Another Pre-trial Ruling
Story Created: July 21, 2006
Judge Manderfield ruled today in Lansing Superior Court that the jail house informant who testified in the preliminary hearing will be allowed to testify in the murder trial.
During the preliminary hearing Ms. Mountain testified that Lisa Holland had confessed to her that she killed her adoptive son Ricky Holland by striking him in the head with a hammer.
Lisa Holland’s attorneys tried to have this testimony suppressed from the murder trial. They claim that the information she has came from documents she stole from Lisa Holland’s cell. Although Ms. Mountain indicated during today’s testimony that she indeed did have the documents, she further explained that she never read them. Any information she is privy to regarding Ricky’s murder came directly from Lisa Holland during conversations between the two cellmates.
What we now have for testimony indicating Lisa’s responsibility for hitting Ricky with a hammer is two people. One, Tim Holland claims he saw Lisa hit Ricky with the hammer. Two, we now have a stranger who claims that Lisa confessed to hitting Ricky on the head with the hammer.
I wonder how the jury will look at these two witnesses. One witness, Tim Holland has a reason to point the finger at Lisa as being the only one guilty for Ricky’s death. He only implicates himself in disposal of the body. The other witness has a past criminal record and according to the Defense, she also has a memory disorder for which she is being treated with medication. Are these two witnesses reliable enough to convince the jury?
Even if the jury decides that the testimony is truthful and reliable regarding Ricky being struck with a hammer by Lisa Holland there is still a problem. There is no evidence as to the cause of death. Pathology reports cannot determine the cause of death because of the condition of the body when it was found. The only proof with these two witnesses is that Lisa struck Ricky with a hammer. I believe the defense attorneys will be able to prove reasonable doubt that the injuries inflicted to Ricky with the hammer may not have been enough to cause death. In a criminal case like this it is up to the prosecution to prove the case and take away that reasonable doubt. It is up to the defense to provide enough reasonable doubt. Certainly it is not helpful to have yet another witness that will testify pointing to Lisa’s jailhouse confession but I think the defense will be able to work around this problem.
As far as Tim Holland is concerned, he has provided more evidence in his own words to detectives pointing to his guilt of supposedly witnessing a murder, disposing of the body and concealing the murder from law enforcement. He lied from the beginning by making that 9-1-1 call and reporting his son as a runaway. He also had that interview on the local radio station further making him look bad by claiming Ricky ranaway even telling the public that Ricky had been an aggressor towards his baby sister earlier in the evening of his disappearance, causing Tim to have to punish Ricky for the act.
Sometimes when people lie there is usually a bit of truth mixed in with the lie. Suppose that the incident really did happen that night where Ricky hit or pushed his baby sister. Suppose that is when the violence occurred while Tim was punishing Ricky for his bad behavior. Remember, the baby sister is Tim and Lisa Holland’s biological child. There is already enough evidence from neighbors that the Holland’s looked at Ricky as a problem child. Tim even referred to him to one neighbor as having “Ted Bundy disease”. Would an act of aggression no matter how small against Tim and Lisa Holland’s baby have been enough for Tim Holland to lose control when punishing him for that act of agression.
Lisa Holland claims that she believes Tim snapped while he was in the bedroom with Ricky. She thinks Tim may have strangled or suffocated Ricky.
I would like to know what time Tim called his mother to find out if Ricky could come and stay with her for a couple of weeks. Tim claims that is when Lisa “lost it”, when he was making those arrangements. They claim they put Ricky to bed at approximately 9:30 p.m. Tim also claims that the incident with the baby occurred just prior to viewing the movie that was rented for Ricky, Tim and Lisa to watch together. I would like to know what time Lisa was at the video store renting the movie.
I think it will be imperative for the prosecution to prove their case to have more evidence than what has been released in the media. I am sure they have more evidence, I just hope it is more substantial.
At this point all they can prove so far judging from the media reports is:
- Ricky died
- Someone murdered him
- Tim Holland hid the body
- Tim and Lisa Holland both lied about Ricky’s disappearance
- Lisa Holland was a verbally and psychologically abusive parent
At this point they do not have the murderer identified. Lisa Holland may be convicted of child abuse. Maybe that is why the defense is trying so hard to have the child abuse charges dropped. The prosecution can prove child abuse at the hands of Lisa Holland but they will have a hard time proving murder beyond a reasonable doubt. As for Tim Holland they can prove he hid the body and that is a crime in and of itself. They could have proven filing a false police report but the prosecution dropped those charges.
