Medical examiner familiar to In Session viewers

This country needs to becareful. We are always so quick to blame our police force for anything that does not go our way. What next? Do we ban all police chases in case there is a possible accident? Do we expect the police to stop the chase long enough to stop at a stop sign or a signal light. We are giving the criminal to go ahead to speed away because, before long, all chases will be outlawed. Again another blow against crime fighters and a green light for the criminal. Where is the true blame in this accident? It lies with the criminal who was fleeing the state trooper. We blane the trooper for doing his job but fail to blame the criminal who is causing him to do his job. Becareful America, before long there will be no law and order.

I have to disagree with Jennifer. The police must slow down when they approach any intersection. They must be cautionous. Just like an ambulance, they slow down. I feel bad for both parties and dont know if this was a criminal act, but what would of happened if it wasnt a state trooper who blew that stop sign, would we be still having this discussion? One other detail, the state police must and should be aware of this area because they patrol it, so he should of known about this stop sign. And remember, the speeder did stop, so the trooper should of seen his brake lights. My heart and prayers go out to the family of the girls and the state trooper. This is a no win situation on both sides.

I do believe troopers disobey the law because I have driven the parkway from the beginning till the end I live at exit one and just to go to a mall you have to drive the parkway and I have many a times been passed by a trooper going in excess of 80 mph they are human also and just as we could lose control so can they ,but I do think 20 yrs. in very extreme of a punishment he was in his right mind not drunk or on drugs and I'm sure a lesson was learned I feel very much for the family of the beautiful girls involved.I do think he should lose his job .

would it not be more reasonable to assume that the driver is inately familiar with all traffic signs and would expect to find a sign at the intersection where the accident occurred? it appears that the town is somewhat responsible for the accident.

Just because Higbee is employed as a Policeman, doesn't give him the right to act careless and use his power as if he were God. He knew the intersection was a bad one, and that a stop sign was there, as all the officers did. TruTV anchors talk about what a good and just person Higbee is – just very little about the poor dead girls and the grief the family is going through – I think the Officer should be punished by doing some time in jail. Also why in the name of justice would an officer chase a speeder without lights and the siren going – Everyone that was in the area could have gotten out of the way.

.

Shouldn't it be "innocent UNLESS proven guilty....not UNTIL.
UNTIL sounds like a foregone conclusion.. eg..until the clock strikes 12..it will happen sooner or later. UNLESS seems much more appropviate.
Agree?
Beatrice

Regarding the Higbee trial... if this police dept did not prohibit its officers from high-speed vehicle pursuits, then Higbee was performing within the guidelines of his job and this trial is a waste of taxpayers’ money and a terrible miscarriage of justice if he is convicted. And it bothers me that the judge is so blatantly condescending toward the defense, sure seems that he's playing to the camera.

I have to amend my comment... didn't realize he wasn't using lights & siren. If police are required to use these warning devices when in pursuit of a suspect or responding to an emergency, then he should face consequences the least of which would be losing his job.

NJ 39:4-91 requires that emergency vehicles have an audible signal (bell, siren, exhaust whistle) during an emergency call but, interestingly, police vehicles are exempt from the statutury requirement of "at least one lighted lamp displaying a red light..." The statute also specifically does "not relieve the driver of any authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall it protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of others." In this case, while I have not heard the testimony, it seems that vehicular homicide is a stretch, but perhaps not reckless driving. Perhaps it is the prosecution's way of 'looking tough" while knowing that a jury may likely not convict on such a high charge.

Why haven't we heard about the Rights of Jacqueline Beckers being Denied the right to react DEFENSIVELY as we are ALL told when driving a Motor Vehicle...BUT FOR Trooper Higbee's DECISION to take away HER RIGHT OF WAY at the intersection....she MAY HAVE been able to avoid....THE OTHER DRIVER (in this case Higbee)..

This is in response to Donna,you said what if it wasn't a trooper.Well my nephew was killed last Wed.because a motorist ran a stop sign.He was issued a ticket for failure to yield right of way.He said he felt terrible but my nephew is still dead.Just as Trooper Higbee feels terrible for the deaths of the two girls.It was just a horrible accident,not a crime

This judge should be sitting on the left of the prosecutor. He is more like a co-council for the prosecution. No fairness for the defense in this court.

It sure seems like the judge has a problem with state troopers. Has anyone looked at the judges past ? There's something wrong not letting the jury know all the facts on the changes of the intersection.The judge is taking this case in my eye's too personal.There's something wrong!

The judge is doing his job ensuring a fair trial.. The defense council is really taking a risk by going against the judge's orders as seen by yesterdays footage.. The defense lawyer will be lucky not to have an official complaint filed after the case concludes..

no sound on the trooper trail

Why is there no audio, just video, this morning?

Why isn;t there audio today for the trial????

Why is there even a trial? Put the blame where it belongs, on the pursued not the pursuer, the Supreme Court decided this a long time ago. It's the bad guy that caused this whole scenario, not the Trooper.

In response to "tony" I agree I have know people with relatives mowed down & all they get is a slap on the wrist. Why are they trying to make an example out of this tooper? It is a horrible accident. Definitly changes need to be made about pursuit issues. I also think if these girls were obeying the law & not out driving with their permit this might have been avoided. I am not blaming the girls I am just saying things played out ,it is no one persons fault. I pray for the family of the lost girls & the trooper & his family.

