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Harris,Michele A.missing September 11,2001; New York
Topic Started: Sep 17 2006, 01:04 AM (2,077 Views)
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http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/h/harris_michele.html
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oldies4mari2004
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Michele Anne Harris


Above Images: Michele, circa 2001


Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

Missing Since: September 11, 2001 from Owego, New York
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: September 29, 1965
Age: 35 years old
Height and Weight: 5'2, 100 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Blonde hair, brown eyes. Michele has a tattoo of a flaming sun on her right ankle. Her ears are pierced. She has had breast augmentation. Some agencies spell her first name "Michelle." Michele may use the last name Taylor.
Clothing/Jewelry Description: Khaki shorts; white sneakers; a gold and silver watch; numerous rings, bracelets and earrings; two chain necklaces, one with a religious pendant on it; and a navy blue polo shirt. The shirt has a collar with red stripes and white stripes, red and white stripes on the left sleeve band, white stars on the right sleeve band, and a red and white-striped Lefty's logo with a white star imprinted on the front.


Details of Disappearance

Michele resided on a 252-acre estate on Hagadorn Road in Owego, New York in 2001. She was in the process of divorcing her husband, Calvin Harris, at the time of her disappearance; she had filed for divorce eight months' previous. Michele and Calvin have four young children together and the family was residing at the same house. Michele's attorney said that she had obtained an order of protection from Calvin while they continued to live together. It prohibited any mental or physical abuse. The divorce was described as complicated and there were allegations of infidelity on both sides. Michele's attorney stated that she feared the power of Calvin and her in-laws, as they owned the Royal Group Auto Dealership in Tioga County, New York and are considered a prominent business family. Her lawyer also said that the divorce would be finalized soon and Michele would be financially secure for the rest of her life. Her loved ones said that she was looking forward to a fresh start with her children.
Michele spent the day of September 11, 2001 with her family. She worked her evening shift as a waitress at Lefty's, a bar and restaurant in the vicinity of the 400 block of Broad Street in Waverly, New York, and departed from the establishment at 9:30 p.m. She visited a friend in Barton, New York and left the friend's home at 11:30 p.m. She never arrived at her own home and has not been heard from again.

Michele's minivan, a gold 2000 Ford Winstar with New York dealer plates, was discovered abandoned on September 12 by the Harris family housekeeper. It was on the road shoulder near the entrance to the Harris property in the vicinity of the 300 block of Hagadorn Hill Road in Spencer, New York. They keys were still in the ignition. An extensive search of the area produced no clues as to Michele's whereabouts. There has been no activity on her cellular phone, bank accounts, or credit cards since her disappearance.

In 2005, four years after Michele's disappearance, Calvin was charged with second-degree murder in connection with her case. Michele's remains have not been found but prosecutors believe they have enough evidence to prove Calvin murdered her. He is awaiting trial.



Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
New York State Police
Troop C
Bureau Of Criminal Investigation
Owego Station
607-687-3961



Source Information
New York State Police
WBNG-12
The Sayre Evening Times
The Ithaca Journal
The National Center for Missing Adults
The Press and Sun-Bulletin



Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004.

Last updated October 2, 2005; details of disappearance updated.

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http://www.newswatch50.com/news/state/stor...5f-43122fc76381

Jury Selection Concludes in High-Profile Trial
Last Update: May 22, 2007 7:54 AM


(Owego, N.Y.) AP - A jury of six men and six women has been selected for the trial of a wealthy upstate businessman accused of killing his wife, who disappeared on September 11, 2001.

Calvin Harris, 45, is going on trial in Tioga County in the Southern Tier for allegedly killing his estranged wife Michele, who was 35 when she vanished.

Harris wasn't indicted on the murder charge until four years after the woman was last seen. Her body has never been found.

Harris is a member of a well-known local family with multiple businesses in the region.

The trial is expected to last three to four weeks.
©2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Associated Press

Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll.../705200336/1001

Sunday May 20, 2007 NEWS
Harris trial begins without body
Prosecutor faces uphill challenge


MICHELE HARRIS


CAL HARRIS

THE HARRIS TIMELINE

* January 2001: Michele Harris files for divorce from her husband, Calvin Harris.


* Sept. 11, 2001: Michele Harris leaves work in Waverly about 9:30 p.m. and stops at her boyfriend's house on the way home. She leaves there about 11:30 p.m. Terrorists earlier that day fly aircraft into the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Thousands of people perish. Another hijacked jet, headed to Washington, D.C., crashes in a Pennsylvania field.


* Sept. 12, 2001: Michele Harris is reported missing in the morning by a friend, who sees her abandoned minivan at the bottom of the Harrises' driveway off Hagadorn Road in the Town of Spencer. State police begin a missing persons investigation.


* Sept. 30, 2005: Calvin Harris is indicted by a Tioga County grand jury on one count of second-degree murder in the disappearance of Michele Harris.


* Sept. 11, 2006: The original trial date. Coincidentally, a trial date in the Harris case is set on this date -- five years to the day after 9/11 and the last time Michele Harris was seen.


* July 27, 2006: Trial is postponed at the request of Calvin Harris' attorney, Joseph F. Cawley Jr. Tioga County District Attorney Gerald Keene hands over more than 12,000 documents on the eve of the trial and the judge agrees that Cawley needs more time to review the massive quantity of documents given to him at the last minute.


* Aug. 24, 2006: Cawley asked that the indictment be dismissed on the grounds the grand jury proceedings were improper.


* Dec. 15, 2006: Tioga County Judge Vincent Sgueglia tells Cawley and Keene that he will dismiss the murder indictment against Calvin Harris.


* Dec. 18, 2006: Keene asked Sgueglia to recuse himself from the case for showing what Keene alleged was favoritism toward Harris and Cawley. Sgueglia denies the accusation, but steps down from the case.


* Dec. 19, 2006: Broome County Judge Martin E. Smith is appointed by state court officials to preside over the Harris case. The Binghamton resident is a veteran of murder trials and was the first Broome County judge to preside over a death penalty case in recent memory.


* Jan. 28: Judge Smith throws out the DA's murder indictment. In a court order, Smith said Keene asked Sgueglia to recuse himself to stop the judge from throwing out the murder indictment. But Smith gives Keene permission to submit the case to another grand jury.


