Viewer - Cara Rintala Trial: Live updates from Day 6 of courtroom proceedings

Cara Rintala Trial: Live updates from Da...

Thursday February 21, 2013

9:07

9:05 a.m. Fred Contrada signing on for MassLive at the Cara Rintala murder trial.

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:07

9:08

9:07 a.m. Granby police officer Mark Smith is on the stand, being questioned by prosecutor Steve Gagne.

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:08

9:10

9:07 a.m. Officer Smith got the call at about 7:16 p.m., arrived at the house on 18 Barton St., heard crying, a femal voice.

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:10

9:11

9:09 a.m. Gagne is showing the witness a photo from the vantage of the top of the basement stairs. It looks chaotic down there, with different objects strewn about. Smith pointed out a foot he could see.

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:11

9:14

9:11 a.m. Smith said Rintala and Officer Poehler were in the basement, along with Annamarie's body. Rintala was holding the body. Smith could see no signs of life in the body. Rintala was crying, said: She's dead. I can't believe she's dead.

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:14

9:17

9:13 a.m. Smith left the basement and went back down. Poehler told him the body was Annamarie Rintala, whom Smith had known. He had not been able to recognize her because of the discoloration of her face and the wet paint that was on her face and clothes.

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:17

9:21

9:16 a.m. Responders decided, based on the state of the body, not to attempt resuscitation, Smith said. Her arms were "stuck" in an upright position, he said.

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:21

9:25

9:21 a.m. Cara said she was "stuck" under the body. Annamarie, according to court statements, weighed about 200 pounds. The police rolled her body off Cara, Smith said. Gagne showed a close-up of the body. She appears to be wearing jeans and a bra. There is what appears to be blood coming from the left knee and side.

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:25

9:30

9:24 a.m. Smith, Poehler and Rintala went up into the kitchen. Gagne showed Smith a photo of the kitchen area. Smith left the other two in the kitchen and went outside to casll state police, the medical examiner and other officials.

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:30

9:34

9:30 a.m. Paramedics from Granby Fire Department arrived, Smith said. About a half dozen responders came to the scene, he said. Smith was there until the next morning, March 30, 2010. State police recorded video of the scene.

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:34

9:35

9:34 a.m. Gagne is showing the state police videotape, which was admitted as Exhibit 15.

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:35

9:47

9:35 a.m. The tape begins with a shot of the Rintala house from the outside. The camera approaches. Police tape bars the door. Slow shot of a door, panning from bottom to top. Slow pan of kitchen... bathroom... shower curtain... living room couch (fish swimming in small fish bowl)... child's toys (courtroom very quiet)... child's room, with toys, pink bed spread, stuffed animals, doll house... two white laundry baskets on floor of adult bedroom, oar mounted on wall, bed unmade...

Thursday February 21, 2013 9:47

10:00

9:47 a.m. Video shows camera slowly panning living room... flat-screen TV... basement door... stairs... paramedic jacket hung on hook... foot at the bottom of stairs... Annamarie's paint-covered body lying on floor amid paint... (someone in courtroom is crying)... clothes iron, furnace... toy car... some sort of broken object on floor, a dish maybe... buckets cans, Annamarie... slow pan from her bare feet to her head and arms, bent upright at elbows... a black shoe near her foot... paint on her face... close up of what could be a blood stain... blood under Annamarie... paint covers right half of her face... blood on her hand... her eyes open... more shoes nearby... the overturned paint bucket... close-up of Annamarie's face...

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:00

10:03

10 p.m. Gagne resumes his questioning of Smith. The witness said Cara appeared upset and angry at the same time. Smith canvased the neighborhood.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:03

10:03

10:02 a.m. Hoose is about to cross-examine but has asked to go sidebar first.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:03

10:04

[Comment From Lenore gaughanLenore gaughan: ]

How could cara have called 911 from the neighbors as previously claimed if as stated above she was "stuck" under the body ? So much so that the pd had to pull her out. And as an active member of 2 fire depts., 200 lbs is should have been no problem to move,

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:04 Lenore gaughan

10:05

10:03 a.m. I believe the testimony was that she asked a neighbor to call 911. This was before police found her under Annamarie.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:05

10:05

10:04 a.m. Rup instructed the jury not to speculate about the contents of conversations when police canvassed the neighborhood.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:05

