Emily Rimel: Lindsay Bruce found guilty

If I remember correctly--although this article did not mention it--this was a capital case. That is, Lindsay/Lindsey (however it is spelled) Bruce could get the death penalty.
Story from The Columbus Dispatch:

Jury finds Lindsey Bruce guilty in girl's murder
Friday, March
23, 2007 4:39 PM
By Bruce Cadwallader
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Web
extras
Slide
Show: Photos from the Emily Rimel murder case, 2004 to present
Timeline
and archive of previous stories about Emily and the trial of Lindsey Bruce,
accused of killing her
A jury this afternoon found Lindsey Bruce guilty
of killing 5-year-old Emily Rimel.
Emily would have turned 8 on
Saturday.
The Franklin County jury, seven women and five men, announced its
verdict at 4:15 p.m.
Bruce was charged with aggravated murder, murder and
tampering with evidence in the killing of Emily, who disappeared overnight from
her apartment on Reinbeau Drive in Madison Township. Her skull was found 17
months later on a bank of Big Walnut Creek, 8 miles south of her home.
The
jury, which was handed the case on Wednesday, found Bruce guilty of one count of
aggravated murder, one count of murder, and one count of tampering with
evidence. It also found him not guilty of one count of aggravated
murder.
Bruce, 25, is a self-employed mechanic who became friends with Brent
Copley more than 10 years ago. Copley later moved in with Jane Rimel and her
daughter, Emily. The couple had a son together.
Twenty-one witnesses
testified during the death-penalty trial.
According to testimony: On Dec. 7,
2004, Bruce visited the apartment twice late at night. He had been drinking at a
Refugee Road bar and sometimes used the apartment as a place to flop. His former
girlfriend, Lila Wright, lived there for three months that year and he
frequently visited her overnight.
That night, Bruce was the last adult to
leave the apartment, and he apparently left the door unlocked instead of waking
Copley, which prosecutors said was his custom. Emily was nowhere to be found
when Copley woke up at 8 a.m.
Prosecutors said Bruce kidnapped the girl and
killed her to conceal a rape, then discarded her body in nearby Heisel Park.
Emily's DNA was found on his genitals, and his right forearm had three small
scratches. He was arrested 10 days later.
Bruce told police and the FBI he
left the apartment about 3 a.m. and worked on cars. He could not prove where he
was until 9:27 a.m., when he received a store receipt for buying a car
part.
Defense attorneys said the DNA evidence is suspect and no other
evidence proves Bruce did anything to the girl.
Testimony by defense
witnesses indicated that Rimel and Copley were poor guardians of Emily and that
the girl had left the apartment on her own before.
Bruce is serving a 10-year
prison term after having been convicted of kidnapping Emily at a previous trial.
Men incarcerated with him have testified in both trials that Bruce confessed to
the murder.
bcadwallader@dispatch.com

Emily Rimel: Lindsay Bruce murder trial days 1-3

I have found five articles that cover different aspects of the trial's developments so far. If I posted them all in their entirety, that would be one long post! So, instead, I am going to summarize them and provide links to the originals.

Day 1 (March 7): Jury took a bus and visited Helsel Park (where Emily's body was found) and the Rimel family's home. http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2007-03-07-0010.html Emily's mother, Jane, testified about Emily's life.

Day 2 (March 8): Inmates who supposedly heard Lindsay Bruce confess were scheduled to testify. http://www.10tv.com/?story=sites/10tv/content/pool/200703/1159346793.html The jury is shown a PowerPoint of photos of Emily's skull and teeth. A forensic anthropologist, Dr. Nancy Tatarek of Ohio University, testifies that the skull belonged to a child around six years old, give or take a year. (Emily was five.) She also said that two other bones found at the scene were not human. The defense argued that she was not able to determine the cause or time of death, or whether Emily was alive when she ended up in Big Walnut Creek. Five dentists who had examined Emily's teeth testify. Emily's mother testified again, saying their front door was always locked. The defense says that she had said in a 911 call that sometimes the door was left open. They imply that Emily could have "run away" or been abducted by someone else. http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2007-03-08-0016.html