I am glad I am not on this jury. It would be a hard case to help decide. I think the prosecution needs to look closer at Tim Holland and that interview with the radio station. It may be true that Lisa hit Ricky on the head with the hammer; however, it may also be true that Tim Holland, in a fit of rage over his baby daughter being hit by Ricky lost his temper and strangled Ricky.
12 Responses to 'Another Pre-trial Ruling'
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I just can’t believe that they would even mention to drop the abuse charges. After over 4 years of abuse. If the court does drop these charges, then it makes me believe that people can get away with anything. These 2 monsters should never see the light of day. I sure hope the prosecutor has enought evidence to convict these two for murder. I thnk they both played a part in the killing, just as they did in the abuse.
Poor Ricky, never got a break in life, and even in death, it seems as though things are going against him getting justice.
bobbie
1 Aug 06 at 6:47 pm
You know.. tim and Lisa Will get theirs in the end… Even If the jury Screws up and lets them go they still have to Face the Wrath Of God and Of EVERYONE who knows the Story… They wont be able to live Safely anywhere in Michigan or any State that knows what was goin on and What those Two Monsters did…
Cassandra
3 Aug 06 at 5:33 pm
One thing that bothers me….if Lisa killed him by hitting him in the head with a hammer, if she hit him hard enough to kill him, wouldn’t that have caused a skull fracture? And a skull fracture would have been apparent even after decomposition.
That was a good point about Tim and the baby sister, I hadn’t considered that before. The remark about Ricky having Ted Bundy disease is chilling. I hadn’t heard that before.
Home Sweet Home
7 Aug 06 at 4:58 am
Yes, he told lies about Ricky as well. The mental abuse this child had to endure, is unbelieveable. There are so many unanswered questions. I believe he beat him that night with her help.
Are you guys from Michigan? would like to get a nice group outside the courthouse on September 11. We must show support for Ricky, and help him get justice.
It will take people like you that think and care about Ricky, to help bring justice for him.
bobbie
8 Aug 06 at 12:43 am
@ Home Sweet Home:
Ricky did have several fractures to his head and those fractures were apparent upon examination of the remains. The problem with the fractures to the skull is that the ME is not sure if any of those fractures would have been severe enough to cause his death. He also had fractures to his shoulder and arm as well. There is a possibility that Ricky, although struck with the hammer, could have been unconscious and buried alive.
The examination of the body could only determine an approximate length of time based upon the discovery of the body and the reported missing date for date of death.
Trisha
8 Aug 06 at 2:14 am
@ Bobbie:
I, too, hope those who can will attend the trial.
Trisha
8 Aug 06 at 2:15 am
Trisha, thanks for the explanation. It was confusing me that the medical examiner was saying that he couldn’t determine the cause of death.
I would like to attend the trial, but don’t live in Michigan.
Home Sweet Home
8 Aug 06 at 4:48 am
These two are a perfect example of why Michigan needs the death penalty.
Tina
6 Sep 06 at 4:07 am
I am in disbelief that they found twelve impartial jurors in the State of Michigan to sit on Lisa Hollands jury.
anninn
7 Sep 06 at 6:33 pm
The trial date is September 11. When a trial date is set it means that is the date jury selection will begin on that date and is the official start of the trial.
Prior to the trial date jury selection is not done. It is part of the actual trial process.
Trisha
7 Sep 06 at 6:48 pm
I live in Lansing and am totally outraged at what these “people” did. I agree, Michigan needs the death penalty because these two people are just going to be a drain on our society. I don’t think they will spend their “lives” in prison thinking about what they did to this poor child and to the other children. Maybe someone needs to take a small tack hammer to them…
Patti
8 Sep 06 at 10:18 pm
Patti, are you going to the trial on Monday? I am going to release balloons, if you would be able to come that would be wonderful in support of Ricky.
Wouldn’t you like to get your hands on Tim and Lisa, I don’t like to call them parents, because they really were not parents.
i really like the tack hammer idea!
caring
9 Sep 06 at 2:03 am