BOLASKI ON TRIAL DAY 3 - MAY 11, 2011

WE ARRIVED AT THE COURTHOUSE AT 8:30AM. KELLY WOODWARD MET US IN THE PARKING LOT. KELLY WOULD PROVE TO BE A VERY STRONG ADVOCATE AND FRIEND. A COMFORT TO MY WIFE THROUGH THIS TERRIBLE ORDEAL. A DOZEN FAMILY MEMBERS HAD MADE THE TRIP WITH US. AS WE WALKED TO THE COURT WE WERE MET BY ROB, THE MARSHAL ASSIGNED TO US AND 2 TROOPERS. THERE WERE ALSO EXTRA MARSHAL'S IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE. WE WALKED INTO THE COURT AND THROUGH THE SECURITY ROUTINE OF METAL DETECTOR AND WAND. I WENT DOWN TO THE CONFERENCE ROOM AND MET WITH GWEN. SHE WAS BUSILY COORDINATING THE PAPERWORK FOR JOHN. JOHN WAS ALREADY IN THE COURTROOM. PREPARING FOR THE DAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

AS ME, RONNIE AND A DOZEN OF FAMILY MEMBERS AND FILED INTO THE COURTROOM AND TOOK OUR SEATS, SOME WERE THERE FOR THE FIRST TIME. I ADDRESSED EACH ONE AND TOLD THEM THAT THEY WILL BE HEARING SOME BAD THINGS ABOUT VINNIE. SOME LIES AND PEOPLE AND THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAYING BAD THINGS. I STRESSED TO THEM THAT THEY MUST HOLD THEIR COMPOSURE, KEEP THEIR COOL. IF THEY FEEL ANY ANGER OR FRUSTRATION THAT THEY CAN'T HANDLE THEN LEAVE THE COURT ROOM. I KNEW BLANCHARD WAS GETTING UP TODAY AND I HAD EVERYTHING I NEEDED.

I HAD SPOKEN WITH JOHN THE PREVIOUS NIGHT AND HE TOLD ME HE WOULD BE CALLING BLANCHARD TODAY. AS WE TOOK OUR SEATS JOHN TOLD US THERE WOULD BE A DELAY DUE TO ONE OF THE JURORS MAY HAVE TO BE DISMISSED. WITH THE JURY OUT OF THE ROOM JUROR #5, NANCY, WAS BROUGHT IN. SHE TOLD JUDGE ZIMMERMAN THAT WHEN THERE WAS A MENTION OF THE GRAND JURY SHE REMEMBERED THAT SHE HAD READ ABOUT THE CASE AND THE GRAND JURY PROCEEDINGS WHEN THEY HAD FIRST COME OUT.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY GRIFFIN ARGUED THAT SHE SHOULD STAY BUT JOHN ARGUED THE JUROR SHOULD BE DISMISSED. JUDGE ZIMMERMAN RULED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO BE DISMISSED STATING IF NANCY HAD MENTIONED THIS DURING JURY SELECTION THAT WOULD HAVE AUTOMATICALLY DISMISSED HER. SHE THANKED THE JUROR FOR HER HONESTY AND DISMISSED HER. THE FIRST ALTERNATE JUROR WAS PUT IN HER PLACE. BY THE END OF THE TRIAL THERE WOULD BE ONLY ONE ALTERNATE JUROR LEFT.

THE JURY WAS CALLED INTO THE ROOM AND THE TRIAL RESUMED WITH TRACY CANINO, THE SEROLOGIST, BACK ON THE STAND. SEROLOGY IS THE STUDY OF BLOOD AND BODILY FLUIDS. UNDER QUESTIONING BY JOHN SHE STATED SHE CONDUCTED TESTS ON THE RIFLE AND FOUND POSITIVE RESULTS ON THE BARREL. SHE ALSO CONFIRMED SHE FOUND BLOOD ON BOLASKI'S SNEAKERS AND CLOTHES. THESE WERE BAGGED AND SENT TO THE LAB FOR DNA ANALYSIS. MS. CANINO STATED THAT THE AMOUNTS WERE SO SMALL THAT IF SHE CONDUCTED MORE TESTS ON THE SAMPLES THEN THERE WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH TO SEND TO THE LAB FOR DNA TESTS.

DEFENSE

DEFENSE ATTORNEY GRIFFIN, IN HIS CROSS EXAMINATION, ATTEMPTED TO SHOW THAT THE RESULTS COULD NOT BE POSITIVELY PROVEN TO BE BLOOD. HE ASKED MS. CANINO THAT THOUGH THE SAMPLE ON THE RIFLE TESTED POSITIVE IT COULD BE BLOOD BUT IT IS NOT KNOWN FOR CERTAIN. SHE STATED THAT WAS CORRECT. HE ATTEMPTED TO TRY TO GET HER TO SAY THAT THE SAMPLES WERE TAINTED AND COULD NOT BE PROVEN TO BE BLOOD. BUT SHE STATED THAT THE SAMPLES ON THE SNEAKERS AND CLOTHES TESTED POSITIVE FOR BLOOD.

