[dillywho]

When Dr. Vass testified (all day!) today, why was he allowed to go on and on and on everytime he opened his mouth? Why was he not admonished to just answer the questions asked instead of all the rambling he did? Other witnesses have been very restricted in this respect. Baez did try to rein him in a couple of times by telling him to just answer "yes" or "no". Even then, he persisted. In his cross, Baez did score a point or two toward creating some doubt.

I also did not understand why he was not admonished for the extraneous remarks and laughing about "almost jumping backwards" when asked about the smell when he opened the can. By not just saying that there was an overwhelming smell of what he knows or recognizes as human decomposition, it came across as very prejudicial antics. Also by being so deeply technical, he could well have cost the prosecution some points just by wearing out the jury.

Jumping ahead, wouldn't it be more prudent for the state to take the death penalty off the table since it will be an automatic appeal? That is already a given. Right now, the prosecution are working their tails off to ward off an appeal and the defense are working theirs off building grounds for one. With appeals, this could go on forever.