* Feb. 26: Calvin Harris is re-indicted on a single count of second-degree murder.


* May 21: Jury selection set to begin for the Calvin Harris trial.


Related material:
• The legal players
• Case 'very difficult, not insurmountable'


By Nancy Dooling
Press & Sun-Bulletin
The Harrises looked like the perfect family in a photograph.

Beautiful, blond wife, successful husband from a wealthy Tioga County family, both surrounded by four picture-perfect young children, posing for the camera amidst fall's bright leaves.

But something, somewhere, went terribly wrong.

Michele Harris, then 35, disappeared more than five years ago, her gold Ford minivan found abandoned at the entrance to the couple's driveway in the Town of Spencer on Sept. 12, 2001. The keys remained in the ignition, officials said.

This week, Michele's husband, Calvin Harris, 45, will stand trial for what a prosecutor claims was her murder five years ago, even though her body has never been found. Jury selection will begin Monday in Tioga County Court in Owego.

A friend in 2001 had no doubt that Michele is dead.

"Michele would never leave her kids," Linda Hyatt, a close friend of Michele's, said in the months after her disappearance. The children, two boys and two girls, were 2, 4, 6 and 7 years old when their mother vanished.

Months of intense police searches in and around the couple's rural estate, including nearby Empire Lake, would yield no sign of Michele, nor would the constant monitoring of her bank account and cellular telephone.

But through the years, police investigators refused to call it quits.

State police spent thousands of hours on the case, said Capt. Mark Lester of Troop C's Bureau of Criminal Investigation. What made the Harris case different from other cases is that it never went cold, Lester said. Leads kept coming in and were followed. Investigators kept pushing for clues -- and for answers.

"We've never given up looking for Michele," Lester said.

On Sept. 30, 2005, Calvin Harris was indicted on one count of second-degree murder -- four years after Michele disappeared.

Lester refused to discuss what came to light in the police investigation after four years that gave Tioga County District Attorney Gerald Keene enough evidence to seek the indictment.

But making that indictment stick would prove to be difficult.

After a review of the grand jury proceedings done at the request of Harris' defense attorney, Joseph F. Cawley Jr., Tioga County Judge Vincent Sgueglia told Keene and Cawley that he would throw out the indictment because the proceedings, conducted by Keene, were fatally flawed.

Three days later, Keene would demand that Sgueglia step down from the case, accusing the judge of showing favoritism and bias toward Cawley and Harris. Sgueglia vehemently denied the accusation, but stepped down anyway.

In December, Broome County Judge Martin E. Smith was appointed to oversee the case. And he agreed with Sgueglia; in January, he tossed Keene's indictment, citing a litany of Keene's errors, including knowingly allowing improper hearsay testimony from witnesses during the grand jury proceedings. Witnesses also had been given free rein to voice opinions on the couple's relationship, he said.

In addition, Keene had given the grand jurors an impression that caused them to undervalue their own role in reviewing the evidence, Smith said in his written decision. Keene also told grand jurors, in a conversation about a polygraph test, that he had a story to tell them, but couldn't share that story until after the trial, court documents said.

Keene pressed forward, however, getting a new indictment from a different grand jury in February. A trial date was set for May 21. JoAnn Peet, Tioga County chief court clerk, said 450 Tioga residents have been summoned for jury selection, which begins Monday.

Harris remained free on bail throughout the court proceedings after his family posted $500,000 in cash. Harris continues to live with his children in the home he shared with Michele, friends said.

Harris' defense attorney, a skilled trial veteran with three murder acquittals under his belt, is sure to argue that Harris didn't kill his wife. Cawley said in an earlier court appearance that Keene's case against his client was circumstantial -- meaning there were no eyewitnesses.

Details of the case against Harris have been hard to come by because the court files remain sealed on the orders of the judge. And neither Cawley nor Keene will say much about the case. But the couple's relationship is almost certain to be a central issue in the trial.

The couple became estranged, but lived together under the same roof, police, friends and family would later say. Michele Harris began divorce proceedings in January 2001. She had a boyfriend, who may have been the last person to see her before she vanished.

State police initially said Harris was last seen by co-workers when she left her waitressing job in Waverly about 9:30 p.m. Sept. 11, 2001. But Cawley said in a later court appearance that Michele Harris had actually stopped at her boyfriend's house after she left work, leaving there about 11:30 p.m. that night.

A friend, who remains unidentified, reported her missing early Sept. 12, 2001.

By the time state police investigators showed up on Sept. 12, 2001, Michele's minivan was parked in the Harris' garage, and Calvin Harris had no objection to allowing the investigators to search the minivan, the house and property on Sept. 12, police testified at a pretrial hearing in 2006.

In the years between Michele Harris' disappearance and the murder indictment, Calvin Harris would be charged with misdemeanor assault in 2002 for hitting his brother at a car dealership in Owego.

Later, grand jury testimony in Tioga County would hint at the couple's relationship, with Michele allegedly calling a family member from inside a closet where she hid from her husband, court documents stated.

What is known is that the couple continued to live together with their four children in a big house on an estate in rural Spencer. Michele never showed up for an appointment with her divorce attorney on Sept. 12, 2001.

It isn't unusual for a divorcing couple to live together, because if one leaves, the other gains custody of the children, said Donald M. Sukloff, a five-decade veteran of legal marital battles in Broome County. But such living arrangements may have a high price for the couple and their children. "It can be a terrible atmosphere," the Binghamton attorney said.

Michele Harris disappeared on one of the country's darkest days.

On Sept. 11, 2001, all attention was focused on New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., after terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Michele Harris may have been overlooked in the days following the attacks, but her family and friends have not forgotten her.

Her photograph remains posted on the Web site of the National Center for Missing Adults to this day. She is described as blond with brown eyes. Harris is 5-feet, 2-inches tall and weighs 100 pounds. She has a sun and flames tattoo on her ankle and breast augmentation. She was wearing numerous rings and bracelets, two chain necklaces, one with a religious pendant.



Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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http://www.newschannel34.com/news/local/st...de-f1ea19678c7e

Cal Harris Murder Trial Preview
Last Update: May 18, 2007 11:30 PM

Posted By: Peter Keane




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The case of the Tioga County businessman accused of murdering his wife more than 5 years ago will be heard in court Monday. It's the first part of the trial--Jury Selection. A forensic expert, paid for by the prosecutor, testified Wednesday about blood found in the garage and kitchen rug. That testimony will be played on tape for the jury once the trial is underway. NewsChannel 34's Sofia Ojeda takes us back in time and shows us how the case of missing woman, Michele Harris, has become so notorious. It was a Wednesday morning in 2001 that Michele Harris' gold minivan was discovered abandoned at the end of their driveway. Michele was nowhere in sight. Her husband, Cal, told police she never came home from work from Lefty's Restaurant in Waverly the night before. But her best friend Nicki Burdick said that was not like her.
Nicki Burdick, Michele's friend says, "Michele and I talked every day on the phone. I was coming down to work for a meeting. I called the house, she wasn't there. I was alarmed. Basically we just contacted the police from there.”

New York State police launched a search. Police searched the Harris residence, even used helicopters, dogs, and professional divers. But came up empty handed. But after only 2 weeks of searching, Cal Harris' lawyer, Stan Drazen, asked the Tioga County Court to call off another search of his home. He said it would be harmful to the 4 children. But District Attorney, Gerry Keane thought that was very unusual.

Gerry Keane, D.A. Says, "If we're looking for Michele Harris and he's looking for Michele Harris, then there should be some cooperation there./ If they're interested in finding her, it's baffling why they would not want us on the property looking for evidence, any clues that might direct us."

Harris' home was eventually searched again. But still-- NOTHING. 6 months after Michele's disappearance, Linda Hyatt even offered a 5 thousand dollar reward to help find her friend.

Linda Hyatt says, "I just want to find Michele."

State police said they received many leads, most were dead ends, but others DID lead to more information. In June of 2002, 9 months after Michele was reported missing, police suited up again-- searching local ponds and several fields. A three man dive team searched another pond in July---police STILL found nothing.

The fall of 2002 brought some more leads to the case, enough for police to announce they would go ahead with a murder indictment without Michele's body. (11/20/02) And right before Thanksgiving, state police gave it one last push to find new clues. They enlisted the help of hunters in the area by posting up Michele's picture in the hopes someone would know something.

But the case began to get cold--2004 was a very quiet year in the investigation with no new reports on her disappearance. Not until September 2005 was Cal Harris charged with second degree murder of his wife Michele. He was arrested outside of his business, Royal Chrysler Motors in Owego. Cal Harris' now attorney, Joe Cawley, argued that the past 4 years of searching yielded no evidence, and he says, that was sufficient evidence. But D.A. , Gerry Keane didn't see that as grounds for dismissal.

Keane says, "It would surprise me if the indictment was dismissed because you wouldn't be able to have a prosecution in any case in NYS where was no body and no witness to the murder."

But Judge Vincent Squeglia was convinced. He was going to throw the case out, but was asked to step down before he could.

Judge Martin Smith took over the case and eventually through the charges out. Prosecutors spent another two years working on a re-indictment which was finally granted this past January.


Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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http://www.stargazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...00320/1001/NEWS

Murder trial set to begin
Michele Harris never found after disappearing in 2001, but husband is charged in her death.
May 20, 2007
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By Nancy Dooling
ndooling@pressconnects.com
Gannett News Service

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Gannett News Service
A Harris family photo hangs on the bulletin board in the office at the New York State Police at Owego barracks. Michelle Harris was last seen Sept. 11, 2001.

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The Harrises looked like the perfect family in a photograph.

Beautiful, blond wife, successful husband from a wealthy Tioga County family, both surrounded by four picture-perfect young children, posing for the camera amidst fall's bright leaves.

But something, somewhere, went terribly wrong.

Michele Harris, 35, disappeared more than five years ago, her gold Ford minivan found abandoned at the entrance to the couple's driveway in Spencer on Sept. 12, 2001. The keys remained in the ignition, officials said.

This week, Michele's husband, Calvin Harris, 45, will stand trial for what a prosecutor claims was her murder five years ago, even though her body has never been found.

Jury selection will begin Monday in Tioga County (N.Y.) Court in Owego.

A friend in 2001 had no doubt that Michele is dead.

"Michele would never leave her kids," said Linda Hyatt, a close friend of Michele's, in the months after her disappearance. The children, two boys and two girls, were 2, 4, 6 and 7 years old when their mother vanished.

Months of intense police searches in and around the couple's rural estate, including nearby Empire Lake, would yield no sign of Michele, nor would the constant monitoring of her bank account and cellular telephone.

But through the years, police investigators refused to call it quits.

State police spent thousands of hours on the case, said Capt. Mark Lester of Troop C's Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

What made the Harris case different from other cases is that it never went cold, Lester said.

Leads kept coming in and were followed. Investigators kept pushing for clues -- and for answers.

"We've never given up looking for Michele," Lester said.

On Sept. 30, 2005, Calvin Harris was indicted on one count of second-degree murder -- four years after Michele disappeared.

Lester refused to discuss what came to light in the police investigation after four years that gave Tioga County District Attorney Gerald Keene enough evidence to seek the indictment.

But making that indictment stick would prove to be difficult.

After a review of the grand jury proceedings done at the request of Harris' defense attorney, Joseph F. Cawley Jr., Tioga County Judge Vincent Sgueglia told Keene and Cawley that he would throw out the indictment because the proceedings, conducted by Keene, were fatally flawed.

Three days later, Keene would demand that Sgueglia step down from the case, accusing the judge of showing favoritism and bias toward Cawley and Harris.

Sgueglia vehemently denied the accusation, but stepped down anyway.

In December, Broome County Judge Martin E. Smith was appointed to oversee the case. And he agreed with Sgueglia in January, tossing Keene's indictment and citing a litany of Keene's errors, including knowingly allowing improper hearsay testimony from witnesses during the grand jury proceedings.

Witnesses also had been given free rein to voice opinions on the couple's relationship, he said.

In addition, Keene had given the grand jurors an impression that caused them to undervalue their own role in reviewing the evidence, Smith said in his written decision.

Keene also told grand jurors, in a conversation about a polygraph test, that he had a story to tell them, but couldn't share that story until after the trial, court documents said.