TROOPER VITALE

TROOPER VITALE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST OFFICERS TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE. HE ADMINISTERED FIRST AIDE TO VINNIE. JOHN SHOWED ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF THE CRUISER CAM VIDEO. RONNIE LEFT THE ROOM AS SHE COULD NOT BEAR TO SEE THIS. THE VIDEO SHOWED THE CRUISER ARRIVING AT THE SCENE. WE COULD HEAR HIM TALKING TO VINNIE AND VINNIE SAYING SOMETHING THAT WAS INAUDIBLE. THAT WAS SO HARD TO LISTEN TO. IT TORE MY HEART OUT! WE COULD HEAR TROOPER VITALE TALKING TO KIRBY WHO SAID HIS NAME WAS VINNIE. THEN TROOPER VITALE WAS YELLING "VINNIE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? STAY WITH ME VINNIE! STAY WITH ME! COME ON PAL STAY WITH ME! VINNIE ANSWER ME! HANG IN THERE VINNIE! HANG IN THERE!" THIS WAS KILLING ME. IT WAS HURTING SO MUCH! THESE WERE VINNIE'S LAST MOMENTS OF LIFE CAUGHT ON VIDEO! HOW MUCH CAN A FAMILY TAKE? HOW MUCH MUST WE ENDURE TO SEE JUSTICE DONE? IT'S BAD ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW HE WAS KILLED BUT TO HEAR HIS LAST MOMENTS IS DEVASTATING!

AS THE VIDEO CONTINUED IT SHOWED A MAN IN A WHITE SHIRT AND BOOTS RUN UP TO TROOPER VITALE. IT COULD BE HEARD UCCI TELLING THE TROOPER THAT KYLE SHOT VINNIE THEN CHASED HIM AROUND THE TRUCK AND SHOT VINNIE AGAIN AS HE WAS TRYING TO GET AWAY! WE WERE STUNNED! THIS WAS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED. HERE WAS UCCI, ON VIDEO, CONFIRMING THAT VINNIE WAS RUNNING AWAY WHEN KYLE SHOT HIM! THERE WAS A SILENCE OVER THE COURTROOM.

 TROOPER VITALE COULD BE HEARD YELLING TO BOLASKI TO GET ON THE GROUND. SEVERAL TIMES HE HAD TO YELL AT HIM BEFORE HE FINALLY GOT ON THE GROUND. THEN IT SHOWED A SHIRTLESS BOLASKI BEING BROUGHT TO THE CRUISER IN HANDCUFFS. THEN KYLE COULD BE HEARD TRYING TO GET UCCI TO COME TO THE CRUISER. "JER, JER, OVER HERE. COME HERE." BUT HE DIDN'T. AT THIS POINT THE VIDEO WAS SHUT OFF.

AFTER BREAK JOHN CALLED UCCI IN BRIEFLY. HE ASKED UCCI IF THIS INCIDENT MADE HIM EXCITED, ANXIOUS. UCCI STATED THE EVENTS MADE HIM VERY ANXIOUS AND EXCITED. THIS WAS DONE BECAUSE GRIFFIN TRIED TO NOT HAVE THE VIDEO ALLOWED SAYING THAT TROOPER VITALE QUESTIONED UCCI AT THE SCENE. JOHN SHOWED THAT TROOPER VITALE DID NOT QUESTION UCCI RATHER IT WAS UCCI'S EXCITABILITY THAT MADE HIM GO UP TO TROOPER VITALE VOLUNTARILY. JUDGE ZIMMERMAN AGREED AND ALLOWED THE VIDEO IN AS EVIDENCE.

STEVEN PIPPIN

JOHN HAD CALLED STEVEN PIPPIN TO THE STAND. HE STATED HE WAS AT THE FIELD TO PLAY IN THE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT. HE SAID THAT TIM ARBUCKLE HAD RECEIVED A CALL ON HIS CELL PHONE. TIM ARBUCKLE TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS JUST OFFERED $100.00 TO BEAT SOMEONE UP. SAID HE GOT OFF THE CELL PHONE AND SAID, "YEP $100.00 TO BEAT SOMEONE UP. I CAN DO THAT." HE SAID A FEW MINUTES LATER SEVERAL VEHICLES DROVE DOWN TO THE FIELD. HE ONLY COULD RECALL THE SHOOTERS VEHICLE, A SILVER TRUCK. SEVERAL MEN GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND WENT OVER TO TIM ARBUCKLE. THEY SPOKE WITH ARBUCKLE FOR A FEW MINUTES. HE IDENTIFIED KYLE BOLASKI AS THE SHOOTER.

HE SAID HE SAW A GROUP OF BETWEEN 6-8 PEOPLE, INCLUDING KYLE AND TIM ARBUCKLE, WALK UP TOWARD THE PARKING LOT. ALL OF A SUDDEN HE SAW THEM COME RUNNING BACK DOWN TOWARD THE FIELD. THERE WAS A GUY WITH AN AXE CHASING THEM. HE SAW KYLE GET IN TO HIS TRUCK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. ANOTHER PERSON GOT IN ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE. HE SAID VINNIE THEN RAN DIRECTLY TO THE TRUCK AND STARTED HITTING THE TRUCK SEVERAL TIMES ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. MR. PIPPIN THEN SAW KYLE GET OUT OF THE TRUCK ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE WITH A RIFLE. HE SAID VINNIE SAW KYLE AND FROZE. HE STOPPED HITTING THE TRUCK. HE SAID KYLE HAD THE RIFLE UP AND SAID TO VINNIE "IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT?"  KYLE THEN SHOT VINNIE IN THE LEG. HE SAW THE DIRT KICK UP BEHIND HIM AND VINNIE GRABBED HIS LEG. VINNIE THEN BACKED UP AND WENT AROUND THE PASSENGERS SIDE OF THE TRUCK. HE SAID VINNIE WAS TRYING TO GET AWAY.

