MelissaCutler's Blog

Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter is pregnant. Is this worthy of all the news coverage? What 's next? Are Obama's daughters good students? What kind of clothes do they wear? Do they like Hannah Montana? Are they into High School Musical? For crying out loud, who cares? Shouldn't we leave the kids alone? I think so. Are we insinuating that Palin's daughter's condition reflects on Palin's mothering skills? And therefore her ability to be a v.p? Should it matter? We've got Putin trying to take over the world. China on the doorstep of surpassing the U.S. in terms of economic prowess. Please people. Keep your eyes on the ball.

m

Dallas County Republicans (particuarly judges) are joining Democrats. Are they doing it because they have had an ideological change of heart? Does it matter?

m

Cancer expert tells his 3000-strong faculty not to overuse their cell phones. Preliminary studies in Europe show there COULD be a connection between brain cancer and the phones. If they're worried...should you be?

m

The WaterZone park had an overdose of chlorine, and a lot of people were affected. Turns out the pool boy didn't put the sensor on to coincide with the pumps when they shut off. Doh!

m

Have you ever heard of such a thing??!!

m

The city of Dallas is not officially considering a surcharge for speeding tickets, but everything's on the table to plug a $25 million dollar budget gap.  There's a suburb in Atlanta where the gas used by the cops to chase down a speeder is charged back to the motorist. Might Dallas do the same?

m

DPD has a bit of egg on its face--after a suspected drug dealer just walked out of the building. They scrambled to try to stop him..but the guy was already gone. That cant' be fun.

m

The jury deliberated for 1 hour on Friday before coming to a guilty verdict on both counts of solicitation of capital murder. (That was after about 5 hours on Thursday). Sources say that tells them that the jury more or less reached a verdict on Thursday, but wanted to just 'sleep on it'.

Today, Monday, the jury just handed attorneys a note. They asked whether Sterling will get credit for time served. Speculation has it that it could mean a lesser sentence, if they're wondering about the number of months served. Just a thought. Sources also say you NEVER know what a jury will do. Get 12 people together, and just about anything could happen.

m

The Allen man accused of hiring a hitman to kill his wife is found guilty on two counts of solicitation of capital murder

---vo----

Albert Sterling the second could face life in prison for attempting to hire a hitman to kill his wife and unborn son in November 2006. Instead of killing her, the hitman, Jeffrey Thompson testified he didn't hurt her. Instead Thompson said he waited inside the home to warn her.  During the punishment phase this afternoon, to the surprise of the prosecution and against the advice of his own attorneys, Albert Sterling took the stand in an effort to get probation.

G U I L T Y..... on both counts of solicitation of capital murder: One for the intended victim, Roxane Johnson-Sterling, the other for her then unborn son.

The defendant, Albert Sterling, closed his eyes, hung his head and took a deep breath when the verdict was read.

The prosecution is asking for life in prison. The defense is asking for probation.The defense so far has put on 4 witnesses, including Roxane. She cried. She said "I ask you to hear me as a mother. My two sons need their daddy." At that moment, Al Sterling appeared to cry too. A bailiff handed him a tissue.

Also put on the stand during this sentencing phase, two pastors of the church Albert Sterling attends. One said he thought "Albert is different now than he was back then."  The other pastor is about to testify. We're on a half hour break at the moment.

M

After putting one last witness on the stand, a friend of defendant Albert Sterling, the defense rested and closing arguments began.  First defense attorney Deric Walpool argued that Jeffrey Thompson, the alleged hitman, was not a killer; he was just a car thief. Then he and lead defense attorney Russell Wilson argued that Thompson was a car thief who got scared and MADE UP the murder for hire story so he wouldn't get 25 years to life in prison for committing a crim while he was on parole.  He also said quote the Allen police department "blew it" when it failed to investigate other possiblities.

Assistand D.A Barnett Walker began his closing arguments saying Al Sterling cons everyone. He lived two lives; one as a christian father and good provider, the other as a compulsive liar having affairs, making up stories and bringing an STD home to his wife. In the end, Walker said Sterling's own words is what will put him in jail. Phone conversations where he told the alleged hti man to wait right there until he came back.

Jury deliberations began at 12:35 pm.

The defense has rested. Expected at closing: The defense will likely argue that alleged hitman, Jeffrey Thompson was supposed to be at the house as part of a car insurance scam, but instead took it upon himself to burglarize the Sterlings' Allen home. Defense will argue the Allen police department did not do enough to investigate this possibility, and instead leapt to the conclusion Al Sterling set up a hit on his wife.  They will attempt to discredit Thompson, an ex-con with a lengthy record.

Prosecution will argue that Jeffrey Thompson never laid a hand on her; and that they have phone conversations and videotape of the Thompson and Sterling leaving a North Dallas bar.  The phone conversations will show Sterling's intent.