Lucy Letby Case #41

[Futtrit]

2:08pm

He says it does not automatically make someone a murderer because of their behaviour after a baby has died, that it can be a misjudgment, although that was how it was presented by the prosecution.

Mr Myers says Letby was "committed to her work" and evidence showed "how much she wanted to work".

He says she was "young, keen, flexible".

He cites agreed evidence from one of Letby's nursing colleagues: "I also remember...we had massive staffing issues, where people were coming in and doing extra shifts. It was mainly Lucy [being a band 5 nurse]. Lucy was young, living in halls, saving up to buy a house, single, willing to do extra work shifts..."

Mr Myers says that would explain Letby's increased presence on the neonatal unt.

 

[Futtrit]

11:52am

Mr Myers continues his closing speech.

He says the single most important direction in the trial is the burden of proof, which is on the prosecution, and it "never shifts" to the defence.

He says the prosecution "have to make you sure", and there are so many areas where the evidence "is not clear".

 

[DellaC]

Take care, wishes & prayers for a rapid recovery & effective treatments!

How are things with you my little American duck?

 

[Futtrit]

10:39am

He says he would ask the jury to look at the "presumption of innocence", which is "like a bucket of cold water over everyone at this point".

He says "that's the way it works" - "that someone is innocent until proven guilty", that the jury consider the evidence is "fair and balanced".

He says "five days is a lot to listen to" - today and into tomorrow is an overview of the defence case, then he will go through the counts individually in the closing speech.

He adds he recognises the "enormity" of what the jury have to go through.

 

[Refracton]

Looking at the ofsted it seems to be a state school. It had a lot more students in earlier years. 400 ish now.

 

[Futtrit]

We are less than an hour in and I'm already asking why did he not have any witnesses that could add weight(STAND UP FOR HER )to some of the shite he's spoken, so God help me when he goes through each baby!
Also, I know he's doing his job, but just like letby, calling baby E mum a liar is a low blow

Yeah, this is exactly why I wasn't looking forward to it.



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11:30am

Mr Myers: "You will understand the stakes [in this trial] are very high.

"We don't say 'doctors bad'.

We say for those senior consultants who presided at that unit...Lucy Letby getting the blame matters."

He says the prosecution used the expression, the 'gang of four' consultants of Dr Jayaram, Dr Stephen Brearey, Dr John Gibbs and a female doctor [who cannot be named].

He says the doctors 'have an interest in what happens here' and each of them 'had gone out of their way to damage Lucy Letby' in their evidence.

He cites an example on pneumothroaxes presented by Dr Gibbs which he says was "unneutral".

He says "one way or another" the unit "failed".

He says this case is a "prime opportunity" to "hide" bad/poor outcomes.

 

[xhc___]

Mr Bojangles is doing really well.
He had some soaked mealworms for the first time today and loved them. He doesn’t want to miss out when we’re having dinner and tries to cadge stuff even though he’s not going to like it. He’s taken to sleeping on the dish drainer (seems uncomfy) which is handy for cleaning (bleaching I may add).
I’m leaving the door open so he can go in and out as he pleases, he’s not gone far. A lot of wing flapping and has managed about a 3 - 4 foot flight. It was raining quite heavily today and he was like ‘what’s going on?’.
I didn’t realise crows have an opinion on everything, they do. Apart from the cawing, it’s hmmm, ehh, what?, is that so, or the equivalent in bird noises.

View attachment 2261368
View attachment 2261369

Amazing news! We are both super pleased 🥹🩷

 

[Futtrit]

2:27pm

Mr Myers says Sophie Ellis "should not have been looking after" Child C, as she was "inexperienced" and put in charge of a "fragile little boy".

He says the collapse of Child C follows "the one and only feed" he received.

He says Sophie Ellis "didn't see Lucy Letby do anything wrong".

Mr Myers says the evidence of Melanie Taylor "contradicts" in court to what she said to police in 2018, "swapping Lucy Letby for Sophie Ellis".

He says she was "utterly brazen about this" in cross-examination.

He says the account changed so it put Lucy Letby in the room.

He says a female nurse colleague said in evidence was consistent with what she told police.

She had been dealing with a different baby, in a different room, with Lucy Letby.

She said between 10-11pm, she was called to assist Child C.

She 'went to nursery 1, where Sophie Ellis and Melanie Taylor were Neopuffing [Child C]'.

Mr Myers says Letby is "nowhere near nursery room 1" at the time of the collapse.




2:39pm

Mr Myers moves to the case of Child D.

He says the "evidence is very clear" that Child D was "very unwell" at 12 minutes of age, but she wasn't given antibiotics for four hours, and Child D was born with pneumonia, and required ventilation, and was on it for 11 hours, and there were continuing signs of respiratory difficulties, requiring the use of CPAP.

He says after Child D's first collapse, it was discussed what to do, and there woul 'be a low threshold to intervene from a respiratory point of view'.

He says after the second collapse, Child D was taken off CPAP, and Child D later collapsed fatally, and post-mortem was found with acute lung damage.