Keene pressed forward, however, getting a new indictment from a different grand jury in February. A trial date was set for Monday.

JoAnn Peet, Tioga County chief court clerk, said 450 Tioga residents have been summoned for jury selection, which begins Monday.

Harris remained free on bail throughout the court proceedings after his family posted $500,000 in cash.

Harris continues to live with his children in the home he shared with Michele, friends said.

Harris' defense attorney, a skilled trial veteran with three murder acquittals under his belt, is sure to argue that Harris didn't kill his wife.

Cawley said in an earlier court appearance that Keene's case against his client was circumstantial -- meaning there were no eyewitnesses.

Details of the case against Harris have been hard to come by because the court files remain sealed on the orders of the judge. And neither Cawley nor Keene will say much about the case.

But the couple's relationship is almost certain to be a central issue in the trial.

The couple became estranged, but lived together under the same roof, police, friends and family would later say.

Michele Harris began divorce proceedings in January 2001. She had a boyfriend, who may have been the last person to see her before she vanished.

State police initially said Harris was last seen by co-workers when she left her waitressing job in Waverly about 9:30 p.m. Sept. 11, 2001.

But Cawley said in a later court appearance that Michele Harris had actually stopped at her boyfriend's house after she left work, leaving there about 11:30 p.m. that night.

A friend, who remains unidentified, reported her missing early the next day.

By the time state police investigators showed up on Sept. 12, 2001, Michele's minivan was parked in the Harris' garage, and Calvin Harris had no objection to allowing the investigators to search the minivan, the house and property on Sept. 12, police testified at a pre-trial hearing in 2006.

In the years between Michele Harris' disappearance and the murder indictment, Calvin Harris would be charged with misdemeanor assault in 2002 for hitting his brother at a family-owned car dealership in Owego.

Later, grand jury testimony in Tioga County would hint at the couple's relationship, with Michele allegedly calling a family member from inside a closet where she hid from her husband, court documents stated.

What is known is that the couple continued to live together with their four children in a big house on an estate in rural Spencer. Michele never showed up for an appointment with her divorce attorney on Sept. 12, 2001.

It isn't unusual for a divorcing couple to live together, because if one leaves, the other gains custody of the children, said Donald M. Sukloff, a five-decade veteran of legal marital battles in Broome County.

But such living arrangements may have a high price for the couple and their children.

"It can be a terrible atmosphere," the Binghamton attorney said.

Michele Harris disappeared on one of the country's darkest days.

On Sept. 11, 2001, all attention was focused on New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., after terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and a plane taken over by terrorists crashed in a Pennsylvania field.

Michele Harris may have been overlooked in the days following the attacks, but her family and friends have not forgotten her.

Her photograph remains posted on the Web site of the National Center for Missing Adults to this day.

She is described as blond with brown eyes. Harris is 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 100 pounds. She has a sun and flames tattoo on her ankle and breast augmentation.

She was wearing numerous rings and bracelets, two chain necklaces, one with a religious pendant.



Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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Sunday May 20, 2007 NEWS
450 summoned for Harris trial starting Monday
Selection begins Monday in Tioga murder case

By Nancy Dooling
Press & Sun-Bulletin
OWEGO -- Almost six years after Michele Harris was last seen, her estranged husband, Calvin Harris, goes on trial Monday in Tioga County Court.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday morning, with an unprecedented three times the typical number of potential jurors summoned, Tioga County Court officials said.

Court officials sent out 450 summons, said JoAnn Peet, chief court clerk in Tioga County.

The prosecution and defense must agree on a jury of 12 to hear the case, along with at least two alternates.

Harris, 45, is accused of second-degree murder in the Sept. 11, 2001, disappearance of his wife, Michele, who was 35 when she vanished.

The couple had lived together with their four young children on an estate in the Town of Spencer despite Michele Harris having filed for divorce in early 2001.

Michele's gold Ford minivan was found the morning of Sept. 12, 2001, at the estate's driveway and Hagadorn Road. Her body has never been found.

Broome County Judge Martin E. Smith, who will preside, has already told the prosecution and defense that either may apply to move the trial to another county -- in legal terms, a change of venue -- but only after jury selection begins and only if it appears the pool is tainted beyond remedy.

It's rare that a change of venue request is granted, said Michael J. Novack, clerk of the court for the Third Department, the state's mid-level appellate court, which will decide whether the trial should be moved -- if it's requested.

Novack, clerk since 1983, said in the past 35 years, only five or six such requests have been granted within the 28 county-court district.

http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll...EWS01/705200367



Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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monkalup
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http://www.thedailyreview.com/site/news.cf...id=465049&rfi=6

Jury selection begins for Harris trial
By Scott Kulah
05/22/2007
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Calvin Harris speaks on his cell phone as he and his legal counsel walk in front of the Tioga County Courthouse early Monday afternoon, on their return from a brief midday break.
OWEGO - Dozens of potential jurors crowded into the Tioga County Courthouse Monday, marking the beginning of Calvin Harris' trial on second-degree murder charges, stemming from the disappearance of his wife, Michele, more than a half-decade ago.



Monday produced the first wave of the 450 potential jurors set to appear at the Owego Courthouse in coming days, according to representatives from the Tioga County Clerk of Courts office.
A set date for the actual trial itself will depend on how long the jury selection process continues, they added.
Harris of Spencer, N.Y., was indicted on the second-degree murder charges on Sept. 30, 2005, following what officials described as an "intense" investigation into the whereabouts of his wife, who was last seen leaving work at Lefty's Right Hand Bar in Waverly, N.Y., on Sept. 11, 2001.
The trial was first slated to begin on Sept. 11, 2006, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of Michele Harris' disappearance and the first day in the September trial period on the court's calendar; however, it was rescheduled for January of 2006. The charges were then thrown out after Broome County Judge Martin E. Smith decided that the grand jury proceedings in the case were "defective."
Smith noted that the amount of hearsay evidence offered in the case was "overwhelming" in his decision. Smith also described the process by which Tioga County Judge Vincent Sgueglia recused himself from the case in December 2006 at Keene's request.
Before Sgueglia filed his written decision to dismiss the indictment against Harris, Keene filed a motion requesting that Sgueglia step down from the case "based upon an 'appearance of impropriety.'"
In the motion, Keene was referring to interactions between the court and Harris' attorney, Joseph Cawley Jr.
The court "adamantly denied" that its conduct created any appearance of impropriety, Judge Smith noted. However, it recused itself because the district attorney swore under oath that it had been unfair.
Meanwhile, as the delays in the case continued, Harris remained free on $500,000 bail.
Michele Harris, who was a waitress at Lefty's at the time of her disappearance, lived with her husband and their four children on a large property in Spencer, N.Y.
Her abandoned minivan was found the morning after she disappeared on the shoulder of Hagadorn Hill Road in Spencer near the driveway entrance to the couple's 250-acre estate on Empire Lake.
Despite years of extensive investigations, Michele has not been heard from and no body has been found.


Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
[ *  *  * ]
http://www.troopers.state.ny.us/Wanted_and...86-549b31978b3b

Missing: Michele Anne Harris NIC #M351840030
Basic Information
Race: White
Sex: Female
DOB: September 29, 1965
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 100 pounds
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Blonde
Other: Tattoo on right ankle Sun Flames

Additional Information
Last Seen: Date: September 11, 2001
Location: Town of Owego, Tioga County, N.Y.
Last Seen Wearing: Michele was last seen wearing khaki shorts, white sneakers, a navy blue polo shirt with red and white striped color with "Lefty's" logo, a gold and silver watch and numerous rings, earrings and bracelets.

If you have any information, please call:

Agency: New York State Police
Address: Troop C BCI, Owego, New York
Phone: (607) 687-3961
or e-mail the information to:
nysvicap@troopers.state.ny.us
Please include your
name, address and
telephone number.

Web page posted September 16, 2001.


Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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[ *  *  * ]
http://www.wicz.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=3858

Cal Harris to Return to Court Monday

A Tioga County man charged with killing his wife returns to court tomorrow.

Authorities say they believe 45-year old Calvin Harris killed his wife, Michele in 2001. Now he's facing second-degree murder charges. Harris was indicted two times. Police have never found the body of Michele Harris. And, a judge threw out Harris's first murder indictment based on inaccurate Grand Jury proceedings by the prosecutor. Tomorrow, jury selection will begin. We will follow the case and continue to bring you the latest information.
http://www.wicz.com/fox40/video.asp?video=...%2D07+cal%2Ewmv
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
[ *  *  * ]
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/h/harris_michele.html

Above Images: Michele, circa 2001


Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

Missing Since: September 11, 2001 from Owego, New York
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: September 29, 1965
Age: 35 years old
Height and Weight: 5'2, 100 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Blonde hair, brown eyes. Michele has a tattoo of a flaming sun on her right ankle. Her ears are pierced. She has had breast augmentation. Some agencies spell her first name "Michelle." Michele may use the last name Taylor.
Clothing/Jewelry Description: Khaki shorts; white sneakers; a gold and silver watch; numerous rings, bracelets and earrings; two chain necklaces, one with a religious pendant on it; and a navy blue polo shirt. The shirt has a collar with red stripes and white stripes, red and white stripes on the left sleeve band, white stars on the right sleeve band, and a red and white-striped Lefty's logo with a white star imprinted on the front.


Details of Disappearance

Michele resided on a 252-acre estate on Hagadorn Road in Owego, New York in 2001. She was in the process of divorcing her husband, Calvin Harris, at the time of her disappearance; she had filed for divorce eight months' previous. Michele and Calvin have four young children together and the family was residing at the same house. Michele's attorney said that she had obtained an order of protection from Calvin while they continued to live together. It prohibited any mental or physical abuse. The divorce was described as complicated and there were allegations of infidelity on both sides. Michele's attorney stated that she feared the power of Calvin and her in-laws, as they owned the Royal Group Auto Dealership in Tioga County, New York and are considered a prominent business family. Her lawyer also said that the divorce would be finalized soon and Michele would be financially secure for the rest of her life. Her loved ones said that she was looking forward to a fresh start with her children.
Michele spent the day of September 11, 2001 with her family. She worked her evening shift as a waitress at Lefty's, a bar and restaurant in the vicinity of the 400 block of Broad Street in Waverly, New York, and departed from the establishment at 9:30 p.m. She visited a friend in Barton, New York and left the friend's home at 11:30 p.m. She never arrived at her own home and has not been heard from again.

Michele's minivan, a gold 2000 Ford Winstar with New York dealer plates, was discovered abandoned on September 12 by the Harris family housekeeper. It was on the road shoulder near the entrance to the Harris property in the vicinity of the 300 block of Hagadorn Hill Road in Spencer, New York. They keys were still in the ignition. An extensive search of the area produced no clues as to Michele's whereabouts. There has been no activity on her cellular phone, bank accounts, or credit cards since her disappearance.

In 2005, four years after Michele's disappearance, Calvin was charged with second-degree murder in connection with her case. Michele's remains have not been found but prosecutors believe they have enough evidence to prove Calvin murdered her. He is awaiting trial.



Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
New York State Police
Troop C
Bureau Of Criminal Investigation
Owego Station
607-687-3961



Source Information
New York State Police
WBNG-12
The Sayre Evening Times
The Ithaca Journal
The National Center for Missing Adults
The Press and Sun-Bulletin



Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004.

Last updated October 2, 2005; details of disappearance updated.

Charley Project Home


Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
[ *  *  * ]
http://z13.invisionfree.com/PorchlightUSA/...pic=10900&st=0&
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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Ell
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Heart of Gold
[ *  *  * ]
Trial paints two pictures of missing woman
Testimony portrays Michele Harris as loving mother, bar-hopper

Related material:
• Coming up at the Calvin Harris trial


By Nancy Dooling
Press & Sun-Bulletin
Who is, or was, Michele Harris?

Three days of testimony last week during the murder trial of her husband, Calvin Harris, offered two different pictures of the radiant, blond mother of four who disappeared Sept. 11, 2001.

Calvin Harris, a wealthy Tioga County businessman, is accused of killing her, although her body has never been found.

That Michele's friends and family loved her is beyond dispute. Her father, Gary Taylor, wept when shown a picture of his daughter while he testified in Tioga County Court.

"She was beautiful," said her friend, Nicole Burdick.