HE SAID HE SAW KYLE FOLLOW VINNIE SLOWLY AROUND THE TRUCK WITH THE RIFLE UP AND AIMED. VINNIE WAS SLOWLY GOING AROUND THE TRUCK. HE SAID HE SAW KYLE SHOOT AGAIN. THERE WAS ANOTHER GUY WITH ANOTHER RIFLE. THE OTHER RIFLE HAD A SCOPE ON IT. HE SAID HE DID NOT SEE THE OTHER MAN SHOOT, HE ONLY SAW KYLE SHOOT. HE SAW VINNIE LAYING ON THE GROUND. HE SAID HE SAW TIM ARBUCKLE AND ANOTHER GUY GO UP TO VINNIE AND KICK HIM. MR. PIPPIN THEN RAN TO GET OUT OF THERE. AS HE WAS PASSING BY KYLE'S TRUCK HE SAW KYLE SWEEPING THE GLASS OFF HIS SEAT AND SAYING OUT LOUD, NOT TO ANYONE IN PARTICULAR, "YOU WANT TO PLAY GAMES, HUH? YOU WANT TO PLAY GAMES, HUH?" MR. PIPPIN THEN LEFT THE FIELD.

DEFENSE

MISS KRUSKA BROUGHT OUT THE OVERLAY BOARD AGAIN. SHE ASKED MR. PIPPIN TO MARK DIFFERENT AREAS ON THE CHART WHERE HE WAS STANDING AT DIFFERENT TIMES. SHE THEN ASKED HIM TO MARK ON THE CHART THE SPOTS WHERE BOLASKI WAS AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THERE WAS NO CROSS EXAMINATION TO TRY TO DISCREDIT HIS TESTIMONY.

TROOPER VITALE

TROOPER VITALE WAS RECALLED TO THE STAND. JOHN ASKED HIM TO RECOUNT THE EVENTS AT THE PARK. HE SAID HE WAS DISPATCHED TO THE PARK FOR A SHOOTING. WHEN HE GOT TO THE PARK HE SAW A PERSON ON THE GROUND. A GIRL CAME UP HYSTERICAL AND SAID HIS NAME WAS VINNIE AND HE WAS SHOT. HE IMMEDIATELY ADMINISTERED FIRST AIDE TO THE MAN ON THE GROUND BUT IT WAS TO NO AVAIL. THE TROOPER SAID HE THEN ORDERED KYLE TO LAY ON THE GROUND BUT HE DID NOT COMPLY. HE TOLD HIM SEVERAL MORE TIMES UNTIL HE FINALLY GOT ON THE GROUND. HE THEN HANDCUFFED KYLE AND PUT HIM IN THE CRUISER.

HE SAID A YOUNG MAN APPROACHED HIM VERY EXCITED AND AGITATED. HE GRABBED THE TROOPER'S SLEEVE AND PULLED HIM OVER TO A SILVER TRUCK. TROOPER VITALE SAID THE MAN POINTED TO A SHELL CASING BY THE TRUCK. THEN THE MAN SAID KYLE AIMED OVER THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK AND SHOT VINNIE. HE SAID KYLE THEN FOLLOWED VINNIE AND SHOT HIM AGAIN! TROOPER VITALE IDENTIFIED JERRY UCCI AS THE PERSON WHO APPROACHED HIM.

JOHN THEN BROUGHT UCCI IN AND BRIEFLY QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT HIS MEETING WITH TROOPER VITALE. HE ASKED UCCI IF HE REMEMBERED HIM RUNNING UP TO TROOPER VITALE AND TELLING HIM THAT KYLE SHOT VINNIE. UCCI SAID HE NEVER TALKED TO THE TROOPER. THAT THE MEETING NEVER HAPPENED. HE DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME THAT HE WAS ON VIDEO! HE STRAIGHT OUT LIED! PERJURED HIMSELF. THESE GUYS HAVE NO REGARD FOR THE LAW AT ALL. THEY BELIEVE THEY CAN LIE UNDER OATH AND GET AWAY WITH IT. THAT'S BECAUSE THEY WERE ALLOWED TO BY SAND. UCCI HAS NOW LEFT HIMSELF OPEN TO MULTIPLE CHARGES INCLUDING ACCESSORY AFTER THE FACT TO MURDER! IT'S ALL ON RECORD IN OPEN COURT.

DEFENSE

ATTORNEY GRIFFIN SHOWED A POCKET KNIFE TO TROOPER VITALE AND ASKED IF THIS WAS FOUND ON VINNIE. HE SAID IT WAS FOUND IN HIS POCKET. HE SHOWED THE KNIFE TO THE JURY. HE ALSO ASKED IF HE QUESTIONED UCCI BUT TROOPER VITALE SAID HE DID NOT QUESTION UCCI. THAT UCCI CAME TO HIM VOLUNTARILY AND TOLD HIM THE STORY OF KYLE SHOOTING VINNIE.