He says Child D was "very ill from the outset".

He says it is "a very unfortunate decision" after the second collapse that Child D was taken off CPAP after a discussion of a 'low threshold to intervene'.

 

[Refracton]

And me, I have a massive bird phobia don't even know where it came from!

Snap. Poor Mr B I have to scroll past fast. Glad he is doing well though.

 

[Boz]

Just to be clear I'm not at all trying to find out names but I'm just wondering how it works in court when they are referring to the babies with their actual names. Do the baristers/judge etc. say 'Joe Bloggs, a.k.a Baby A, Jane Doe, a.k.a Baby D' for example, or do they just use the real name and that's it?
Because when they were referring to the babies in chronological order it wouldn't be difficult for reporters to work out which letter to use, but when the babies are grouped differently like with BNE's amazing closing statement, I can imagine it being really tricky to remember which letter corresponds to which baby. Just curious how it works really because I imagine it could get really confusing with how big the case is.
Needless to say I am heartbroken for the families and hope they get justice!

 

[Futtrit]

11:58am

He says the jury have to be "sure of deliberate harm" and "with the intent to kill", and the jury must assess the "quality of evidence".

He says the "medical evidence is the foundation of this case".

Mr Myers says Lucy Letby denies all the allegations.

He says it must be identified harm being done, and being sure there was an intent to kill at the time.

He repeats that Letby denies doing anything like that on any occasion.

He says the case is "about an insistent intent to kill".

He says that much be considered in the context of Letby 'raising the alarm' for some of the babies, or looking after some of the babies 'before and after their events'.

 

[Futtrit]

10:46am

He says that Letby being drawn into agreeing with things in cross-examination that she could not have known cannot be conclusive.

He cites Letby being asked about staffing pressures, or the unit taking on too many babies.

He says the jury can draw "common sense conclusions" over all the evidence presented.

He says Letby is "in no position to settle the issues" [on the unit].

He adds the issues in the trial being discussed are "harrowing and heartbreaking", and cannot be more serious, and 'nothing he says is to diminish the loss' suffered by parents.

He says the defence feel upset and "overwhelming sympathy" for them.

 

[Futtrit]

11:35am

He cites Dr Sally Ogden's evidence that June 2015 was a "particularly busy" time at the unit, and that was a combination of factors, including the complexity of the babies' needs, the number of staff, and total unit admissions.

He says the increased busyness increases the likelihood of mistakes and the chances of missing developing problems in babies.
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11:38am

He says the Countess was designed to look after babies of 27 weeks + (gestational age), and there were babies in this case who would be "far better" cared for at a tertiary centre, and evidence had been heard that for Child K's case, the tertiary centre care could have made a difference.

He says between June 2015-June 2016, the unit was "under a much greater burden".

He says during this time, whatever the hospital had to "deal with changed".

He says after the Countess neonatal unit became a 'level one unit' after June 2016, two more consultants were added. He says that is indicative of staffing pressures prior.

 

[Futtrit]

2:19pm

He refers to the social media evidence.

He asks what did the evidence give a false impression of - "that she dared to have a social life [in those two years before her arrest]?"

Mr Myers says Letby, in cross-examination, had agreed she would go to the races, and have 'fizz', and go on family holidays.

He says the photos show Letby having a "conventional social life".

He says photos like that rarely show what is going on inside.

He says there is nothing shown from the social life which runs contrary to the distress she was suffering.

He tells the jury: "If you look in the dock [at Lucy Letby], you can see the effect of years of this."

 

[gigilouxx]

Anyways, what's everyone having for their tea?

Wings and chippies x

 

[Miscanthus]

Any of you gorgeous lot got any top hangover cures? Dying here

You are not alone ...... and I'm listening to Elton....

 

[gimmethattea]

I remember the judge mentioning social media at the start of the trial and I found this from the reporting.

View attachment 2264065

This is a really dumb question, but what additional evidence could they research? How would they even find any other evidence when it's not in the trial. Would it be things like people's experiences, articles from her arrest?

 

[Futtrit]

2:38pm

He says of Letby's 2,318 Facebook searches, "only 31" related to parents' names on the indictment.

Mr Myers says Letby has not searched for things on 'air embolus', or 'forcing in air', or any 'fascination with what's alleged here'.

He says there is no evidence found Letby Googled 'haemophilia' following a conversation between a colleague nd Letby on Child N.


2:39pm

Mr Myers refers to the 2015 and 2016 diaries found at Letby's home.

He says there is nothing in the 2015 diary which is relevant to the indictment.

He asks, if the diaries are relevant, why there is no reference to Child A-K in them.

 

[DoseofReality]

3. Discussion on the danger of coindiciences and confirmation bias

He can't bring this up, can he? As presented no evidence to it in his defence or called on the "expertise" of a certain wannabe dildo replacement.

 

[Ihateeveryone2020]

Big fat spliff, Diet Coke, salt and vinegar mccoys x

Agreed x lol