How come the news hasn't checked in to the background of the bad guy or is it he is unknown because after he caused the crash he wasn't found.

Was I mistaken or did the speeder testify for the defense. I thought I saw somthing to that effect. If so how ironoic is that the guy who initially put things in motion testifies. Crazy!

Jean,

Robert Higbee did not set up or lie in wait using his radar. Please stop mistating fact. He utilized moving radar not stationary radar. Go ask the Middle Township Police, Cape May County Sheriff or New Jersey Statet Police present and ask them the difference. There are huge differences in the operation of this equipment and what else he would have been doing at the same time, ie driving. It thus becomes another aspect of complex operations of multi-tasking that is required of theis trooper by his duties.

The 1st responder, Chief Newman, is an EMT. He testified on Wednesday. He should have been asked: Question, did he stop at all lights/signs in his responsing drive to scene? His answer may have shown that a typical emergency person will most likely disregard a sign IF he/she SEES (preceives)no danger.

Oh boo hoo...............don't worry people the trooper will get off. I do hope because of his bad deceisions that he no longer will be behind the wheel of a state trooper car. I also hope that this case changes the way all police cars proceed threw intersections. For heaven sakes, they should at least slow down. I wouldn't want me or my family approaching an intersection with the police screaming threw a stop sign and endangering us.

Higbee knew that the intersection was controlled by some form of stopage. He just felt that the traffic rules didn't apply to him because he was "closing the gap" on a speeder going 15 miles over the speed limit. He was not chasing a kidnapper or rapist. He stated that he wasn't even sure if he was going to stop the speeder or not. He had a duty to PROTECT AND SERVE the citizens on the road that night. He failed in his duty and should at a minimum lose his job.

This accident happened at 10 pm. I dont know how anyone would expect an officer to know who is driving the car before stopping them. Its night, the speeder himself said his lights were not fully on, and was clocked at 65. (He could have slowed down before seeing the officer and looking at his speedometer). Officers routinely pull over speeders and find the driver has broken another law.They do not know if the person is fleeing from some other offense or if they have a gun etc. If the speeder had been a hard nosed criminal would anyone "blame " the officer for pursuing him. He has no way of knowing until the car is actually pulled over. Officer Higbee was following all the rules nj has in place for pulling over a speeder. His focus was on the speeding car. He missed a stop sign, a tragic accident happened. None of the other witnesses saw the girls van either. The young girl should not have been driving on a nj permit without a 3 year licensed driver. The other sister should have worn a seatbelt. All very unfortunate circumstances that contributed to this horrible ACCIDENT. Jail is for rehabilitation, this officer does not need to be there. Jail is for punishment, this officer is punished, he has to live with this the rest of his life. He is remorseful, he appologized. Nothing will bring these girls back. Only an added tragedy if he is found guilty.

was the trooper found guilty? i missed the shows this week. thx

this case really pulls on my heart strings and some of your comments make these wreckless police chases seem justifiable, and they just are NOT ! my little brother was killed in a car accident many years ago due to a florida highway patrol officer exceeding safe speeds and failing to yield at an intersection. cop or not, EVERYONE must drive safe. even to this day i have severe anxiety anytime a cop drives anywhere near me. they need to be held to the same standards as every one of us when it comes to respecting road signs. chasing a speeder is not worth the risk of running a stop sign and killing two beautiful girls. my brothers life was cut so short and no matter how many years pass, i still have to think about how unnecessary his untimely death was. i do not necessarily think the cops deserve criminal charges, but these incidents need to be stopped. it is sad the trooper higbee has to be the guinea pig, but hopefully this case can open up the eyes of all law enforcement officers. the fact that they are trained to enforce the law does not put them above the law, they too must obey it. we need to change the way at which police are authorized to pursue individuals and thus prevent these tragedies from EVER happening again.

The other witnesses have testified that they did not look in the direction of the van. That does not mean that van with it's headlights on(the headlight switch has been verified by testimony to be on) was not on a dimly lit road at night easily visible. It was easily visible if you actually look. Seatbelts are not even an issue. The officer did not even glance in that direction. That is criminal negligence, not an added tragedy. Guilty.

Having been a juror on a case against a Police Officer who WAS and IS not guilty, in my opinion, I believe I can look at all sides of this case with an open mind. Also, keep in mind, this WAS an accident. It does not matter that Higbee is an officer of the law. *IF* any person committed these actions, the Police would throw the book at the citizen and forget about them. The courts would do and say anything to put "John Q Public" into prison for murder. THIS alone should take the precedence in this case, as it should in any case. Once this trial is over, IMHO, a civil suit should be brought against any and all assets that may be available to the families' SHAME SHAME on the system for the lies. DOUBLE SHAME on Higbee for the lies. YOU belong in prison, just like you and your fellow officers would do to "John Q Public"!

This is to response to Tony. I am very sorry for your loss. I do totally agree that this is a terrible accident. I assumed wrong when i spoke in my previous comment about it being a different situation if it wasnt a police officer. Again, my condolences go out to you and your family.