Before reading Jeffrey Havard’s trial transcripts, accessible at the bottom of this page, it’s important to grasp the proceedings of his trial. Jeffrey Havard was deprived of a fair trial, lacking the chance to adequately defend himself due to the Court’s denial of an independent expert.
Jeffrey was further disadvantaged by inadequate legal representation. Upon reviewing the transcripts, it becomes evident that Jeffrey’s court-appointed attorney exerted minimal effort in defending his client. Consequently, the jury was left with only the prosecution’s arguments to consider, leading to an unsurprising miscarriage of justice.
Jeffrey’s case was tried as a death penalty case, which differs significantly from a capital murder trial not involving the death penalty. In this post, we will discuss the key differences expected in death penalty cases.
Richard C. Dieter, MS, JD, Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center, on Feb. 7, 2007, in his testimony to the Judiciary Committee of the Colorado State House of Representatives regarding “House Bill 1094 – Costs of the Death Penalty and Related Issues,” stated:
In his testimony before the Judiciary Committee of the Colorado State House of Representatives regarding “House Bill 1094—Costs of the Death Penalty and Related Issues,” delivered on February 7, 2007, Richard C. Dieter, MS, JD, the Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center, discussed the principle distinctions between a death penalty case and a capital murder trial that does not involve the death penalty.
Everything that is needed for an ordinary trial is needed for a death penalty case, only more so:
- More pre-trial time is needed to prepare: cases typically take a year to come to trial, with more pre-trial motions being filed and answered.
- More experts will be hired.
- Twice as many attorneys will be appointed for the defense and a comparable team for the prosecution.
- Jurors will have to be individually quizzed on their views about the death penalty, and they are more likely to be sequestered.
- Two trials instead of one will be conducted: one for guilt and one for punishment.
- The trial will be longer: a cost study at Duke University estimated that death penalty trials take three to five times longer than typical murder trials.
- And then will come a series of appeals during which the prisoners are held in the high security of death row.
Now, let’s compare Jeffrey’s trial to the guidelines listed above:
- The jury only received expert testimony from the prosecution. Jeffrey requested an expert witness, but the judge denied that request.
- It took just one day to choose the death penalty jury in Jeffrey’s trial.
- The trial spanned from jury selection on Monday morning, December 17, 2002, to the decision and sentencing on Wednesday morning, December 19, 2002. Within a mere forty-eight hours, the process involved jury selection, trial proceedings, the jury’s verdict, and ultimately, Jeffrey’s sentencing to death.
- The trial transcripts totaled 297 pages. Of these, 294 pages were the prosecution’s transcripts, leaving only three pages dedicated to the defense.
Once the jury was hastily selected, Jeffrey Havard’s trial took less than two days. The jury deliberated for 36 minutes. This trial was a total sham. No death penalty case can be adequately decided in less than two days.
After the hasty selection of the jury, Jeffrey Havard’s trial concluded in less than two days. The jury deliberated for just 36 minutes. This trial was a total sham. It is inconceivable for any death penalty case to be adequately adjudicated in such a short timeframe.
As you read through the trial transcripts, it is apparent that the prosecution dominated the trial. Furthermore, you’ll notice that much of the evidence provided on this website regarding the case was conspicuously absent during the trial. Would the jury have reached a different verdict had they heard all the evidence in this case? We have no doubt that the answer to that question is affirmative.
JEFFREY HAVARD TRIAL TRANSCRIPTS
Justice for Jeffrey Havard 