TRISTAN BLANCHARD

*THIS TESTIMONY BY TRISTAN BLANCHARD WAS SHOCKING. HIS ACTIONS ON THE STAND SHOWED THE TOTAL DISREGARD HE HAS FOR THE COURT AND THE LAW. HE WAS COCKY, INSULTING, RUDE, BRASH AND VERY DISRESPECTFUL TO THE COURT. BLANCHARD IS A LOCAL DRUG DEALER WHO RECEIVED IMMUNITY FROM SAND IN THE GRAND JURY. BROKE THAT IMMUNITY WHEN HE LIED IN THE GRAND JURY, IN HIS DEPOSITION AND AT TRIAL.*

TRISTAN BLANCHARD WALKED INTO THE COURTROOM WITH ARROGANCE AND DISRESPECT. CLOTHED IN A WIFE BEATER SHIRT AND SHORTS. AS HE TAKES THE STAND HE HAS A SCOWL OF DEFIANCE ACROSS HIS FACE AND LEANS BACK IN HIS CHAIR AS IF THIS WAS ALL A WASTE OF HIS TIME. JOHN BEGAN HIS QUESTIONING BY ASKING BLANCHARD ABOUT THE EVENTS OF THE PREVIOUS DAYS BEFORE THE SHOOTING. BLANCHARD SAID THAT, ON THE 14TH OF AUGUST, A THURSDAY, KIRBY DONAHUE HAD CALLED AND ASKED IF SHE COULD COME BY AND BRING A FRIEND. BLANCHARD SAID SHE COULD. JOHN ASKED HIM IF THEY JUST CAME BY FOR A SOCIAL VISIT OR WAS IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE. BLANCHARD RELUCTANTLY ADMITTED IT WAS TO SELL HIM MARIJUANA.

HE SAID WHEN THEY CAME AND HE SAW VINNIE HE WAS INSTANTLY SCARED OF HIM. HE WAS BIG AND THREATENING. JOHN ASKED HIM WHAT VINNIE DID TO MAKE HIM SCARED. HE SAID VINNIE DID NOTHING. IT WAS JUST HIS LOOK. BLANCHARD SAID VINNIE BOUGHT SOME WEED OFF  HIM AND THEN THEY SHOOK HANDS AND LEFT. AS THEY WERE LEAVING BEN MILLAY WAS WALKING IN. VINNIE SAID HI AS DID BEN. BLANCHARD TOLD BEN THAT WAS VINNIE. BEN HAD ALLEGEDLY SENT JULIE SOME DIRTY TEXTS THAT VINNIE DIDN'T LIKE. BEN SAID VINNIE JUST SAID HI AND KEPT WALKING.

JOHN QUESTIONED BLANCHARD ABOUT HIS DRUG DEALING. AT FIRST HE DENIED IT, YELLING AT JOHN. SAYING THAT HE JUST SOLD IT TO VINNIE THAT ONE TIME AND NO ONE ELSE. BUT JOHN KEPT AT HIM. FINALLY WITH A SNEER ON HIS FACE, AND AN ALMOST SO WHAT ATTITUDE, HE ADMITTED THAT HE WAS A DRUG DEALER. BUT HE SAID HE DOESN'T DO IT ANYMORE. JOHN ASKED BLANCHARD IF HE WAS BEING TRUTHFUL TO THE COURT. BLANCHARD BECAME ARROGANT. WITH A HALF SMILE ON HIS FACE HE SAID HE WAS ALWAYS TRUTHFUL. I COULD SEE WHERE JOHN WAS GOING WITH THIS. JOHN THEN ASKED HIM ABOUT THE DAY BEFORE THE SHOOTING.

BLANCHARD SAID THAT ON THE NIGHT OF THE 16TH HE WAS SITTING AT HIS HOUSE WITH BEN MILLAY, JORDAN EBELT AND MICHELE LACHAPELLE HIS GIRLFRIEND. HE SAID HE RECEIVED A TEXT FROM KIRBY ASKING IF SHE COULD COME OVER. HE SAID HE TOLD HER NOT TO COME OVER. THAT SHE WAS NOT WELCOME THERE ANYMORE. THE NEXT THING HE KNEW VINNIE BROKE INTO HIS HOUSE. HE SAID HE SAW VINNIE STANDING IN HIS KITCHEN. JOHN ASKED HOW VINNIE BROKE IN. DID HE BREAK THE DOOR DOWN? BLANCHARD SAID HE JUST WALKED UP THE STAIRS, THROUGH 2 DOORS AND CAME IN. JOHN ASKED IF THE DOORS WERE LOCKED. BLANCHARD SAID NO.

HE SAID VINNIE CAME IN SCREAMING AND THREATENING EVERYBODY THAT HE WAS GOING TO BEAT EVERYBODY UP. HE SAID VINNIE WENT UP TO HIM AND DEMANDED BLANCHARD GIVE HIM SOME WEED OR ELSE HE WOULD KICK HIS ASS. BLANCHARD SAID HE WAS SCARED, TERRIFIED. THAT HE NEVER FELT SO HELPLESS THAT HE COULDN'T DEFEND HIS HOME OR GIRLFRIEND. HE STATED MICHELE LACHAPELLE THEN CAME OUT AND YELLED AT KIRBY AND VINNIE TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.

