Victoria Stafford -- Found Deceased 7/19/09 -- Terri-Lynne McClintic and Michael Rafferty Convicted of First-Degree Murder

Jury Selection In Stafford Murder Trial To Begin In February

Miranda Chant
10/11/2011

Jury selection in the trial for the man accused of murdering 8 year old Tori Stafford will begin February 27, 2012.

Michael Rafferty appeared Tuesday for the pre-trial hearing, dealing with scheduling matters.

Read more: http://www.cjbk.com/LocalNews/Story.aspx?ID=1553749

Victoria Stafford trial to begin Monday

By Linda Nguyen, Postmedia News
January 15, 2012

~Snipped~

Rafferty’s trial, which will be held in nearby London, Ont., will start with a four-week long preliminary hearing that is under a publication ban.

The family plans on attending as much of the trial as possible but Stafford admitted that the financial burden of not working for the next few months would be tough. Stafford says he has been unsuccessful at finding employment for the last year, and says that he eventually must leave Woodstock because of the painful memories.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Victoria+Stafford+trial+begin+Monday/5999235/story.html

Tori Stafford's dad hopes to be there for 'every word' of accused killer's trial

By: Colin Perkel, The Canadian Press
01/16/2012 4:21 PM

LONDON, Ont. - The father of a slain eight-year-old girl says he hopes to be in court for ''every word'' of her accused killer's case, which got underway Monday with pre-trial motions.

Outside Ontario Superior Court, Rodney Stafford said his family is feeling "a lot of hostility, a lot of hate" toward Michael Rafferty.

Rafferty, 30, is accused in the death of Tori Stafford of Woodstock, Ont., who disappeared on her way home from school in April 2009. Her body was found months later.

"It's hard to explain," said Stafford.

"On a daily basis, you're seeing pictures of Victoria, you're talking about her on a daily basis — you can't help but not let her go."

Read more: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/tori-staffords-dad-hopes-to-be-there-for-every-word-of-accused-killers-trial-137437683.html

Judge addresses potential jurors at Tori Stafford murder trial

By Linda Nguyen, Postmedia News February 28, 2012 3:34 PM

~Snipped~

On Tuesday, Ontario Justice Thomas Heeney told potential jurors that if chosen, they would be playing a "vital role" in the administration of justice.

"It is an important task to serve as a juror," he said. "It is both a privilege and responsibility."

Heeney also warned the group that they would endure hardship and inconvenience during the trial, which was expected to last as long as June.

Yet it would be a "challenging, rewarding experience that you'll never forget," he concluded.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Judge+addresses+potential+jurors+Tori+Stafford+murder+trial/6223864/story.html

Will there be cameras in the courtroom so we can watch the trial?

I don't think there are any cameras in the courtroom, but I'll check.

Here is an article with a lot of information about the case so far.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2114924/Victoria-Tori-Stafford-trial-2012-Final-moments-girl-8-raped-murdered-Woodstock-Ontario.html

It makes me so sick I can't stomach to reprint any of it. I definitely hope Rafferty and McClintic are never allowed to see the light of day again.

Stafford trial judge tells jury verdict must be found using "common sense"

By Linda Nguyen
Postmedia News
May 10, 2012 12:56 PM

LONDON, Ont. — A verdict against Michael Rafferty, who is accused in the abduction, sexual assault and murder of eight-year-old Victoria (Tori) Stafford, should be arrived at with "common sense," the judge in the high-profile trial told jurors Thursday.

"It is my job to help you make a decision, not to tell you what decision to make," Ontario Superior Justice Thomas Heeney said in the opening of his anticipated day long charge.

Heeney told the nine-female, three male jury that whichever verdict they arrive at must come after reviewing all the circumstantial and direct evidence presented in this trial.

It should not be based on how horrific the crimes are.

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Jurors+Michael+Rafferty+trial+told+judge+disregard+defence+proposition/6599387/story.html

Michael Rafferty Found Guilty

Michael Rafferty has been found guilty of first-degree murder, sexual assault causing bodily harm and kidnapping in the death of Victoria (Tori) Stafford, the eight-year-old girl who disappeared outside her Woodstock, Ont., school three years ago.

Full details in article behind link

Thank you linden. It is great news that Rafferty was finally convicted.

Courts grapple with how to use computer data as evidence

JEFF GRAY — LAW REPORTER
From Monday's Globe and Mail

Published Sunday, May. 13, 2012 8:11PM EDT
Last updated Sunday, May. 13, 2012 8:19PM EDT

The headlines were as much about the evidence a London, Ont., jury never heard as they were about the evidence used to convict child-killer Michael Rafferty.

Disturbing web searches and downloads from his laptop were kept from the jury that still convicted him of the murder of eight-year-old Victoria (Tori) Stafford. The exclusion had to do with the search warrants police had obtained for his two addresses, which did not separately cover his laptop. The move reflected an emerging point of law that computers and other digital devices contain so much personal data that police need special permission to sift through them.

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/courts-grapple-with-how-to-use-computer-data-as-evidence/article2431465/

Michael Rafferty sentenced to life in Tori Stafford's death

By Allison Jones, Canadian Press May 15, 2012 12:04 PM

~Snipped~

Rafferty was formally sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. He was also sentenced to 10 years to be served concurrently for sexual assault causing bodily harm and kidnapping.

Earlier, the convicted killer sat in the prisoner's box and cried as he heard the words of Tori's brother describing how his heart has been "ripped out."

