The Eddie Lee Trial: Murder, robbery, mutilation UPDATED

You know, this one doesn't have the oh-so-famous lawyer involved, but it really is a very interesting case, on a lot of levels - one of them the effect of Pot on a good student, who could have made something good out of his life.

◼ Witness and DA in Eddie Lee case make an oops in Lee case; Judge has to fix it - John Chiv/Words Worth Sept 4, 2014

◼ Father-son like relationship triumphed over Lee's past heroin use, victim's past cocaine use - John Chiv/Words Worth Sept 3, 2014
◼ Judge Feeney clarifies sexual penetration charge in Lee case - John Chiv/Words Worth Sept 3, 2014

(Essentially, the statute has to do with mutilation of remains - in this case, burning)

◼ Limmie Greg Curry trial set for November 10; defense requests daily transcripts of Lee trial - John Chiv/Words Worth Sept 3, 2014
◼ Eddie Lee "fell in love with this area" and chose HSU over other options; the story of a dreamer who ended up accused as a murderer - John Chiv/Words Worth Sept 2, 2014

Mr. Stallworth ended his opening statments by telling the story of Eddie Lee. A young child of bi-racial parents with blue eyes and wavy black hair that everyone loved. A kid and a young man who never got in trouble, even being raised in Michigan, in a city of crime. Lee was recruited into a mentor program, "I had a Dream" as a youth, got great grades. Lee chose HSU instead of UC Davis or Sacramento State and pre-med major in biology because he "fell in love with this area."...

He had problems finding affordable housing in Arcata. Mr. Stallworth said that at this point he met Moriah Foster, a cocaine user who "smoked a lot of marijuana" and "she changed his life." Lee was in love for the first time.

◼ Eddie Lee to "take the stand" ; "He has waited 41/2 years to tell you what happened and he will tell you what happened" - John Chiv/Words Worth Sept 2, 2014

"This is not a ID case. Limmie Curry killed William Reid. Eddie Lee was present. My question to you is did Eddie Lee know? Did he aid and abet? That is your task."

"Eddie was 21 years old when he was arrested and charged. He has been waiting 4 1/2 years to come and tell you what happened. He will fill in the gaps in this case; everything else is conjecture."

◼ Crime of murder, murder committed while commission of robbery, mutilation of grave remains and special allegation of sexual penetration of human remains are the alleged charges the District Attorney's office filed against Eddie Lee, whose jury trial started today. - John Chiv/Words Worth Sept 2, 2014
◼ "In a society where personal worth is equated with economic growth and guns are readily available, it is surprising we don't have more violence" - John Chiv/Words Worth Sept 2, 2014

◼ DOLLISON’S DOCKET: Marijuana, Violence and Greed - Allan Dollison/Lost Coast Outpost

Gallegos' Opening Statement

◼ Whatever happened to Eddie David Lee? - On Feb 23, 2011, we asked: Almost a year ago Eddie David Lee pled not guilty to murder charges. Where is he now and where is Gallegos at on this case?

EARLIER:

◼ Eddie Lee and Limmie Greg Curry cases to be tried separately - John Chiv/Words Worth Jun 2, 2014
◼ Eddie Lee and Limmie Greg Curry pre-trial conference update. Will Curry's attorney make an appearance? - John Chiv/Words Worth Apr 4, 2014
◼ Limmie Curry and Eddie Lee - Times-Standard Jul 24, 2013

Jurors hear closing arguments in Curry case; defense: Evidence points to other murder suspect...

After listening to more than two months of testimony in the case, jurors on Tuesday heard two distinctly different arguments as to what story that evidence tells.

In the portion of his closing statement that jurors heard Tuesday, Fletcher said evidence in the case clearly indicates someone else is guilty of William “Billie” Reid's murder, and that Curry has been set up to take the blame. Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos, on the other hand, told jurors that evidence in the case points to only one conclusion: That Curry shot and killed Reid on his rural property off State Route 299 near Willow Creek, doused his body with gasoline and set it aflame, later burying Reid's charred skeletal remains on the property.

Prosecutors allege that Curry and Eddie David Lee killed Reid on Feb. 3, 2010, in order to rob him and take over his marijuana growing operation. Eddie Lee, Reid's roommate, has pleaded not guilty in the case and is slated to stand trial in January.

◼ We welcome federal attention -- in the right places - Times-Standard EDITORIAL Mar 16, 2012

Marijuana cultivation by some estimates accounts for 26 percent of Humboldt County's economy. It's not going to disappear, despite decades of federal effort. But appropriate use of federal power in other ways can be far more helpful.

And so we applaud the recent decision by the U.S. Attorney's Office to prosecute a Humboldt County murder case. It is the first time in decades -- indeed, the only time in local enforcement officials' memory -- that the federal government has done so.

◼ Pre-trial set for suspect in Willow Creek murder case - Times-Standard TOPIX Comment Thread Sep 6, 2010
◼ Icky-sounding Murder Investigation - North Coast Journal Feb 22, 2010