MICHELE WHO, ACCORDING TO GRAND JURY, POLICE STATEMENTS AND TRIAL TESTIMONY, WAS SUPPOSEDLY PRESENT AT BLANCHARD'S HOUSE ON THURSDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND AT JULIE'S HOUSE WITH THE MOB OF PEOPLE. YET SHE WAS NEVER CALLED BY THE DEFENSE. WAS IT BECAUSE IN HER STATEMENTS TO POLICE SHE SAID THAT THE GUYS HAD ALL GOTTEN TOGETHER WITH THE INTENTION OF BEATING VINNIE? WAS IT BECAUSE HER VERSION OF EVENTS AT THE HOUSE DIFFERED SO MUCH WITH BLANCHARD'S? OR WAS IT BECAUSE SHE HAD ASSAULTED AN ELDERLY WOMAN ON HER OWN PROPERTY?

BLANCHARD STATED VINNIE THEN WENT UP TO BEN AND SAID HE WAS GOING TO KICK HIS ASS. HE TOLD BEN TO GO OUTSIDE SO THEY COULD TALK BUT BEN REFUSED. HE SAID VINNIE WAS SCREAMING AT BEN TO GO OUTSIDE. BEN THEN GOT UP AND SAID HE WOULD GO OUT WITH HIM. THEY WALKED DOWN THE STAIRS AND WERE FOLLOWED BY BLANCHARD AND JORDAN. BLANCHARD STATED THEY GOT OUTSIDE AND VINNIE AND BEN STARTED ARGUING. HE SAID HE COULDN'T HEAR WHAT THEY WERE SAYING. HE SAID VINNIE THEN WENT UP TO HIM AND DEMANDED BLANCHARD GIVE HIM A BAG OF WEED. HE SAID HE WAS SCARED SO HE WENT BACK UPSTAIRS TO GET HIM SOME WEED TO GET HIM TO LEAVE. HE GOT A BAG FROM MICHELE AND WENT TO GIVE IT TO VINNIE. HE ASKED HIM FOR THE MONEY AND VINNIE GOT IN THE CAR AND LEFT WITHOUT PAYING.

JOHN THEN BROUGHT OUT HIS GRAND JURY STATEMENTS, HIS POLICE STATEMENTS AND HIS DEPOSITION. HE ASKED BLANCHARD IF HE WAS LYING. HE DENIED LYING. JOHN THEN SHOWED BLANCHARD HIS STATEMENTS WHERE HE SAID VINNIE HAD STOLEN MONEY OFF THE TABLE, THEN HE SAID VINNIE HAD STOLEN A PERSONAL ITEM FROM HIS TABLE, WHICH HE REFUSED TO DISCLOSE, THEN HE SAID VINNIE STOLE WEED FROM HIM THEN FINALLY HE SAID HE JUST GAVE VINNIE THE WEED TO GET HIM TO LEAVE. BLANCHARD HAD TOLD SEVERAL DIFFERENT STORIES.

JOHN  SAID TO HIM, "SO YOU LIED IN THE GRAND JURY , YOU LIED IN YOUR INITIAL STATEMENT, YOU LIED IN YOUR DEPOSITION AND NOW YOU ARE LYING TO THIS JURY! EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE GIVEN IMMUNITY YOU LIED!" BLANCHARD BECAME DEFENSIVE, INDIGNANT, YELLING AT JOHN SAYING HE DIDN'T SAY THAT. THAT HE WASN'T LYING. SO JOHN SHOWED HIM HIS STATEMENTS. HE LOOKED AT THEM WITHOUT REALLY LOOKING. HE KNEW WHAT WAS IN THEM. HE KNEW HE WAS CAUGHT IN YET ANOTHER LIE. BLANCHARD THEN ADMITTED LYING ABOUT THE WEED. HE SAID HE ACTUALLY GAVE VINNIE THE WEED IN HIS HALLWAY AND THEN VINNIE JUST LEFT WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND JULIE KRONBERG AND KIRBY DONOHUE! HE SAID THAT HE GAVE VINNIE THE WEED TO GET VINNIE TO LEAVE. THEN JUMPED IN HIS CAR AND CHASED VINNIE.

JOHN ASKED HIM WHY HE CHASED VINNIE IF VINNIE HAD LEFT AS HE WANTED? IF HE WAS SO SCARED OF VINNIE, THIS PSYCHOPATH, THIS MADMAN WHO BROKE INTO HIS HOUSE AND THREATENED EVERYONE, WHY DID HE CHASE AFTER HIM ALONE? WITHOUT CELL PHONE, SHOES OR SHIRT? BLANCHARD SHOT JOHN A GLARING LOOK! JOHN HAD CAUGHT HIM UNAWARES. HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY BLANCHARD SAID AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT HE BECAME ANGRY AND DECIDED HE NOW WANTED PAYMENT. JOHN AGAIN ASKED BLANCHARD IF HE WAS SO SCARED OF VINNIE WHY DID HE CHASE AFTER HIM ALL ALONE?

