GEBAR J BYRD Jr. - 2 yo - (2010) University City MO

10/12/2011 Trial Minutes Filed
Cause again called. Parties and jury again appear. Jury trial resumes. Jury of 12 and 2 alternate jurors sworn. MAI-CR 300.06, 302.01 and 302.02 Instructions read. Opening statements made by State and Defendant. Testimony of State's witnesses began and

10/11/2011 Trial Minutes Filed
Jury trial. State by Assistant Circuit Attorney Christine Krug #42586. Defendant in person and by Attorney Bradford J. Kessler #31280. Court orders court reporter to take notes to preserve the evidence. Panel of 54 called. MAI-CR 3d Instruction 300.02 partially read to jury panel. Jury panel sworn. MAI-CR 3d Instruction completed. Examination of jury panel on voir dire began and not conclued. Recess called. MAI-CR Instruction 300.04.1 read. Examination of jury panel on voir dire continued and not concluded. Recess called. MAI-CR Instruction 300.04.2 read. Examination of jury panel on voir dire continued and concluded. Recess called. MAI-CR Instruction 300.04.2 read. jury of 12 and 2 alternates selected and not sworn. Recess called. MAI-CR Instruction 300.04.2 read. Court is adjourned until 10/12/2011 at 9:00 AM. So Ordered: Judge Bryan Hettenbach Court Reporter: Alice Baker #361
Order
This Order will serve to clarify and confirm that the State met its burden of proving by a preponderance of evidence that statements made by Defendant while in Police custody were made voluntarily and that Defendant waived his Miranda rights by knowing, intelligent and voluntary action. There was no evidence that Defendant's mental capacity was substantially impaired when he waived his constitutional rights and made incriminating statements. Consequently, the Court denied Defendant's Motion to Suppress. So Ordered: Judge Bryan Hettenbach (See file for full text).
List of Witnesses
Witness Endorsement
Filed By: GEBAR BYRD
Motion In Limine
States
Entry of Appearance Filed
Filed By: NICHOLAS RYAN WILLIAMS

https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/searchDockets.do

UPDATE: Witness take stand in murder trial of Gebar Byrd of Vinita Park
10:20 AM, Oct 12, 2011

St. Louis, Missouri (KSDK)-- A north St. Louis County man accused of murder, child endangerment, and domestic assault in the deaths of his one-time girlfriend and the couple's toddler son over a year ago, heard opening statements in the case against him this morning.

The state then presented their first witness against the man charged with the crimes.

27 year old Gebar Byrd of Vinita Park is accused of attacking 24 year old Yasmin Rodriguez of University City, while she was holding the couple's 23 month old son Gebar Byrd Junior along the Mississippi riverbank at Riverview and Spring Garden in extreme north St. Louis on March 23 2010.

Jury selection was completed Tueday afternoon.

Police say the senior Byrd then pushed Rodriguez into the river while she was still clutching the child, through the muck and mud, branches and other debris before fleeing the scene.

Neither Rodriguez or the little boy resurfaced after being forced into the river.

Yasmin Rodriguez's body eventually surfaced downstream about two weeks later. The little boy's body was never located, but police and prosecutors believe the child is dead.

If convicted, Byrd is facing a lifetime in prison with no chance of probation or parole.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/280958/3/UPDATE--Witness-take-stand-in-murder-trial-of-Gebar-Byrd-of-Vinita-Park

UPDATE: Gebar Byrd offers no evidence in murder of girlfriend, child
4:43 AM, Oct 14, 2011

St. Louis, Missouri (KSDK)-- A north St. Louis County man accused of murder, child endangerment, and domestic assault in the deaths of his one-time girlfriend and the couple's toddler son over a year ago, is now awaiting a verdict from the St. Louis Circuit jury that heard the case against him.

The defense offered no evidence and called no witnesses to the stand when it was their turn in court. After jury instructions were read Thursday, the panel retired to deliberate the fate of 27 year old Gebar Byrd.

Byrd of Vinita Park is accused of attacking 24 year old Yasmin Rodriguez of University City, while she was holding the couple's 23 month old son Gebar Byrd Junior along the riverbank at Riverview and Spring Garden in extreme north St. Louis on March 23 2010.

Police say the senior Byrd then pushed Rodriguez into the river while she was still clutching the child, through the muck and mud, branches and other debris before fleeing the scene.

Neither Rodriguez or the little boy resurfaced after being forced into the river.

Yasmin Rodriguez's body eventually surfaced downstream about two weeks later. The little boy's body was never located, but police and prosecutors believe the child is dead.

If convicted, Byrd is facing a lifetime in prison with no chance of probation or parole.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/crime/article/280958/147/UPDATE-Jury-deliberates-murder-of-mother-toddler

Jury finds Gebar Byrd guilty
4:33 PM, Oct 14, 2011

St. Louis (KSDK) - A north St. Louis County man on trial for the murder of his girlfriend and son has been found guilty.

Gebar Byrd, 27, was found guilty of second degree murder of his 24-year-old girlfriend Yasmin Rodriguez, involuntary manslaughter of his 23-month-old son Gebar Byrd Junior, endangering the welfare of a child, and second degree domestic assault.

Prosecutors say Byrd attacked Rodriguez while she was holding their son near the riverbank at Riverview and Spring Garden in north St. Louis on March 23, 2010. He then pushed Rodriguez into the river and fled the scene.

The body of Rodriguez resurfaced two weeks later.

The little boy's body was never found.

Byrd is scheduled to be sentenced December 9.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/281397/3/Jury-finds-Gebar-Byrd-guilty

Judge sentences Gebar Byrd to life in prison
6:21 PM, Dec 9, 2011

St. Louis (KSDK) - A St. Louis judge showed no mercy on the man convicted of pushing his girlfriend and their son to their death in the Mississippi River.

The judge didn't buy the story that 27-year-old Gebar Byrd could have been wrongly convicted.

The judge told Byrd that he keeps changing his story, but none of that could change his mind that Byrd is the one who somehow threw 24-year-old Yasmin Rodriguez and their 23-month-old son into the Mississippi River.

It happened in March 2010 along the riverbank at Riverview and Spring Garden in extreme north St. Louis.

Yasmin Rodriguez's body eventually surfaced downstream, but the boy's body was never found.

Before the judge ruled, Byrd maintained his innocence saying he wasn't given a fair trial.

The prosecution argued for the maximum sentences, describing death by drowning, that Rodriguez couldn't swim, and would have realized there was no way out.

The judge gave Byrd the maximum sentence of life in prison plus 21 years.

Rodriguez's uncle says he's pleased with the punishment, but said there's nothing that can replace the lives of his niece and her little boy.


http://www.ksdk.com/news/crime/article/290375/147/Judge-sentences-Gebar-Byrd-to-life-in-prison