Nina Reisers Husband Found Guilty of Murder

[One2Snoop]

Reiser Found Guilty Of First-Degree Murder

POSTED: 8:28 am PDT April 25, 2008
UPDATED: 3:20 pm PDT April 28, 2008


OAKLAND, Calif. -- After less than three days of deliberations, a jury of five women and seven men Monday found Oakland computer expert Hans Reiser guilty of first-degree murder in the disappearance and death of his estranged wife, Nina.

When the verdict was read, Reiser looked straight ahead, lowered his head and sighed. Alameda County Superior Court Judge Larry Goodman ordered the bailiff to remove Reiser from the courtroom as soon as the verdict was read.

The jurors had four verdicts they could have reached in the case -- not guilty; first-degree murder carrying a 25-to-life sentence; second-degree murder which carries a 15-to-life term or voluntary manslaughter which carries a maximum 11-year term.

The jury -- which is not sequestered -- returned to their third full day of deliberations early Monday and sent word shortly after lunch that the verdict had been reached.

They had requested that no deliberations be held on Fridays and left the courthouse Thursday afternoon after re-examining several pieces of evidence presented during the highly watched trial that began in November.

The court clerk would not reveal which pieces of evidence had been requested.

Prosecutor Paul Hora, during his closing argument and rebuttal last week, asked the jurors to return a first- or second-degree verdict.

Defense attorney William Du Bose has claimed that Nina Reiser -- born and raised in Russia -- has fled the country and is in hiding and was not the victim of a heinous murder.

He also attempted to convince the jurors that Hora had not fulfilled the legal requirements for a first- or second-degree verdict.

Nina Reiser, then 31, vanished after taking the couple's two children to her estranged husband's house on Sept. 3, 2006.

She left behind her passport, her minivan (complete with her purse and sacks of groceries) and thousands of dollars. And she left behind her children, a 6-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl -- something friends and relatives testified she never would do.

During the six-month trial, prosecutors described Hans Reiser as obsessed with the details of the couple's divorce, reading from bitter e-mails he sent to his wife, including one in which he called her "evil."

When Reiser himself spoke on the stand, he often gave rambling answers and repeatedly was scolded by the judge for arguing with the prosecutor's questions.

Reiser is known in programming circles for his ReiserFS computer file system and Du Bois portrayed him as smart but eccentric. He compared Reiser to a duckbill platypus -- "odd in every way" -- but said there was nothing in his past to indicate he is violent.

Prosecutors presented evidence including small amounts of her blood found at Hans Reiser's home and on a sleeping bag sack in his car. They also noted that after she disappeared, Hans Reiser's car went missing. It was later found with the passenger seat gone and the floorboards soaked with water.

Hora pointed out that Reiser did not join in the search for his missing wife and began traveling around the area, visiting Reno, Nev., at one point. And when he was arrested, Reiser was carrying his passport and thousands in cash.

snip....

http://www.ktvu.com/news/15992691/de...05170204282008

[One2Snoop]

Hans Reiser Leads Police To Wife's Body

POSTED: July 7, 2008


OAKLAND, Calif. -- A prominent software programmer who had denied having anything to do with his estranged wife's disappearance even after he was convicted of her murder led police Monday to what is believed to be her body, defense attorneys said.

The abrupt about-face came just two days before 44-year-old Hans Reiser was due in court to face sentencing on a conviction of first-degree murder handed down by a jury in April.

The discovery late Monday afternoon came after Reiser, handcuffed to another of his attorneys, William Du Bois, led police through Redwood Regional Park, defense lawyer Richard Tamor said.

The body was found in a grave about 4 feet by 4 feet, Tamor said. Reiser did not have difficulty locating the spot, the attorney said: "He went right to it."

Tamor described Reiser's demeanor as "pensive, as anybody would be."

Police confirmed a body had been found but would not speculate on the identity or disclose details of the search.

The ravine where the body was recovered was less than a mile from the house where Hans Reiser lived with his mother. The house is where Nina Reiser, 31, was last seen alive on Sept. 3, 2006, when she dropped off the couple's two children for a visit with their father.

In the weeks after Nina Reiser's disappearance, police led cadaver dogs into the same hills where the body was recovered. Volunteers combed the area at the time and posted signs seeking information about the missing woman, who was active in a local Russian Orthodox church.

snip

http://www.ktvu.com/news/16815248/detail.html

[SaraSidle]

Great news thanks One2Snoop.

[Notknowingall]

Since the judge has the option of denying the plea agreement. Shoul dthis be an instance where he does just that? IMO he was already found guilty by a jury of first degree murder and should be sentenced accordingly. Plea agreemnts do have their place in the justice system but is this one of them?

[SaraSidle]

Originally Posted by Notknowingall

Since the judge has the option of denying the plea agreement. Shoul dthis be an instance where he does just that? IMO he was already found guilty by a jury of first degree murder and should be sentenced accordingly. Plea agreemnts do have their place in the justice system but is this one of them?

I do not think there should be a deal........IMO

WELCOME to the BOARD Notknowingall

[Notknowingall]

Originally Posted by SaraSidle

I do not think there should be a deal........IMO

WELCOME to the BOARD Notknowingall

I am in total agreement with you on this one. Since he lhas already led the way to his wife's body (which gives her family the closure they may have needed) and found guilty of first degree murder what harm is there that the judge ignore the plea agreement and still sentence him to 25-life. Not that I think that even with the sentence of 15-life will he ever see freedom again. IMO

[One2Snoop]

I agree with you Notknowingall - this makes me sick to even think they'd consider a second degree murder charge just because Reiser finally decided to lead authorities to Nina's body.