HE BECAME EVASIVE AND DIDN'T ANSWER JOHN DIRECTLY. INSTEAD HE DANCED AROUND THE QUESTION. BLANCHARD SAID AFTER SEVERAL BLOCKS HE CHANGED HIS MIND AND TURNED AROUND. HE WENT TO MIKE GLEASONS HOUSE AND ASKED HIM FOR HELP. JOHN BROUGHT OUT THE FACT THAT IF HE WAS SO TERRIFIED THAT VINNIE WAS A PSYCHO WHY WOULD HE LEAVE HIS GIRLFRIEND ALONE AT THE HOUSE? BLANCHARD BECAME ARGUMENTIVE AND BELLIGERENT. YELLING HIS ANSWERS SARCASTICALLY.

 BLANCHARD'S ANSWERS WERE COCKY, BELLIGERANT. HE NEVER FULLY ANSWERED JOHN'S QUESTIONS. DANCING AROUND THE ANSWERS. DETERMINED TO SPEAK HIS SCRIPTED STORY, HE CONTINUOUSLY INTERRUPTED JOHN. TALKING OVER HIM. CONTINUED TALKING AS JOHN TRIED TO ASK THE NEXT QUESTION. IN THE GRAND JURY BLANCHARD WAS ALLOWED BY SAND TO CONTINUOUSLY DRONE ON WITH HIS SCRIPTED ANSWERS. HE TRIED TO DO THE SAME IN THIS TRIAL BUT JOHN WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO.

HE HAD TO INTERRUPT BLANCHARD SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO GET THE NEXT QUESTION IN, ONLY TO BE OBJECTED TO BY THE DEFENSE. SAYING JOHN WAS INTERRUPTING THE WITNESS. IT WAS OBVIOUS TO SEE THAT BLANCHARD'S STORY WAS SCRIPTED. AND WHEN JOHN ASKED SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND WANTED SPECIFIC ANSWERS. WELL, THAT INTERRUPTED THE SCRIPT. THE SCRIPT, WHICH IT SEEMED THE DEFENSE OBVIOUSLY WANTED BLANCHARD TO GET OUT.

IN PRETRIAL MOTIONS THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE ALLOWED AND DISALLOWED IN TRIAL. WELL, IF CERTAIN THINGS THAT WERE NOT ALLOWED JUST HAPPENED TO BE MENTIONED IN THE COURSE OF TESTIMONY, OR THINGS THAT WERE NOT IN THE SCOPE OF THE QUESTION REPEATEDLY GETS MENTIONED THE JURY HEARS THAT. IN BLANCHARD'S CASE TIME AFTER TIME, QUESTION AFTER QUESTION, HE REPEATEDLY CONTINUED TALKING AFTER HE ANSWERED THE INITIAL QUESTION. EACH TIME WHEN JOHN INTERRUPTED HIM AND WENT ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION THE DEFENSE WOULD OBJECT. MAKING IT SEEM AS IF JOHN WAS NOT ALLOWING BLANCHARD TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.

UNFORTUNATELY, AT THAT TIME, THE JUDGE DID NOT SEE THAT AND UPHELD THE OBJECTIONS. I WAS SURPRISED SHE DIDN'T ADMONISH BLANCHARD FOR HIS DISRESPECT HE WAS SHOWING THE COURT. HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELD IN CONTEMPT FOR HIS ACTIONS. BUT I THINK JUDGE ZIMMERMAN WAS REALLY TRYING TO BE GIVE AS MUCH LENIENCY AS POSSIBLE TO THE DEFENSE WHICH, THOUGH I DIDN'T AGREE WITH IT, I COULD UNDERSTAND. I REMEMBER THINKING HOW LONG SHE WOULD LET THIS GO ON. WELL, THIS CONTINUED AFTER EVERY QUESTION. EVENTUALLY SHE TOLD BLANCHARD TO JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION WITHOUT ADDING ANYTHING. SHE HAD TO REMIND HIM OF THIS SEVERAL TIMES.

BLANCHARD CONTINUED. HE SAID HE WENT BACK TO HIS HOUSE WITH MIKE GLEASON BUT MICHELE, BEN AND JORDAN WERE GONE. HE SAID HE CALLED MICHELE WHO SAID THEY WERE CHASING VINNIE. BLANCHARD SAID THEY THEN DROVE TO JULIE'S HOUSE. JOHN ASKED IF MIKE GLEASON WAS WITH HIM IN THE CAR. BLANCHARD SAID HE WAS. "SO THERE WAS NO PLAN TO GET PEOPLE TO GO TO JULIE'S HOUSE. YOU LEFT RIGHT FROM YOUR HOUSE TO JULIE'S?" BLANCHARD REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. JOHN THEN SHOWED BLANCHARD THE PHONE RECORDS WHICH SHOWED THAT BLANCHARD HAD CALLED MIKE AT THAT SAME TIME HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WITH MIKE IN THE CAR.

