Brooke Skylar and Annabel Richardson

It's been a minute since Brooke Skylar Richardson's trial for the death of Annabel Richardson, and while I am disappointed, I am not in the least surprised.

People do not understand how a trial works actually, and so many people jumped in to comment. First, this is not white privilege, it's classism at it's finest. She didn't walk because she's white, she walked because her parents put every penny they could get their hands on (and likely borrowed from family) for her defense. Simply put, rich people never face the same penalty or verdicts that the poor do. If you are reliant on a public defender, which poor people are, the best they can hope for is a plea deal where at least they may see the light of day as a free person again. Not convinced? Look at OJ Simpson, the Mendez brothers (who should have gotten death), and AJ Armstrong who killed his parents and his trial resulted in a hung jury. If you are rich, you don't face the same consequences. Recently, a rich (though very delusional and confused) man went on the the Dr. Phil show to declare rich people get away with murder. (I don't think he actually killed his girlfriend, but his statement isn't wrong.)

The problem with the evidence is that the baby was not found until it was fully skeletonized. There were no lungs to examine to see if the baby had taken a breath. The judge, for reasons I can not fathom, dismissed tampering with evidence charges, despite that being fully proven with actual evidence. She admitted to burying the baby (resulting in decay), cleaning the crime scene and disposing off all the blood covered items.

The problem is she said the baby was born dead. There wasn't evidence the baby was dead OR alive. The defense could not prove it was dead and the state could not prove it was alive. This should have resulted in involuntary manslaughter because her own expert said on the stand that had she delivered in a hospital, the baby would have been born alive. This is NOT failure to seek prenatal care, this was knowing beyond a reasonable doubt you were pregnant and making zero arrangements to give birth in a way that was safe and she stood the best chances. In my opinion, based on the evidence, that was proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Another issues I the definition of reasonable doubt. It is not NO doubt, it is defined as what would a reasonable adult think when considering the totality of the evidence alone. A reasonable adult would believe that Brooke could not have a baby. She stated this repeatedly throughout the trial to many witnesses and told the original OB/GYN who was alarmed enough to give her resources regarding hurting herself and/or her baby. It's clear based on her actions, lack of actions and her attitude after the birth she never intended for that baby to live.

She became of the patron saint of modern feminism. She was a victim of the patriarchy. Sigh. Nope, she was a manipulative woman in the classic sense. She might as well have said, but look, I'm white, I'm a cheerleader and an honor student. When confronted, she exclusively used a “baby voice”, but in court she spoke perfectly normal. She was capable enough, despite being allegedly sexually abused to enroll and plan to attend college upon graduation. She also planned to marry her boyfriend. Horribly victimized people are not capable of making and keeping plans about the future.

At the end of the day, she is the only one who has ever gazed upon Annabel Richardson. The only one, and I would imagine there were no kisses or cuddles, just simply hurry up and die already. At the so called sentencing Trey's mother spoke and made a victim impact statement where she informed Brooke she could have had the baby, never told her parents and they would have raised it no questions asked. Brooke had options, but did what she thought would work the best for her.

Her supporters are legitimately insane in their fervor. They call her a victim and make zero references to the baby that is dead. They scream that she's innocent. It's actually quite sickening. She may have had only 11 days to plan, but that's enough. Most horribly abused children who grow up to be adults would never in their wildest dreams imagine so much as hurting a baby, let alone killing it or letting it die. Not this young woman who seemed to have so much, including loving supportive parents.

If you watch the interrogation tapes, you will see these are parents who are literally overwhelmed and exhausted by having dealt with her lies and anti-social behavior. They are neither monsters nor parents of the year. They are tired. If you have not raised a child like this, you won't understand how much works to keep a teen on a life path where they will not self destruct or hurt anyone. I don't gamble, however, I would bet money on this. Her “lack of intelligence” and naivety is all an act she uses to get what she wants.

Trey may very well have been a normal hormone driven boy. If it was so bad with him, why did she go back for a second time? I think this was further justification for what she did to the baby, what she told herself to make it okay. Poor Trey will likely never trust a woman again, and who would blame him? If someone raped me once, it's unlikely I would ever be alone with them again. She so desperately needs attention and approval she absolutely would use sex to get it.

At the end of the day, this trial had a tragic outcome. Annabel never got a chance to live which both families now have to live with forever. Annabel will get a legitimate grave instead of the back yard. Brooke is not gong to skip off into the sunset. Her boyfriend and her are no more. I seriously doubt UC will accept her but if they do, who will even talk to her? Teens are especially cruel. Her dream was to work in developmental psychology with children. No one will ever hire her to work with children ever again. While I have zero ill will towards any of the parties, I will be surprised if her parents do not divorce. The father attended court daily while the mother only attended the sentencing. A public rift despite her trial is a telling sign.

Tiffany Moss

As I write this, the jury is out, well back in fifteen minutes, but still deliberating.

At first I thought she wanted to receive the death penalty period. Then it was get the death penalty to avoid being put in general population. Unlike male inmates who kill people who hurt children, women torture them psychologically etc. She would be terrorized daily. A lot of women lately have had their death sentences commuted to life. Too bad for her she didn't look into Frances Newton. She killed her children and was executed by the state of Texas....

Then I saw her family (mother and sister) testify and I realized the one thing they are all about is themselves and their own blood relatives. They both clearly lied for her and the fact that her sister helped her without regard to her own welfare (being charged with accessory or abetting). That's why she was so horrified at the thought that her children would go into foster care. In her mind, she would and could hurt a child that was not her own blood. She thinks foster parents also think that way, which clearly they do not.

Then I thought she would pull some Perry Mason moment during closing to cast guilty on Eman and think she would get off of the charges. She declined to make a closing argument.

I was puzzled.

I had seen articles where she said she was placing her fate in God's hands, and I suppose that's exactly what she was doing, period, end of discussion.

She competed with a child for the love of a man and won. Poor Emani is dead, and now her own children are in essence orphans. Besides the obvious depravity of killing a child, I can't help but wonder how and why she saw this as a victory. The dumbest adult in the world can still run circles around children. They simply do not have the ability to be malicious in the way an adult can.

No victory here. Nothing about this makes her special or important. Especially when you consider that Emani was to her father nothing more then a possession, not a person. He kept her from her birth mother, who clearly was not a saint, but because it was a power move and when his mother offered to keep her as well, he declined. Emani was HIS and he would do what he pleases with her.

So very many people failed this poor girl. Time will tell what she receives, though there is very little speculation about the verdict. She offered no proof, asked no questions and made neither an opening or closing statement. She is almost assuredly going to be found guilty, the only question is whether or not she receives the death penalty. I am against the death penalty but every now and again a case occurs were it seems reasonable. The last case I felt this way about was Jesse Dotson. This is also how I feel about this case, cruel beyond words.

Update:

Tiffany was found guilty. The trial moved to sentencing immediately following, because she had no attorney to object and prepare. No victim impact statements were made. The jury deliberated and came back unanimously with death. The state has set an execution date between June 7 and 14, 2019.

In retrospect, Tiffany was very proud of what she had done. She smirked and fought back a smile throughout the entire trial. She looked shocked and on the verge of tears when the death penalty was read. I realized then that she had, to the best of her ability, to play helpless (and defensless) female. Eman had bought into her act, why shouldn't they? She was clearly unaware that it was a transparent act.