10:12

10:05 a.m. Hoose cross-examination.
Hoose: (shows photo of front door) Once you get to bottom of stairs you can see Cara cradling the body?
Smith: yes
Hoose: Ann was a fairly big woman, right?
Smith: yes.
Hoose (shows photo of body) You saw white, wet paint on the body.
Smith: Correct.
Hoose: Resuscitation futile.
Smith: Yes.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:12

10:14

10:11 a.m. Hoose: Annamarie's arms appeared to be stuck and not touching the ground.
Smith: Yes.
At issue here is that Annamarie's arms were not touching the ground. Why not? Hoose suggests it was bacause Rintala had the body in her lap. Smith does not agree with that.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:14

10:17

10:13 a.m. Hoose asks about Smith's conversation with the medical examiner. Smith acknowledges that he has little training in "death scene" investigation.
Hoose: When you say "arms were stuck," you don;t know the signifiance of that to the medical examiner, do you?
Smith: No.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:17

10:19

10:16 a.m. Did Cara tell you that Ann was in prone position when she found her, Hoose asks.
No, says Smith.
The subtext here seems to be whether Annamarie was facedown or face-up while going through rigor mortis.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:19

10:21

10:18 a.m. Rintala is staring straight ahead with the photo of Annamarie's body on the screen a few feet away as Hoose continues his questioning.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:21

10:22

[Comment From michoobmichoob: ]

Will these photos ever be seen by the public?

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:22 michoob

10:24

10:21 a.m. As with all evidence, I believe they are kept in police storage unless there is some official reason to access them. The jury will have them during deliberations.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:24

10:24

[Comment From guestguest: ]

Is the gallery full? Is the general public allowed?

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:24 guest

10:25

10:23 a.m. Yesterday it was full. Today there are empty seats. The public has the right to attend the proceeding, space permitting.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:25

10:26

10:24 a.m. Hoose has been asking detail questions about where objects were at the crime scene. Smith has been excused.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:26

10:29

10:25 a.m. Michael Pandora called to the stand. He is a Lt. at Granby Fire Department. He has experience there as an EMT and a paramedic. Under questioning by Gagne, he is describing the training of an EMT.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:29

10:32

10:28 a.m. Pandora first worked for the ambulance service AMR. According to Pandora, a paramedic can do significantly more than an EMT and has much more training.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:32

10:32

[Comment From KimKim: ]

Are Annmarie's parents and siblings there?

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:32 Kim

10:34

10:31 a.m. Many people have asked this question. Her parents have been here throughout the legal proceedings. I don't know about other family members. We try to give them a modicum of privacy in a public, painful situation. When the trial is over, if Cara is convicted, they will have the right to make victims' statements in court. We will ask politely if they want to talk to the press. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don't.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:34

10:39

10:34 a.m. Pandora is trying to talk about time periods for rigor mortis, but Hoose is objecting and Rup is sustaining him. Gagne rephrased his question. Pandora said vital organs start to deteriorate within 4-6 minutes of when the heart stops. Pandora is talking in generalities about the rigor mortis process. Hoose has objected. The lawyers are talking to the judge at sidebar.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:39

10:41

10:39 a.m. The timing of Annamarie's death is important to the prosecution's theory. The defense has characterized time-of-death conclusions by state witnesses as speculation. It wants to keep the jury from hearing such testimony.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:41

10:48

10:44 a.m. Rup is telling the jury to disregard testimony about "critical incident stress management." Pandora went on to say he knows Rintala, that they worked together at AMR and the Granby Fire Department. He pointed her out in court.. He also got to know Annamarie from AMR and the Granby Fire Department. Both had talked to him about personal matters from time to time.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:48

10:50

[Comment From GuestGuest: ]

Thank you for the updates Fred.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:50 Guest

10:51

10:48 a.m. Gagne asked what Cara told Pandora about her wife.
Pandora: About money Ann had taken out of Cara's retirement fund, some $20K.
Gagne: Her mood whyen she was discussing this with you?
Pandora: Upset, but her divorce attoreneys were going to straighten it out. Cara also mentioned a credit card Ann took out without Cara's knowledge.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:51

10:53

10:51 a.m. Pandora said he doesnt recall the balance on the credit card. Gagne is showing him a document to refresh his memory. After reading it, Pandora said Cara told him there was a $25K balance on the credit card that Ann took out under Cara's name.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:53

10:54

10:52 a.m. Gagne is talking about March 29, 2010. Rup said this is a good time to break. Court is in recess until 11:15.

