawyer Bruce Harris told him not to.

According to Daniel, prosecutors talked about how Amber cooperated in providing her DNA and other evidence. But they never asked Staley to provide it.

“They just get a warrant every time,” Daniel said.

Then they can go to court and say they should have gotten a warrant for Staley, the defense lawyer said.

Daniel goes on to criticize the collection of evidence and argues that there was contamination by transmission of the material.

As for Wilder’s autopsy, several medical examiners found it indeterminate, Daniel said.

He also says that the petechiae found on Wilder’s body may have been caused by decomposition. Daniel says there are no injuries in some areas of Wilder’s face.

Daniel says that Dr. Suzanne Daquil claims that Wilder was strangled and concluded that the injuries indicated this.

But there was no external hemorrhage or damage to the neck, says Daniel.

Daniel claims that Gillespie called Dr. Bernard and asked him what they could use to change the autopsy results to homicide rather than uncertainty.

But the DA’s office found Dr. Daquil, but her opinion didn’t change the autopsy’s findings about the uncertain nature of the death, Danielle said.

While Dr. Stephen Hastings may have said that he believed Wilder’s manner of death was murder, that was his personal opinion and not his medical opinion, Daniel said.

The lawyer accuses medical examiner Tom Bevel of negligence and inaccuracy.

Daniel said that the blood flowing from Wilder’s mouth onto the floor was in a U-shaped pattern, and Bevel claims this was reflected on Amber’s T-shirt and Wilder’s cheek.

But Bevel’s findings were inaccurate, says Daniel. In addition, the version that the death scene was staged is incorrect.

Instead, the evidence is consistent with the fall, Daniel said.

“They brought you DNA like it means something,” he said.

At least you know when you’re in and out and touching something, then your DNA will be there, Daniel said.

He also noted that some of Staley’s DNA was unreliable, Daniel said.

Daniel said there is no indication that Wilder was strangled, contrary to what Daquil concluded. Dakil also based her opinion on non-existent stains on the pillow.

We know that SWIFS doesn’t test for amylase, but four years later we know that Detective Nelson brought evidence to SWIFS and requested an amylase test.

6:15 a.m. Monday, March 13, 2023: The jury is expected to hear the judge read the indictment and hear closing arguments as the trial for the murder of James Irven Staley III begins at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center at 9 a.m. today.

Staley is charged with the murder of 2-year-old Jason Wilder McDaniel on October 11, 2018 at a home in Wichita Falls. According to the testimony, the child’s mother, Amber McDaniel, found him dead on the bedroom floor at Staley’s house, located in the country club district. Wilder was under the bed in which he was put to sleep.

Senior District Judge Everett Young will read the indictment, giving jurors instructions on what to consider when weighing in whether to find Staley guilty or not guilty.

The prosecution will lay out the charges against him and notify the jury if there are lesser offenses they can consider.

The jury will then hear closing arguments from the defense and prosecution. They will then retire to a conference room to discuss Staley’s fate. To reach a verdict, 12 jurors must unanimously agree on a determination of guilt or innocence.

Staley is charged with first-degree murder and capital murder. The jury must decide which one if they decide to convict him. First-degree murder is punishable by up to life imprisonment.

Since the Wichita County District Attorney’s Office has abolished the death penalty, Staley will be sentenced to life in prison without parole if found guilty of capital murder.

Staley maintains his innocence.

The nine days of testimony in the murder case began on February 27 and ended on Thursday last week. Most of the testimony related to the prosecution’s case. According to prosecutors, Wilder was suffocated with a pillow in his crib.

His body was then moved to the floor under the crib to stage a death scene to make it look like the baby had fallen out of the crib.

On Thursday, the defense presented five witnesses. The defense theory is that the child tried to get out of the crib on his own and suffered fatal injuries, possibly a concussion.

The lawsuit was an emotional journey for Wilder’s family members. Detailed testimony about the morning he was found dead, how he could have died, and his injuries were part of the trial, as well as graphic photographs of the autopsy.

Read about the testimony of the first week of the trial here and the testimony of the second week here.

Jason Wilder McDaniel

Jason Wilder McDaniel

Trish Choate, corporate reporter for Times Record News, covers education, courts, breaking news and more. Contact her and share the news at [email protected]. Her Twitter username is @TriShapedia.

This article originally appeared in the Wichita Falls Times Record News: Blog: WEEK THIRD of Staley’s trial live updates.

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