Bibliophile (Waseem Daker) Murder Case Update

bulletnyourass

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MOD EDIT 11/29/2013:

If anyone visiting is here from watching the Dateline NBC special tonight or the 20/20 one tomorrow, you can get a VERY detailed rundown of all the information/data/case here:

Neo-Geo.Com Waseem Daker Case FAQ and Casefile - For Visitors and New Information on the case!

It's comprehensive and serves as a very informative primer on the case and up-to-the-minute developments. It truly takes you inside the "mind of the madman" Waseem Daker.








Original Post:


Verfification of the old saying...... A man who represents himself has a fool for a client!

http://www.ajc.com/news/cobb/defendant-representing-himself-in-872191.html

By Andria Simmons

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It's rare for anyone to act as his own lawyer in court, even rarer when it's someone charged with an offense as serious as murder.

Waseem Daker, charged with the 1995 murder of a flight attendant, is defending himself in Cobb County Superior court where he appeared Monday, March 14, for motions hearings. He has filed more than 90 motions in the case.
Bob Andres, bandres@ajc.com Waseem Daker, charged with the 1995 murder of a flight attendant, is defending himself in Cobb County Superior court where he appeared Monday, March 14, for motions hearings. He has filed more than 90 motions in the case.


However, that's the spectacle that unfolded in Cobb County Superior Court on Monday, when a handcuffed and jail jumpsuit-clad Waseem Daker lugged a crate full of legal documents into the courtroom.

Daker is accused of strangling to death a Cobb County woman in 1995.

For now at least, he is proceeding without legal representation. Superior Court Judge Mary Staley released defense attorney Michael Syrop, whom she had appointed to be "standby counsel" the case, after Daker complained that the lawyer wasn't helping him.

Daker, 33, of Duluth, has no legal training other than knowledge picked up from law books and documents in jail. Prosecutors said he was working at his family's furniture shop prior to his Jan. 15, 2010 arrest. Nevertheless, he has filed more than 90 pretrial motions and is attempting to file a pretrial appeal.

Daker had long been a suspect in the Oct. 23, 1995 death of Karmen Smith, a flight attendant. Smith and her son, Nicholas, who was 5 at the time, were attacked while living in a house owned by a woman that Daker had stalked for more than a year.

Nicholas was stabbed, but survived.

Police arrested Daker after newly submitted DNA evidence linked him to the crime. He is awaiting trial at the Cobb County jail.

Daker's courtroom attire -- a faded orange jumpsuit, waist chain and handcuffs -- contrasted starkly with his professorial demeanor, careful comb-over and bookish glasses. He appeared composed during his oral arguments, occasionally referring to himself in the third person as "the defendant" or in the plural "we."

Daker's unfamiliarity with courtroom procedure immediately caused friction with the judge when he interrupted her at times or tried to argue motions that were not scheduled to be heard that day.

Staley said his arguments were "illogical and backwards."

"You are the one who has been adamant you are going to represent yourself," Staley admonished. "You can do that. I've told you it's fraught with problems. "

Daker said his attempts to prepare for the case have been hampered because he is able to make only collect phone calls from the jail. He also said he does not have access to "sufficient" case law at the jail's law library.

"My hands are tied as far as trying to do everything by the book," Daker told the judge.

Daker originally applied for a free, court-appointed attorney after his arrest. However, the indigent defense council investigated his income and found he made too much money to qualify.

He then retained well-known Atlanta defense attorney Brian Steel. The two men parted ways in April when it became evident they were "diametrically opposed" in terms of their trial strategy, according to consent order filed by Daker.

Syrop was appointed by the judge to be Daker's "standby counsel" when Daker chose to go it alone in August.

Syrop said such arrangements are unique. He had not seen anyone appointed "standby counsel" in more than 20 years of practice. He did not believe the role permitted him to do research or subpoena witnesses.

"I know he's in a tough spot, but he chose to represent himself," Syrop said. "These are the pitfalls."

Phillip
 
Last edited:

TonK

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This was posted a while back, P.

Hope Electricgrave doesn't flip out again.
 

Average Joe

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Daker's unfamiliarity with courtroom procedure immediately caused friction with the judge when he interrupted her at times

i don't even possess the most basic understanding of how a courtroom hearing should proceed but i know enough that interrupting a judge is something you should never do
 

Marek

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i don't even possess the most basic understanding of how a courtroom hearing should proceed but i know enough that interrupting a judge is something you should never do

Yep that screams guilt to me.

I'm sure the diametric opposition to his counsels advice involved pleading guilty.
 

NeoSneth

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hrm. i missed all of this entirely.
arrested 5 yrs later to DNA evidence... that seems fishy to me.

I used to train DNA analysis to CSI's more than 5 yrs ago. I don't see why they couldn't get it sooner.
 

Spike Spiegel

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When asked if he did it, Mr Daker said "well of course I did it, but I sure as hell and not just going to roll over and die... um, bad choice of words."
 

norton9478

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hrm. i missed all of this entirely.
arrested 5 yrs later to DNA evidence... that seems fishy to me.

I used to train DNA analysis to CSI's more than 5 yrs ago. I don't see why they couldn't get it sooner.

nearly 15 years later...

I think it was deuce who said that the statute of limitations on murder in 1995 was 15 years years or something.
 

GohanX

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He should have hired the Bobak & Co. Law Office.
 

Zenimus

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Wow, 2010 was sort of a whirlwind year for me so I missed this story entirely. I kinda wondered what happened to Bibliophile.
 

abasuto

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I think it was deuce who said that the statute of limitations on murder in 1995 was 15 years years or something.

There is no statute on murder in GA. Non-murder felonies are 14 years, 7 years for misdemeanor and civil issues. They probably jumped the gun before the statute ran out on the other charges since he's being charged with more than just murder.

That's what seems fishy to me; the timing. 14 year old unsolved crime and months before the statute runs out (on the non-murder charges) the State suddenly finds DNA evidence ? They found no DNA evidence for 14 years and magically they find it, right before the statute runs out on other crimes involved.

DNA evidence by the way that was found by a "private" business the State contracts.

Is it conspiracy theory to think they paid that business to get the results they wanted on that final DNA test ? Probably, but then again, companies have been busted before doing it for cops.

As for an update...Waseem's motions to drop the case and dismiss any of the State's evidence were all denied by State judges.
 

OrochiEddie

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There is no statute on murder in GA. Non-murder felonies are 14 years, 7 years for misdemeanor and civil issues. They probably jumped the gun before the statute ran out on the other charges since he's being charged with more than just murder.

That's what seems fishy to me; the timing. 14 year old unsolved crime and months before the statute runs out (on the non-murder charges) the State suddenly finds DNA evidence ? They found no DNA evidence for 14 years and magically they find it, right before the statute runs out on other crimes involved.

DNA evidence by the way that was found by a "private" business the State contracts.

Is it conspiracy theory to think they paid that business to get the results they wanted on that final DNA test ? Probably, but then again, companies have been busted before doing it for cops.

As for an update...Waseem's motions to drop the case and dismiss any of the State's evidence were all denied by State judges.

So if he is found innocent does get any compensation for sitting in a jail for a year.
 

fake

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mrs-butterworths-first-name.jpg
 

rarehero

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The image in my head could only be cooler if the guy wore a bow tie
with his orange prison jump suit.
Even if it cleaned me out,
I'd lawyer up.
Better being poor and free,
than not free with money in the bank.
 
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