I've, since I took an interest in this case a few years ago, always thought it wasn't premeditated. Now I'm not so sure. LM had a history of violence from a young age (as previously discussed) and a fascination with knives, Satan, death and the macabre from a young age (he even conceded to a journalist that he 'wasn't your average teenager'). Throw copious amounts of Marijuana-smoking into the mix, and a mother who spoiled him and let him do as he pleased, with no father around to discipline him, then I suggest he was a keg waiting to explode. He had talked to friends pre-murder about how easy it would be to kill someone and could imagine himself doing it just for a laugh when stoned. He also knew Newbattle & Easthouses intimately, rural settlements offering plenty of options to commit and get away with murder. And we can also factor in he was due to meet with KT from Kenmore around the same time -- a girl who testified in court that she still thought she was LM's girlfriend right up until the murder -- and Jodi was crying that day in classroom. Something was amiss. Wearing layers of clothing that night, too? To trick and confuse eyewitnesses? I think it's possible and feasible it was premeditated. Not 100% sure it was, though.
Do you mean premeditated for weeks or months, Mr Apples? It could hardly have been premeditated on the day of the murder, as LM couldn't have known that Jodi would be ungrounded at 4.30 that day.
Thats what I was saying, if LM is guilty then he must have decided on the spur of the moment to kill Jodi that day, albeit having had those thoughts in his mind for weeks or months before hand.
But of course, this takes us back to the sheer stupidity of his alleged actions, rushing to kill Jodi with others knowing they were going to meet at that time, ie, Jodi's family. Does this make sense?
Of course, you cover the other option , Mr Apples, of Luke killing Jodi in an unplanned fit of rage about Kim, but if this is the case, why did Luke 'allegedly' change his clothes before leaving to meet Jodi?
You also say that LM found out on the spot that he enjoyed killing Jodi, but again, only a psychopath could have inflicted the horrific post mortem injuries surely?
I dont think there is actually any evidence of Luke being mentally ill in any way, is there?
Anyway, the prosecution claim that LM and Jodi met at the Easthouses end of RDP as witnessesd by Andrina Bryson, yet Jodi's body was not found in that area.
Jodi's body was actually found at the 'v' break, roughly two thirds along RDP in the Newbattle direction.
So again, you could argue that this backs up LM claim of meeting at his mums house in Newballe.
For want of a better description, you could say that Jodi did indeed appear to be heading to Lukes house in Newbattle when she was attacked behind the 'v' break!
Indeed, why would Jodi end up two thirds along RDP if the claim by Judith was that Jodi told her that she would be mucking about in Easthouses?
Isn't the logical answer, that Luke was telling the truth and Jodi was indeed on her way to his house when she was attacked?
It is suggested that Luke/Jodi were arguing when Andrina Bryson saw them and that a blazing row ensued, but if this is the case, Jodi certainly wouldn't be in any mood to go home with Luke for the evening, so how on earth did Luke manage to persuade Jodi to walk two thirds back along the path heading for Newbattle?
The prosecution case simply fails on a lot of points, Mr Apples.