Delayed Justice

Dennis Bowman pled no contest in the murder of his adopted daughter Alexis Badger/Aundria Bowman in 1989. Here is the Holland Sentinel story about that. The plea comes as a relief.

The second bit of news concerns an unidentified murder victim from 1994 known to Ottawa Country Sheriff’s Department as Matilda. While the department has not yet disclosed a name, DNA analysis identified the young woman. Twenty-seven years and she will at last be known. Here is a WOOD TV report from Ken Kolker. Once she is given her name again, the sheriff’s department may have more tools to identify her killer. Yeah, I got a little involved in this case with this account.

These are two good elements with which to close out a year.

Dineane Ducharme has been found guilty of first-degree murder (mandatory life), conspiracy to commit murder, and mutilation of a dead body. Sentencing is February 1.

Now we await the return of Dineane’s mother, Beverly Anne Magliochetti, from her hold in a Roman jail. She has been portrayed as the mastermind of the crime and its prime assailant.

All the testimony has been elicited, all the exhibits shown, and all the arguments have been made. The evidentiary part of the trial is now concluded. This morning came the closing arguments for the prosecution, the defense, a rebuttal from the prosecution, and lastly, instructions for the jury from the judge. It all comes down to reasonable doubt for defendant Dineane Ducharme. And, if she is found guilty, to which of the three charges (open murder, conspiracy to commit, and mutilation of a body) and, in the case of murder, degree: first or second.

We wait.

Today we heard a little from Det. Bob Donker (retired) and then much more from Det. Roger Maltby (retired). We are skipping tomorrow and will resume on Friday at 8:30 with Det. Maltby.

Two days so far. Opening arguments, testimony from the victim’s daughter, Detective Bob Donker, forensic pathologist Steve Cohle, M.D., then back to Det. Donker. And that’s where we left it to pick up tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m.. You may watch by going here and then selecting Judge Janice Cunningham’s courtroom. It is a far cry from being IN the courtroom. The feed is not robust and the audio is problematic, but such is the exigency under Covid. And you have to go back each and every time the feed is interrupted and hit the link again. Tomorrow’s session is to last to about 3 p.m. The trail will then recommence on Friday, again at 8:30. It’s likely to run into next week.

Tomorrow morning begins again the trial of Dineane Ducharme in Charlotte’s Eaton County Circuit Court. The trial is being run under Covid protocols…no audience or news media. But there is an internet feed via facebook. The trial will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Nothing Thursday, and then again 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. You can watch here by selecting the node for Judge Janice Cunningham’s court. The trial may run into next week, too.

That, of course, was one question. We’ll see how it goes. To watch? Here.