Day 3 (March 9): Brent Copley, now Emily's mother's husband (boyfriend at the time of Emily's death), testified. He said that he and Lindsay Bruce had been friends for over ten years, and that he (Lindsay Bruce) often stayed with them. He said the night before Emily vanished he and Lindsay Bruce had been out drinking, and they did not do anything or even talk during the early morning of December 7, 2004. He said Lindsay Bruce arrived at their house about 1 AM, then again about 2 AM. Brent Copley was the one who reported Emily missing. http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2007-03-09-0013.html

There is another article about Emily's mother testifying, and it is dated March 9, but it does not say if that is when this part of her testimony took place. While she spoke, she cried and held Emily's tennis shoes, which had been found in their apartment. She also looked at photos of Emily's backpack, coat, and sheets. She testified that Emily had complained about a cold the night she disappeared and that she would not have left without her shoes. She also said that Emily had known Lindsay Bruce since she was 2 1/2 years old and had no reason to fear him. The article also said that the defense said that the state has a weak case based on circumstantial evidence. They questioned how reliable the inmates could be. http://www.marionstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070309/NEWS01/703090333

We shall see how this progresses. I still do not think it looks good for Mr. Bruce.

Emily Rimel: Jury selection continues for suspect's trial

This could take a while.
Story from http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/02/24/20070224-D3-04.html:

Jury pool narrowed to 97 in murder trial
Saturday, February 24,
2007
Lindsey Bruce, convicted of kidnapping a girl, is accused of killing
her.
Ninety-seven Franklin County residents filled out questionnaires
yesterday in the first step for choosing a jury in the death-penalty trial of
Lindsey Bruce.
Bruce, 25, is serving a 10-year sentence for kidnapping
5-year-old Emily Rimel from her Madison Township bedroom on Dec. 7, 2004. He was
indicted on aggravated-murder charges last June after Rimel’s skull was found in
Big Walnut Creek.
Bruce, who wore close-cropped hair and beard, and shackles
beneath his gray suit, sat between attorneys Christopher Cooper and Donald
Schumacher as Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Patrick Sheeran swore in the
jury pool.
The pool began with 105, but eight candidates were dismissed
because of medical issues, trying circumstances at home or work, the impending
birth of a first child, or a planned and paid-for vacation. The court sent 300
summonses.
Bruce’s attorneys and Assistant County Prosecutors Tim Mitchell
and Jennifer Rausch will spend the weekend reviewing more than 1,000 pages of
responses before starting to question potential jurors next week.
Jury
selection is expected to take more than five days, and the trial could last
longer than two weeks, Sheeran said.

Emily Rimel: Jury selection begins in trial of her suspected murderer

I mentioned a little while ago, I think when I posted about the man Tanya Kach ran away with, that I would try to get better at posting updates on the trials of those who harmed some of the people I had featured on here. Well, I am going to be busy for a little while, because the trial of Lindsay Bruce, who is most likely guilty of murdering little five-year-old Emily Rimel, is about to begin.
Story from http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2007-02-22-0028.html:

Jury Selection To Begin In Emily Rimel Murder Trial

Thursday, Feb 22, 2007 - 06:31 PM
Nancy Burton
Reporter
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Jury selection will begin Friday in the case of a man
accused of killing a 5-year-old girl.
Emily Rimel went missing from her home
in December of 2004. Two weeks after her disappearance, police arrested family
friend Lindsey Bruce in connection with the case, NBC 4's Nancy Burton reported.
Bruce was charged with kidnapping and rape after Rimel's DNA was allegedly
found on his genitalia, Burton reported.
According to authorities, Bruce was
a friend of the Rimel family and had been at their home the night Emily went
missing.
Ten months after Rimel went missing, a jury found Bruce guilty of
kidnapping, but not rape.
A judge sentenced him to the maximum 10 years in
prison while police continued to search for the girl's body.
Nine months
after Bruce's sentencing, the 5-year-old's remains were found along Big Walnut
Creek.
In June 2006, Bruce was charged with Rimel's murder, Burton reported.

If convicted, Bruce could be sentenced to death.
Stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for additional information.