She laughed and played with her four young children, who ranged in age from 2 to 7 years old at the time she disappeared, other family members have testified.

She was a wonderful friend, speaking on the telephone nearly every day to Burdick, and she maintained a close relationship with her neighbor, Cindy Turner, the two women testified last week. If Burdick didn't talk to Michele by phone, she'd see her in person, she testified.

Michele Harris maintained a close, personal friendship with her housekeeper, Barbara Thayer, confiding in her, and riding horses with her. It was not the relationship of employer and employee.

She remained close to her brother, Greg Taylor, and to his wife, Shannon, with whom she also had a close relationship, Shannon Taylor testified.

Cindy Turner knew Michele as a teenager, when she baby-sat Cindy's and husband Thomas' children, she testified. When asked about Michele's relationship with her children, Cindy Turner spoke about Michele's birthday parties for her kids, about being invited to holiday parties at the Harris estate, and her Easter egg hunts.

"Shelly loved parties," Turner said.

She remembered Michele bathing her children in the kitchen sink when they were babies.

And Cindy Turner was devastated that Calvin Harris didn't tell her that Michele was missing. Instead, she learned from others, she said. Two days after Michele disappeared, Calvin Harris called Turner at work.

"I asked him where Shelly was," Turner testified. "And how come I found out from a friend and secretary that my best friend is missing," she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

But other testimony offered last week showed a different side of Michele.

In the midst of a bitter divorce, she took a job as a waitress at Lefty's, a Waverly restaurant.

She started going to bars after work, friends and family testified.

And Calvin Harris told police in their initial investigation that Michele worked until 9 p.m. at Lefty's, and then stayed out until 1 or 2 a.m. drinking in bars.

Burdick testified that she and Michele went out two or three times a week, and with increasing frequency in the summer of 2001.

She did not drink to excess nor do illegal drugs, Burdick and family members insisted. But Thayer, the housekeeper, discovered Michele's van parked along the driveway to Hagadorn Road on Sept. 12, 2001. She checked the inside of the van, thinking that maybe Michele had been out drinking the night before and was sleeping in the back of the van, the housekeeper testified.

Michele met a 23-year-old Philadelphia man in a bar in late November 2000 and the two began an affair, he testified. Brian Earley left Philadelphia, moving to Tioga County to be close to her, he testified. He wanted to marry her, he said.

In December 2000, Michele asked Calvin Harris, her husband of 10 years, for a divorce. He reacted angrily, court records show. On Dec. 8, 2000, Shannon Taylor called Michele in the middle of an argument between Michele and Calvin and Michele told her he blocked her in with his truck and wouldn't let her leave.

But while dating Earley, Michele also had a two-month affair with another 23-year-old man, Michael Kasper, then a manager at Lefty's, Kasper testified Friday. Michael Kasper said the two parted amicably.

Calvin Harris told police investigators that Michele had planned a trip to New York City the week of Sept. 11 for Sept. 13-14. She'd told him and others that she was meeting a friend from college in the city and that she was excited about the trip.

Michele had an associate's degree in business from the State University of New York at Morrisville, court documents state.

But she told others she was going to the city to pawn some of her jewelry, including her engagement ring -- which held a 2-carat diamond -- and a Rolex watch Calvin had given her in 2000 during a cruise the couple took to reconcile after Calvin Harris had an affair with a woman who worked at one of his dealerships, court records state.

Michele wore lots of jewelry and commonly wore the Rolex watch, friends testified.

She was short of money. Calvin Harris had been ordered to pay Michele $400 a week in spending money while the divorce action was pending. He also was responsible for meeting all household expenses, the mortgage and bills.

But Michele had run up $16,000 in credit card bills, court documents state. And she owed Thayer about $1,000 in baby-sitting hours. Calvin Harris paid Thayer for housecleaning duties and baby-sitting, but wouldn't pay for the baby-sitting Thayer did for Michele while she was at work, Thayer testified.

The trial resumes Tuesday.
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll.../705270387/1001
Ell

Only after the last tree has been
cut down;
Only after the last fish has been
caught;
Only after the last river has been
poisoned;
Only then will you realize
that money cannot be eaten.
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Ell
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Heart of Gold
[ *  *  * ]

Missing: Michele Anne Harris NIC #M351840030
Basic Information
Race: White
Sex: Female
DOB: September 29, 1965
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 100 pounds
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Blonde
Other: Tattoo on right ankle Sun Flames

Additional Information
Last Seen: Date: September 11, 2001
Location: Town of Owego, Tioga County, N.Y.
Last Seen Wearing: Michele was last seen wearing khaki shorts, white sneakers, a navy blue polo shirt with red and white striped color with "Lefty's" logo, a gold and silver watch and numerous rings, earrings and bracelets.
Miscellaneous: On June 7, 2007 Michele's husband was convicted of her murder in Tioga County Court. Her remains have still not been found.
If you have any information, please call:

Agency: New York State Police
Address: Troop C BCI, Owego, New York
Phone: (607) 687-3961
or e-mail the information to:
nysvicap@troopers.state.ny.us
Please include your
name, address and
telephone number.

Web page updated June 27, 2007.

http://www.troopers.state.ny.us/Wanted_and...86-549b31978b3b
Ell

Only after the last tree has been
cut down;
Only after the last fish has been
caught;
Only after the last river has been
poisoned;
Only then will you realize
that money cannot be eaten.
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monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
[ *  *  * ]
http://www.newschannel34.com/news/local/st...73-c3255cae7acf

Cal Harris Re-trial Date Set

Last Update: 10/23 9:06 am

Print Story | Email Story

A date of Feb 16, 2009 is set for the murder re-trial of Owego businessman Cal Harris.
Harris was convicted in 2007 for killing his wife Michelle, though her body was never found.
That conviction was thrown out months later after defense witness Kevin Tubbs came forward and said he saw Michelle alive after the prosecution claimed Cal killed her.
Today, in a hearing held at Tioga County Court-- Judge Martin Smith granted Defense attorney Bill Easton until November 21st, 2008 to file 2 pre-trial motions.
District Attorney Jerry Keene will have until December 5th to respond.
One of the motions that will be filed is a change of venue...
Bill Easton says, "We just think that this case should be tried in a different county that has not been exposed to tremendous amount of publicity that this case has been generating over the last seven years."
Albany is one of the new venues being considered.

Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
[ *  *  * ]
http://www.morning-times.com/articles/2009...43060765359.txt
Cal Harris trial
The story from the beginning to guilty

By Steve Reilly
Staff Writer
Published:
Wednesday, August 5, 2009 2:34 PM EDT
On Sept. 11, 2001, Michele Harris of Spencer, N.Y., went missing and has never been found. Almost eight years later, her husband Calvin Harris has been found guilty for a second time on second-degree murder charges for her disappearance and presumed death.

On Monday morning, after 12 days of testimony, the prosecution and defense attorneys gave their closing arguments. The following is a brief summary of some of the trial’s key moments:

Thursday, July 16

-In his opening argument, Tioga County District Attorney Gerald Keene claims Cal Harris “took advantage of a perfect opportunity on Sept. 11, 2001, to kill his wife.” Defense attorney Terence Kindlon says investigators made “rookie mistakes,” and unfairly targeted Harris from the start.

Friday, July 17

-Babysitter Barb Thayer testifies she heard Harris tell one of his children, “Stop your sniffling. Your mom is gone. Now get over it,” during the weekend after Michele’s disappearance.

Monday, July 20

-Brian Earley, who was dating Michele Harris at the time of her disappearance, testifies to kissing her goodnight at 11 p.m. on Sept. 11, 2001 and watching her drive away into the night.

Tuesday, July 21

-New York State Police investigator Steve Anderson testifies that blood stains found in the garage and kitchen of the Harris home form a pattern consistent with “medium velocity blood spatter.”

Wednesday, July 22

-Harris family friend Cindy Turner testifies that Michele “adored her children from beginning to end.” Former friend John Culvey says Harris seemed “nonplussed” on Sept. 12.

Thursday, July 23

-World-renowned blood expert Henry Lee testifies “just by the appearance, some force has to be applied to create that medium velocity blood spatter.” Lee admits to defense that that the blood evidence has no direct link to Michele Harris’ disappearance.

Friday, July 24

-Connie Gauthier, Harris’ mistress, testifies that Harris told her, “Michele isn’t coming home tonight” when she visited him later in September 2001. Jerome Wilchinski, Michele’s hairdresser, states that he overheard Cal tell Michele by phone, “I will (expletive deleted) kill you.”

Monday, July 27

-Mary Jo Harris, Cal’s sister-in-law, tells the jury that Cal “said he wouldn’t need a gun to kill her” in 2001, and frightened her into a closet by repeatedly clicking the chambers of his shotgun in 1996.

Tuesday, July 28

-Candor, N.Y., farmer Kevin Tubbs testifies that he saw Michele and another individual at the end of the Harris’ driveway on the morning of Sept. 12, 2001, but didn’t come forward with that information until he realized he had a “missing piece of the puzzle.”

Wednesday, July 29

-Calvin Harris unexpectedly takes the witness stand, telling the jury Michele was an “awesome mother” and that the couple’s pending divorce was “my fault, absolutely my fault.” The divorce settlement, Cal says, would give Michele $740,000.

Thursday, July 30

-Harris testifies that he “did not know what to tell the kids” in the days after Michele disappears, and was “shocked” by the accusations of friends and family members.

Friday, July 31

-Harris cries while holding the framed photographs of each of his children and Michele that he keeps on their nightstands, and says they know she loved them. Judge James T. Hayden schedules closing arguments for Monday morning.

Monday, Aug. 3

-- Closing arguments are held and last all day. Defense asks jury not to take the Harris’ childrens’ father away from them, after already having lost their mother. Prosecution says Harris was afraid of losing his money and that blood in garage proves he murdered his wife.

Tuesday, Aug. 4

-- Delibrations begin. The jury requests the affidavits signed by Kevin Tubbs, as well as other witness testimony. At the end of the day no verdict is reached.

Wednesday, Aug. 5

-- Delibrations continue in the morning. Around 1:20 p.m. the jury announces that their verdict is guilty.
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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monkalup
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[ *  *  * ]
http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20...-guilty-verdict

It was Sept. 11, 2001, the fateful day of deadly terrorist attacks in New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., that Michelle, then a 35-year-old mother of four, was last seen alive.
The following day, she was reported missing by her attorney. State police began a missing-person investigation and authorities searched the Harris property, as well as fields and ponds in the area, but Michele was nowhere to be found.
Four years after her disappearance, her husband, Calvin Harris, was charged with second-degree murder. The evidence against him included spatters of Michele's blood in the Harris kitchen and garage.
The motive, prosecutors said, was a pending divorce, which Michele had initiated several months before her disappearance. The young mother was seeking custody of the four Harris children, as well as a sizable settlement from her rich but cheating husband.
The first trial
Prior to the first trial, Tioga County Judge Vincent Sgueglia recused himself after being asked to step down by Keene. Broome County Judge Martin E. Smith was appointed by state court officials to preside over the trial which began on May 21, 2007.
Harris was convicted of second-degree murder 18 days later.
While awaiting sentencing, a new witness, Kevin Tubbs, stepped forward. Defense attorney Joseph Cawley filed a motion asking Smith to overturn the guilty verdict, citing the Tubbs' testimony that he saw a woman who resembled Michele -- along with a young man -- at the end of her driveway, hours after prosecutors said her husband had killed her.
Tubbs, a local animal hauler, faced scrutiny from prosecutors. His estranged wife, Ashley Tubbs, told state police her husband told her he was "never going to have to worry about money again if Cal gets off."