Most of Tori's relatives who spoke in court Tuesday described the impact her brutal murder has had on her big brother Daryn.

Just 10 years old when Tori went missing, Daryn says it feels like the whole world is playing a sick trick on him - but it's not.

Read more: http://www.canada.com/news/Tori+Stafford+trial+Michael+Rafferty+sentencing+draws+huge+crowd/6624080/story.html

Tori Stafford trial: Victim impact statements describe heartache while Michael Rafferty maintains innocence

Raveena Aulakh
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

~Snipped~

(Justice) Heeney did not mince words during his sentencing, saying to Rafferty, “...most tragically of all, you have snuffed out the life of a beautiful, talented, vivacious little girl, a tomboy diva in the trustful innocence of childhood. And for what? So you could gratify your twisted and deviant desire to have sex with a child. Only a monster could commit an act of such pure evil. You, sir, are a monster.”

Earlier, Tori’s family, the people who loved her, knew her the best, took to the witness stand to describe their sadness, their anger and their unbearable loss, there were few dry eyes in the courtroom.

Read more: http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1178675--tori-stafford-trial-victim-impact-statements-describe-heartache-while-rafferty-maintains-innocence

Justice4all wrote:Tori Stafford trial: Victim impact statements describe heartache while Michael Rafferty maintains innocence

Raveena Aulakh
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

~Snipped~

(Justice) Heeney did not mince words during his sentencing, saying to Rafferty, “...most tragically of all, you have snuffed out the life of a beautiful, talented, vivacious little girl, a tomboy diva in the trustful innocence of childhood. And for what? So you could gratify your twisted and deviant desire to have sex with a child. Only a monster could commit an act of such pure evil. You, sir, are a monster.”

Earlier, Tori’s family, the people who loved her, knew her the best, took to the witness stand to describe their sadness, their anger and their unbearable loss, there were few dry eyes in the courtroom.

Read more: http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1178675--tori-stafford-trial-victim-impact-statements-describe-heartache-while-rafferty-maintains-innocence

Must say that this Judge called it like it is.. no words minced. Kuddos

Michael Rafferty appeals conviction in Tori Stafford murder

Published on Thursday August 02, 2012
Raveena Aulakh

Michael Rafferty, the man sentenced to life for the killing of 8-year-old Tori Stafford, is appealing his conviction on grounds the judge failed to properly instruct the jury.

In the appeal received by the Court of Appeal for Ontario on July 26, Rafferty also says the “jury failed to apprehend the evidentiary requirement to convict for first-degree murder.”

If a new trial is ordered, he would like a trial by jury, Rafferty wrote from prison.

Rafferty missed the 30-day deadline to appeal his conviction but asked for an extension, attributing the delay to “inability to use the telephone to contact legal counsel.”

Read more: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1236173--michael-rafferty-appeals-conviction-in-tori-stafford-murder

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2012/08/07/20074706.html

WOODSTOCK - Woodstock residents were looking for blood the day after news broke that Michael Rafferty filed documents requesting an appeal of his first-degree murder conviction.

“I wish we had the death penalty,” Carol Woodhouse said when asked her thoughts of a potential appeal while she walked along Dundas Street Friday.

“I thought there was finally going to be justice for Tori and now this. It’s heartbreaking, just the thought of him appealing the conviction.”


http://www.torontosun.com/2012/08/02/michael-rafferty-appeal-stuns-tori-staffords-grandmother

LONDON, ONT. - The grandmother of eight-year-old Victoria “Tori” Stafford reacted with disbelief, but determination as well, Thursday at learning the girl’s killer is appealing his first-degree murder conviction.

“Oh my God. Are you serious? I don’t know what to say. I don’t even know what to think of it,” Doreen Graichen said when told Michael Rafferty, 31, is appealing his conviction on grounds the judge had failed to properly instruct the jury.

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/05/22/19784891.html


Defence lawyer Dirk Derstine represented Rafferty for 10 weeks in trial, but in an email to The Free Press, wrote it would be up to another lawyer to handle an appeal.

"I will not be his primary appeal lawyer," Derstine wrote.

Crown attorney in Tori Stafford case busted for impaired driving

Ron Thomson, QMI Agency

First posted: Monday, August 20, 2012 06:15 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, August 20, 2012 06:40 PM EDT

snipped:

Once on scene, police determined the driver of the pickup truck was trying to reverse his vehicle from a walking trail entrance when it got stuck in a ditch.

When the driver attempted to get the vehicle out, a small grass fire ignited from the engine being revved.

Police later charged Brian Crockett, 64, with impaired driving and failing to provide a breath sample.

The highly regarded lawyer is one of the Crown attorneys involved in the conviction of Michael Rafferty for the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of eight-year-old Tori Stafford.

Read more:
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/08/20/crown-attorney-in-tori-stafford-case-busted-for-impaired-driving

Stumbled on this and wanted to share:

Freckles wrote:Stumbled on this and wanted to share:

If that monster ever gets out because someone thinks that she was so abused as a child that is what drove her to this...and that somehow she has been re-habilitated in jail... I will scream and loose complete faith and never watch another news story again. It is bad enough that the twisted Karla Holmoka (spelling) was released and there is so much more to that story that never hit the news.... I am really sorry I know that there are reasons behind why people do what they do... but there are people who have suffered worse who never commit such hideous crimes... I just think those who are predisposed to act out need to be locked up the key thrown away and never see the light of day again. MOO

Just-
Things like this convince me evil walks amongst us... it lurks waiting for an opportunity.