 "WHY," JOHN ASKED, "WOULD YOU CALL MIKE IF HE WAS SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO YOU?" BLANCHARD'S VOICE ROSE AS HE WAS CAUGHT IN ANOTHER LIE. " I DIDN'T CALL HIM! HE WAS WITH ME!" BLANCHARD YELLED! "IF HE WAS WITH YOU AS YOU SAY," JOHN'S VOICE ROSE, "THEN WHY DID YOU CALL HIM? THE RECORDS SHOW THAT YOU CALLED HIM ON YOUR PHONE! ARE YOU LYING AGAIN?" "NO, I DIDN'T CALL HIM!" BLANCHARD'S VOICE RISING IN DESPERATION! " I DON'T KNOW WHY THE RECORDS SHOW THAT! I MUST HAVE BUTT DIALED HIM!" "BUTT DIALED?" JOHN SAID INCREDULOUSLY, "IS THIS A NEW WAY OF DIALING? IS THAT WHAT YOU EXPECT US TO BELIEVE? THAT YOU BUTT DIALED HIM?" "YEAH," HE REPLIED SARCASTICALLY, "THAT'S WHAT MUST HAVE HAPPENED!" HE FORGOT THAT HE SAID MICHELE WAS THE LAST PERSON HE CALLED SO HE COULDN'T HAVE BUTT DIALED MIKE GLEASON.

JOHN SHOWED BLANCHARD HAD ALSO CALLED SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE INCLUDING GIBB BASTIAN. THERE WERE ALSO CALLS MADE BY BEN MILLAY AND MICHELE LACHAPELLE INCLUDING TO KYLE BOLASKI'S PHONE. HE ASKED BLANCHARD WHY THEY HAD CALLED SO MANY PEOPLE. WHY DID HE NEED ALL OF THESE PEOPLE TO COLLECT $40.00? WAS $40.00 ALL THAT A LIFE WAS WORTH? TWO FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED, A JUSTICE SYSTEM COMPROMISED!  OVER $40.00! BLANCHARD DANCED AROUND THE ANSWER. EVENTUALLY THE JUDGE TOLD BLANCHARD TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. TO WHICH HE REPLIED THAT HE WAS SCARED OF VINNIE.

BLANCHARD SAID HE DROVE UP TO JULIE'S HOUSE. BY THIS TIME THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE. HE GOT OUT A TIRE IRON AND WALKED UP TO VINNIE AND STARTED YELLING AT HIM THAT HE WANTED HIS MONEY. " SO YOU APPROACHED VINNIE WITH A WEAPON, A TIRE IRON!" JOHN STATED. "YOU WENT UP TO VINNIE, ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, WITH A WEAPON! WITH A MOB OF 15 OR MORE PEOPLE!" HE WAS DODGING JOHN'S QUESTIONS. NEVER GIVING HIM A STRAIGHT ANSWER. JOHN KEPT AT HIM BUT BLANCHARD REPEATEDLY STATED VINNIE HAD WEAPONS.

BLANCHARD SAID VINNIE HAD A KNIFE AND A TAZER AND STARTED SWINGING IT AT HIM, TRYING TO STAB HIM. HE SAID VINNIE WAS SWINGING THE KNIFE AT EVERYONE. HE SAID VINNIE SWUNG HIS ARM WITH THE KNIFE IN IT AND HIT MICHELE AND JORDAN SO HARD THAT HE ALMOST KNOCKED THEM OVER. JOHN ASKED BLANCHARD IF HE SAW MICHELE HIT JULIE'S MOTHER. HE SAID NO ONE HIT HER. VINNIE JUST STARTED SWINGING THE KNIFE. TRYING TO KILL EVERYONE.

BLANCHARD SAID GIBB BASTIAN STEPPED IN FRONT OF VINNIE AND TOLD HIM TO LEAVE THE GIRLS ALONE. GIBB BASTIAN IS A HUGE, TOWERING PERSON. STANDING AT 6' 4" AND 400 LBS. HE IS A VERY MENACING INDIVIDUAL.  HE SAID VINNIE THEN HIT GIBB WITH THE HAND THAT WAS HOLDING THE KNIFE AND KNOCKED HIM OUT. HE SAID THE POLICE CAME AND HE WAS YELLING AT THE POLICE TO ARREST VINNIE BECAUSE HE HIT GIBB AND BROKE INTO HIS HOUSE. HE SAID THE POLICE WOULDN'T ARREST VINNIE BUT MAY ARREST THEM FOR TRESPASSING ONCE THEY GET THE STORY FROM EVERYONE. HE SAID THE POLICE TOLD HIM TO FILE  A COMPLAINT, WHICH HE NEVER DID.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU FILE A COMPLAINT?" JOHN ASKED. "IF HE BROKE INTO YOUR HOUSE AND TRIED TO KILL YOU WHY DIDN'T YOU FILE A COMPLAINT?" "BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE TIME." BLANCHARD REPLIED. "DIDN'T HAVE TIME? YOU HAD THAT NIGHT AND THE FULL MORNING UNTIL YOU WERE PICKED UP BY KYLE TO FILE. DID ANYONE FILE A COMPLAINT?" "NO." BLANCHARD REPLIED. "ISN'T IT TRUE YOU DID NOT FILE THE COMPLAINT," JOHN DEMANDED, "BECAUSE YOU WERE A DRUG DEALER? YOU WERE DEALING DRUGS AND YOU COULDN'T REPORT THAT! ISN'T THAT TRUE?" "NO, THAT ISN'T TRUE," BLANCHARD SHOUTED. HIS VOICE RISING IN DESPERATION. "THE POLICE REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. IF THE POLICE DID THEIR JOB NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED." JOHN REPLIED, "IF YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW VINNIE AND LIED ABOUT YOUR REASON FOR DOING SO NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!" JOHN CLOSED FOR THE DAY. HE HAD PROVEN HIS POINT.