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:54

10:59

[Comment From guestguest: ]

Will there be any video of this trial?

Thursday February 21, 2013 10:59 guest

11:02

@Guest: We may ask one of our photographers to do some video at some point. And, it's likely that our media partner, CBS3, will provide some video as well.

Because video takes a little bit more of a time investment in terms of editing, we'll likely reserve that for some of the key moments later in the trial -- excerpts of closing arguments, delivery of the verdict.

Thanks for tuning in.

- Greg Saulmon / The Republican

Thursday February 21, 2013 11:02

11:20

11:18 a.m. Court back in session. Judge Rup has asked to see the attorneys at sidebar. They called in a juror and asked some questions. He is still sitting on the jury.

Thursday February 21, 2013 11:20

11:24

11:19 a.m. Gagne continues his direct. Pandora said he got an ambulance call for 18 Barton St. The fire chief asked Pandora is he knew what was going on. He said no. The chief told him to go there. Pandora went to the house and found Cara in the kitchen with a Granby paramedic and police officer.
Gagne: What did you do?
Pandora: I went downstairs.
Gagne: What did you observe about Rintala?
Pandora: She was upset, crying, her clothes covered with paint and blood. Only statement I recall clearly is "Ann is dead."

Thursday February 21, 2013 11:24

11:25

11:23 a.m. Pandora said he went down the stairs, could see Ann's feet, Ann's body with paint "dunked all over her." Hoose objected to those words. Rup struck them.

Thursday February 21, 2013 11:25

11:30

11:25 a.m. Gagne shows photos of crime scene. Pandora said Ann's skin was bluish-purple, that her hands were raising meaning the body had stiffened. Blood around her nose, the back of her head. Pandora touched her arm, observed it to be "very, very" cold. He went outside to write up the medical report.

Thursday February 21, 2013 11:30

11:36

11:30 a.m. Gagne asked if Pandora heard Rintala make any statements. He recalled that she said she'd talked to Annamarie that afternoon. Gagne referred Pandora to his report. It says Annamarie was last seen by spouse at 10 a.m. Pandora said Cara told him this.

Thursday February 21, 2013 11:36

11:39

11:36 a.m. Gagne: Did you go into the garage? Why?
Pandora: To get Cara's pocketbook and cell so she could make calls.
Gagne: What kind of car were they in?
Pandora: Ford Explorer.
Gagne asks about Cara's whereabouts while Pandora was there. He saw her go into the bathroom.

Thursday February 21, 2013 11:39

11:45

11:39 p.m. Pandora said the paint was wet "like it been freshly spilled." Hoose objects to the words. Rup sustains. Hoose on cross-examination is questioning Pandora's accuracy.
Hoose: You wrote no signs of trauma. (Hoose points at the deatrh scene with Annamarie's body).
Pandora: No broken bones.

Thursday February 21, 2013 11:45

11:49

11:44 a.m. Hoose continues asking Pandora about his assessment of the scene. Lots of detail questions about who was where in the kitchen, etc. What he got from the car. Where he put the items.

Thursday February 21, 2013 11:49

11:55

11:49 a.m. Hoose: Were you aware Cara had rolled the body onto herself?
Pandora: No.
Questions about the locatrion and color of the paint. Hoose asked if things changed when the state trooper arrived. Pandora said yes. Hoose is asking about Pandora's recollection about things Cara said to him previously about her personal life.
Hoose: At the end of it all she said the divorce lawyers wqill sort it all out.
Pandora: Correct.

Thursday February 21, 2013 11:55

11:56

11:54 a.m. Hoose: Neither wife was hiding the fact they had difficultues?
Pandora: Correct.
Hoose completes his cross-examination. Gagen calls Gene Os.

Thursday February 21, 2013 11:56

12:02

11:56 a.m.Gene Os, firefighter paramedic for South Hadley and Granby fire departments, on the stand. EMT since 1994, paramedic since 1997. Os knew both Cara and Annamarie through AMR. He pointed out Cara in court. Os was home in South Hadley when he got the call to go to 18 Barton St. He did not recognize the Rintalas' address.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:02

12:07

12:01 p.m. Os arrived at the house and recognized it as Cara's and Ann's. Police were already there. Os went downstairs. Gagne showed Os a photo of the basement stairs. Os saw a foot at the bottom of the stairs. He described the body, knew her to be Ann. He also described her hands as "up in the air."