(07-08)Reiser deal ultimately hinges on judge's OK
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 9, 2008

17:14 PDT OAKLAND -- The defense can ask for a deal in a murder case like Hans Reiser's, and the prosecution can sign off on it, but it's the judge who has the final say.
And despite a first-degree murder verdict by the jury that decided Reiser killed his estranged wife, Nina, Judge Larry Goodman of Alameda County Superior Court probably will sign off on a sentence for second-degree murder now that the computer programmer has led police to her body, legal experts said Tuesday.
Goodman's relations with Hans Reiser during the six-month murder trial were less than cordial, and he could insist on the first-degree verdict reached by the jury on April 28. But prosecutor Paul Hora signaled that the judge is on board with a proposed deal that would send Reiser to prison for 15 years to life instead of the 25 years to life that he faced under the first-degree murder conviction.
Hora said the district attorney's office had agreed to the deal in part because Nina Reiser's family wanted to know where her body was.
Through a clerk, Goodman declined to comment Tuesday. A sentencing hearing that had been scheduled for today has been delayed, and no new date has been set.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...MNDT11LOTI.DTL

[SaraSidle]

You know this happens way too much. It was his wife and his inlaws and his kids so he showed them where the body is. He still ruined their lives and killed his wife. 1st degree all the way. IMO

[Notknowingall]

IMO I believe plea bargains are helpful in saving trial time but ONLY in determining the guilt of the defendant and negotiating the sentence at that time. Bargaining down after the jury has found him guilty is just not right.

Hopefully after 10 years when he is up for his first parole hearing the board more remembers the crime that was committed than what the plea bargain was for.

[One2Snoop]

Judge: Reiser deal in family's best interests
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, July 10, 2008

(07-09) 12:14 PDT OAKLAND -- Hans Reiser has obligations he must fulfill before he gets a break on his prison sentence, but the deal the convicted wife killer cut with prosecutors was in the best interests of the victim's family, the judge who presided over his trial said Wednesday.

Judge Larry Goodman of Alameda County Superior Court, in an unusual statement from the bench, made an impassioned defense of the agreement under which Reiser would be sentenced for second-degree murder for strangling his estranged wife, Nina, rather than for the first-degree murder verdict that a jury returned in April.

But before he sentences Reiser to 15 years to life in prison, instead of the 25 years to life under a first-degree conviction, Goodman said he wanted to make sure the one-time computer programmer wouldn't try to wriggle out of his end of the bargain.

"I want to make very clear that the court has not accepted or agreed to any deal," Goodman said.

The judge did not specify what Reiser has to do, but sources have said he must tell authorities exactly how he killed Nina Reiser. He must also formally waive his right to appeal his conviction.
snip

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...&feed=rss.news

[SaraSidle]

Originally Posted by One2Snoop

Judge: Reiser deal in family's best interests
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, July 10, 2008

(07-09) 12:14 PDT OAKLAND -- Hans Reiser has obligations he must fulfill before he gets a break on his prison sentence, but the deal the convicted wife killer cut with prosecutors was in the best interests of the victim's family, the judge who presided over his trial said Wednesday.

Judge Larry Goodman of Alameda County Superior Court, in an unusual statement from the bench, made an impassioned defense of the agreement under which Reiser would be sentenced for second-degree murder for strangling his estranged wife, Nina, rather than for the first-degree murder verdict that a jury returned in April.

But before he sentences Reiser to 15 years to life in prison, instead of the 25 years to life under a first-degree conviction, Goodman said he wanted to make sure the one-time computer programmer wouldn't try to wriggle out of his end of the bargain.

"I want to make very clear that the court has not accepted or agreed to any deal," Goodman said.

The judge did not specify what Reiser has to do, but sources have said he must tell authorities exactly how he killed Nina Reiser. He must also formally waive his right to appeal his conviction.
snip

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...&feed=rss.news

I hope he is never paroled.......IMO

[Notknowingall]

Originally Posted by SaraSidle

I hope he is never paroled.......IMO

ITA Sarah...ITA

[Its just me]

Originally Posted by One2Snoop

Judge: Reiser deal in family's best interests
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, July 10, 2008

(07-09) 12:14 PDT OAKLAND -- Hans Reiser has obligations he must fulfill before he gets a break on his prison sentence, but the deal the convicted wife killer cut with prosecutors was in the best interests of the victim's family, the judge who presided over his trial said Wednesday.

Judge Larry Goodman of Alameda County Superior Court, in an unusual statement from the bench, made an impassioned defense of the agreement under which Reiser would be sentenced for second-degree murder for strangling his estranged wife, Nina, rather than for the first-degree murder verdict that a jury returned in April.

But before he sentences Reiser to 15 years to life in prison, instead of the 25 years to life under a first-degree conviction, Goodman said he wanted to make sure the one-time computer programmer wouldn't try to wriggle out of his end of the bargain.

"I want to make very clear that the court has not accepted or agreed to any deal," Goodman said.

The judge did not specify what Reiser has to do, but sources have said he must tell authorities exactly how he killed Nina Reiser. He must also formally waive his right to appeal his conviction.
snip

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...&feed=rss.news

Bumping post to get beyond the sick soul posting porn