AS BLANCHARD WAS LEAVING THE STAND, IN A FINAL GESTURE OF DEFIANCE, HE WALKED BY THE JURORS, GAVE A THUMBS UP HIGH ABOVE HIS HEAD AND YELLED TO THE JURORS AND TO THE COURT, "HAVE A NICE DAY!" HE THEN WALKED OUT THE DOOR WITH A SMIRK ON HIS FACE, PROUD OF THE DISRESPECT HE HAS JUST SHOWN THE COURT, THE JURORS AND BOTH OF OUR FAMILIES! BLANCHARD JUST SHOWED THE COURT AND THE JURORS THE TRUE COLORS OF THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE. HE SHOWED TOTAL DISDAIN FOR THE COURT AND IT'S PROCESS. SEVERAL JURORS JUST SHOOK THEIR HEAD. OTHERS APPEARED INSULTED. HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELD IN CONTEMPT FOR HIS ACTIONS! INSTEAD BLANCHARD WAS ALLOWED TO WALK OUT.

AS I LOOKED OVER AT BOLASKI I COULD SEE HE HAD HIS HEAD IN HIS HANDS. HIS MOTHER WAS CRYING AND HIS FATHER LOOKED VERY DISPLEASED. GRIFFIN HAD TURNED AROUND TO THEM TO TRY TO CONSOLE THEM. BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DONE. THERE WAS NO DOUBT BLANCHARD WAS GOING TO BE TALKED TO ON THIS AS HE WOULD BE BACK ON THE STAND TOMORROW. ANOTHER DAY OF TESTIMONY SUCH AS HE HAD DISPLAYED TODAY WOULD BE DEVASTATING FOR BOLASKI. BUT A LEOPARD DOESN'T CHANGE IT'S SPOTS OVERNIGHT. I DOUBTED IF BLANCHARD COULD EITHER.

4:30PM.

WE BROKE FOR THE DAY. I COLLECTED ALL OF MY FILES TOGETHER. I HAD TO KEEP A CONSTANT VIGIL WITH THEM AS THE REPORTERS WHO SAT RIGHT BEHIND US ALWAYS TRIED TO GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT I HAD IN THE FILES. I ONLY BROUGHT INTO THE COURTROOM THOSE FILES I WOULD NEED FOR THE DAYS PROCEEDINGS. THE REST I KEPT IN A LOCKED ROOM WITH GWEN'S AND JOHN'S FILES. AS MY FAMILY AND I GOT UP TO LEAVE WE WERE ESCORTED BY SEVERAL MARSHAL'S ALONG WITH ROB OUR PERSONAL ASSIGNED MARSHAL. HE SAID IT WAS TO INSURE THERE WAS NO TROUBLE. THOUGH WE HAD A DOZEN FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AS ALWAYS, I ASSURED HIM WE WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING.

ROB SAID HE KNOWS THAT. WE HAVE BEEN VERY RESPECTFUL THROUGHOUT. THEY WERE MORE CONCERNED WITH THE OTHER GROUP. HE SAID THEY SEE THEM, BLANCHARD, UCCI, COREY , GIBB AND THE OTHERS TRYING TO ACT TOUGH. CONGREGATING IN THE FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE. TRYING TO STARE US DOWN AS WE WALK BY. HE SAID THEY'RE THE ONE'S THAT ARE BEING WATCHED AND TOLD US NOT TO LET THEM INTIMIDATE US. I TOLD HIM THEY FAR FROM INTIMIDATE US. ON THE CONTRARY THEY STRENGTHEN OUR RESOLVE!

AS RONNIE AND EVERYONE WAITED IN THE PARKING LOT I MET WITH JOHN IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM TO GO OVER THE DAYS EVENTS. ALL IN ALL HE WAS VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE DAYS PROCEEDINGS. SPEAKING ABOUT BLANCHARD, HE SAID HE WAS SHOCKED AT THE DISPLAY OF CONTEMPT HE HAD SHOWN THE COURT AND WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT HE WAS ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH IT. JOHN WAS SURE BLANCHARD WOULD BE TOLD TO TONE DOWN HIS BEHAVIOR. COME TOMORROW HE WOULD HAVE TO REALLY DO A COMPLETE TURNAROUND IF HE WANTED TO TRY TO UNDO SOME OF THE DAMAGE HE DID TODAY.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE LENIENCY SHOWN TO BLANCHARD AND BEING THE TYPE OF PERSON HE WAS, COCKY, BELLIGERENT, EGOTISTICAL, I DID NOT SEE THAT HAPPENING. THERE WAS NO WAY BLANCHARD WAS GOING TO REVERSE HIMSELF AND TELL THE TRUTH. THERE WERE TOO MANY LIES HE HAD TO ACCOUNT FOR AND WITH THE WORLD WATCHING THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND BLANCHARD WOULD STAY TRUE TO HIS FORM..