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:07

12:11

12:06 p.m. Os described the paint as "off white" and wet. "You can tell what wet paint looks like," he said. He took hold of her wrist. Annamarie had no pulse, her skin cold, her arms locked in rigor mortis. Her eyes were open, fixed an dilated, Os said.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:11

12:15

12:11 p.m. Os asked Cara how she was doing. She told him she came home, opened the door, only one light on and it was in the basement. She called Annamarie's name, got no response.
Gagne: Did she say anything to you which position the body was in.
Os: She said she was face down, brought her daugfhter next door, tripped at body of the stairs, fell onto Ann, rolled Ann on top of her so she was facing the ceiling.
Os said Cara had paint all over her hands, arms, face. No shoes.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:15

12:20

12:14 p.m. Gagne shows a photo of a cell phone that Cara used. Os said she called Ann's and her own mother, received at least two calls. Cara worried that Brianna was hungry, needed a diaper change. Os suggested there was a diaper bag in the truck. He went into Ann's medical history. Cara said she had asthma, back and stomach problems (because of her "big boobs" in Cara's words).

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:20

12:22

12:19 p.m. Os said Cara said she'd spoken with Ann around 2 p.m. by phone. Os went with Cara to the bathroom. "She had paint all over her and it was getting all over everything. She kind of just wanted to wash her hands." Os went in first, then Rintala.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:22

12:27

12:22 p.m. Gagne asks questions about where people stood in the bathroom. Cara washed the paint off her hands and face. Os noticed she had a bloody nose. He handed her a hand towel. She kept it with her. They went into the bedroom. Cara turned the lamp on. Officer Poehler said "This is a bad ideas" and that they should leave the bedroom and not touch anything, Os testified.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:27

12:31

12:27 p.m. Gagne offers into evidence photos of the bed in the Rintala house. A cell phone can be seen on the bed. Cara said he didn't feel well, was going to be sick, Os said. They went outside. She didn't vomit. They went back inside. An officer took Cara into the living room.
"And that was the last time I've seen Cara until today," Os said.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:31

12:34

12:31 p.m. Os said Cara told him she'd gone shopping at Holyoke Mall and somewhere in Ludlow (he couldn't hear what she said). Gagne ends his questioning.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:34

12:40

12:33 p.m. Hoose on cross.
Hoose: You knew you had a deceased person.
Os: Yes.
Questions about where Os touched the body, about the paint, about Os' boots, about the body position. Hoose asks about the arm position, shows photos of the death scene.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:40

12:45

12:40 p.m. Os acknowledges he has no training in death scene assessment.
Hoose: Cara was hysterical at times, wasn't she?
Os: Yes.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:45

12:50

12:45 p.m. Hoose is asking about Os' conversations with Cara at the scene, about the location of her phone, about Os' notes. He asks about the calls Cara made and received at the scene.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:50

12:54

12:50 p.m. Hoose asks Os about his report, shows him a document about his notes concerning the nose bleed.
Hoose: It was more a trickle mixed with mucus.
Os: Yes.
(The prosecution wants to present evidence of Cara's blood on several objects).

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:54

12:58

12:53 p.m. Hoose ends his cross. Gagne on re-direct asks if Os knows when the death photos were taken. Os says on re-direct that he recalls there being space between Annamarie's arms and the floor.
Os is excused. Rup recesses for the day. The trial will resume Friday at 9 a.m. and go until about 4:30 p.m.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:58

12:58

[Comment From GuestGuest: ]

Do we know what objects the prosector wants to present regarding Cara's blood?

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:58 Guest

12:59

12:58 p.m. A shower curtain, a laundry basket, Cara's own necklace.

Thursday February 21, 2013 12:59

1:55

From The Republican newsroom: Thanks for reading today's live coverage of the Rintala trial. The trial has recessed for the day and will resume Friday at 9 a.m., and Fred Contrada will be back with live updates at that time.
-- Joe Deburro / The Republican

Thursday February 21, 2013 1:55

4:23