Shortly after that, Tubbs was charged with two misdemeanors: third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child, following a domestic incident.
Judge Smith, citing the credibility of Tubbs' testimony, threw out Harris' conviction and set him free on $500,000 bail. A new trial was set for 2009, but not before Keene successfully asked Smith to remove himself from presiding over the second trial. Chemung County Judge James T. Hayden became the third judge involved in the case.
The 2009 trial
Defense attorney Cawley won a seat as Broome County Court judge, and Terence Kindlon took over as the lead attorney for the second trial which took place last summer.
Unlike the first trial, Calvin Harris took the stand for three days. A packed courtroom heard him describe how his marriage crumbled because of his infidelity, and how his wife began to stay out late, drinking and partying.
While the defense painted a picture of a carousing Michele, they focused on Tubbs' testimony in their belief the victim was killed by someone else, perhaps a young lover, and that police bungled the investigation.
Prosecutors, meanwhile, told the jury to look at the physical evidence -- especially the blood spatter -- as well as testimony from Calvin Harris' own estranged family members, who told the jury about threats he had made to his wife.
The case went to the jury on Tuesday, Aug. 4. The next day, Harris again was met with a guilty verdict and taken away in handcuffs. Later in the month he was sentenced to the maximum, 25-years to life, but not before he professed his innocence.
"I've been trying to keep my head up because I've done nothing wrong, nothing to be ashamed of," Harris said. "I didn't run. I didn't hide. My children deserve better, you honor, and I will fight every step of the way to get our family back together again."
What's next
Harris' attorneys have filed appeals, meaning the case isn't over yet.
The defense arguments for appeal, which call for a change of venue and inclusion of an affidavit from a now-deceased witness, will likely not make a difference, Keene said.
"I think that the judge that presided over the case ... was a good judge," he said. "I don't see a reason for the appellate division to set aside the verdict."
In the meantime, those who believe in Harris' innocence say they will continue to fight to free a wrongly convicted man and loving father.
However, those who believe in his guilt will rest a bit easier, knowing he's finally paid for his crime.
"I'm glad that they have it all behind them at this point," Keene said of Michele's loved ones. "Hopefully, this will be the end of it ...I do not want to put these witnesses through it a third time."
Whether or not that happens remains to be seen. Already it has been eight years, three judges, two trials ... and the same guilty verdict.
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
[ *  *  * ]
http://thedailyreview.com/news/the-case-of...onight-1.547744
The case of missing Michele Harris to be featured on NBC's Dateline tonight
Published: January 15, 2010

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The case of missing Michele Harris to be featured on NBC's Dateline tonight

NBC's Dateline will be airing a show tonight that will feature the filming and story surrounding the Calvin Harris murder trial and the disappearance of his wife Michele.

The show, which will air at 9 p.m. ET, is entitled "Mystery at Empire Lake." The show will focus on the story of a mother of four who disappears, vanishing in the night from her family's property on a vast wilderness. The show will move into the following morning, when her car was found at the foot of the driveway, but no body, no murder weapon, and no witness. The show's producers take viewers into the story behind the Calvin Harris murder trial, and describe the proceedings as a time when things got really strange.

Calvin Harris, a wealthy Tioga county businessman, was convicted by a jury of second degree murder in the disappearance of his wife Michele not once, but twice, and was sentenced on Oct. 5, 2009, to 25 years to life in prison.

Attorneys for Calvin Harris have appealed the guilty verdict.
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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The case of missing Michele Harris to be featured on NBC's Dateline tonight
Published: January 15, 2010

Font size: [A] [A] [A]
e-mail this share this
The case of missing Michele Harris to be featured on NBC's Dateline tonight

NBC's Dateline will be airing a show tonight that will feature the filming and story surrounding the Calvin Harris murder trial and the disappearance of his wife Michele.

The show, which will air at 9 p.m. ET, is entitled "Mystery at Empire Lake." The show will focus on the story of a mother of four who disappears, vanishing in the night from her family's property on a vast wilderness. The show will move into the following morning, when her car was found at the foot of the driveway, but no body, no murder weapon, and no witness. The show's producers take viewers into the story behind the Calvin Harris murder trial, and describe the proceedings as a time when things got really strange.

Calvin Harris, a wealthy Tioga county businessman, was convicted by a jury of second degree murder in the disappearance of his wife Michele not once, but twice, and was sentenced on Oct. 5, 2009, to 25 years to life in prison.

Attorneys for Calvin Harris have appealed the guilty verdict.


http://thedailyreview.com/news/the-case-of...onight-1.547744
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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Humbug!! It's All A Humbug!
[ *  *  * ]
http://www.troopers.ny.gov/Wanted_and_Miss...86-549b31978b3b
www.missing-and-unidentified.org
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Ell
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Heart of Gold
[ *  *  * ]
A mistrial was declared in the third murder trial of upstate New York millionaire Cal Harris Friday, after a jury was hopelessly deadlocked.

A conference about the next steps in the proceedings -- including a potential fourth trial -- is scheduled for August.

“I'd hoped that my children and I would finally be free to live our lives without these allegations,” Harris said outside of court Friday.

Since his wife Michele Harris’ disappearance in 2001, the businessman has insisted that he’s had nothing to do with it. Asked by ABC News if he killed his wife, Harris replied, "Absolutely not. Absolutely not. And the fact that I'm sitting here having to go through this is just a horror show."



Jury Deliberating in Third Trial of Millionaire Accused of Killing Wife





Did Cal Harris Kill His Wife? Third Jury to Decide Father's Fate



His four children also said they believe their father is innocent.

"We didn't have any doubt he wasn't involved," his son Tanner told ABC News.

"We feel like we need to tell people that he's actually a really great guy and there's no way he could have done something like this," his daughter Cayla said.

Prior to his third trial, Harris was asked what would be different since two juries had already found him guilty. “Two juries that didn't have the new information,” he replied.

The third jury informed the judge it couldn't decide. “They sent us three deadlock notes over the course of nine days,” said defense attorney Bruce Barket, “so we knew then that there was some trouble with the jury reaching a unanimous verdict.”

“It's almost unheard of that someone's tried four times for the same crime,” said ABC News Legal Analyst Dan Abrams.

Prosecutors alleged Harris bludgeoned his wife to death, but never produced a murder weapon or a body. Harris was convicted of second-degree murder in his first trial in 2007.

But then a new surprise witness came forward with new information, saying Michelle was seen with a different man the day she disappeared; a judge overturned the conviction.

At his second trial in 2009, Harris was convicted again. Shockingly, that conviction was overturned by an appeals court.

Following the mistrial, Harris said the real killer is still out there.

“We got closer to justice but we're not there yet,” he said outside of court. “We will continue to fight and continue to pursue the truth about what happened to Michele.”
Ell

Only after the last tree has been
cut down;
Only after the last fish has been
caught;
Only after the last river has been
poisoned;
Only then will you realize
that money cannot be eaten.
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