Emily Rimel: Lindsay Bruce waves right to speedy trial

Usually, this blog is reserved for posts on people who are still missing. However, if a person whose case I had been following is found, especially found murdered like little Emily, I usually keep on eye on continuing developments in bringing the responsible person to justice. Emily also has a special place in my heart because I had been following media coverage about her since the day she disappeared.
This latest bit of coverage comes from http://www.nbc4i.com/news/9700658/detail.html?rss=col&psp=news:

Man Accused In Child's Death Waives Right In Court
Man Pleaded Not Guilty To Emily Rimel's Death
POSTED: 11:51 am EDT August 18, 2006
UPDATED: 12:38 pm EDT August 18, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The man who
allegedly killed a Central Ohio girl appeared in court on Friday to waive his
right to a speedy trial.
The trial of Lindsey Bruce was scheduled to start
on Sept. 1. He is accused of killing a 5-year-old girl and dumping her body in a
local creek, NBC 4 reported.
INTERACT: Timeline of Events
SLIDESHOWS: Emily Rimel Big Walnut Creek Search
Bruce, 25, was indicted after the skull of Emily
Rimel was found along the banks of Big Walnut Creek. He was already convicted of
kidnapping Rimel.
Bruce was charged with aggravated murder. He pleaded not
guilty.
Bruce could face the death penalty if he is convicted. He is already
serving a 10-year sentence, the maximum sentence possible for the kidnapping
charge, NBC 4 reported.
Rimel was last seen inside her Madison Township home
in December 2004. The 5-year-old girl disappeared from her home while Bruce, a
family friend, was visiting.
Bruce was accused of raping her after Rimel's
DNA was allegedly found on his genitalia, NBC 4 reported. A jury later found
Bruce not guilty on the rape charge.
A trial date was set for Oct. 20.
Watch NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for continuing coverage.

If you visit the link to the story, you can see a list of previous articles on this case.

Emily Rimel: Suspect pleads not guilty to murder & appeals kidnapping conviction

Here are some recent developments in the case against Lindsay Bruce, suspected in the kidnapping, rape, and murder of 5-year-old Emily Rimel from Columbus, Ohio.
From http://www.nbc4i.com/news/9441438/detail.html

Man Pleads Not Guilty To Emily Rimel's Death
Bruce Smirked, Smiled During Arraignment
POSTED: 4:17 pm EDT June 28, 2006
UPDATED: 5:52 pm EDT June 28, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The man accused of killing a 5-year-old girl
and dumping her body in a local creek made his initial court appearance
Wednesday.
Lindsey Bruce was arraigned on aggravated murder charges. He
pleaded not guilty, NBC 4's Nancy Burton reported.
INTERACT: Timeline of Events
SLIDESHOWS: Emily Rimel Big Walnut Creek Search
At times during his appearance, Bruce smirked and smiled. His
lawyer said his expression was a nervous smile and that his client realizes the
severity of the case.
Bruce, 25, was indicted after the skull of Emily Rimel
was found along the banks of Big Walnut Creek. He was already convicted of
kidnapping Rimel.
Bruce could face the death penalty if he is convicted. He
is already serving a 10-year sentence, the maximum sentence possible for the
kidnapping charge, NBC 4 reported.
Rimel was last seen inside her Madison
Township home in December 2004. The 5-year-old girl disappeared from her home
while Bruce, a family friend, was visiting.
Bruce was accused of raping her
after Rimel's DNA was allegedly found on his genitalia, NBC 4 reported. A jury
later found Bruce not guilty on the rape charge.
"He's scared, concerned,
but he's not shaken in his conviction that he is not guilty," said Chris Cooper,
Bruce's attorney.
Bruce declined bond, but his lawyer said he will consider
asking for a change of venue to ensure that Bruce gets a fair trial.
Watch
NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for continuing coverage.

From http://www.nbc4i.com/news/9477449/detail.html:

Man Appeals Conviction In Kidnapping Of 5-Year-Old Girl
Decision Could Take Days
POSTED: 12:29 pm EDT July 6, 2006
UPDATED: 4:28 pm EDT July 6, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The man convicted of kidnapping a 5-year-old girl is
appealing his conviction.
Lindsey Bruce appeared in court Thursday morning,
asking a judge to grant a re-trial, NBC 4's Nancy Burton reported.
INTERACT: Timeline of Events
SLIDESHOWS: Emily Rimel Big Walnut Creek
Search
Bruce was convicted of kidnapping Emily Rimel. He is already
serving a 10-year sentence, the maximum sentence possible for the kidnapping
charge, NBC 4 reported.
He is appealing on claims of insufficient evidence
in his trial.
Rimel was last seen inside her Madison Township home in
December 2004. The 5-year-old girl disappeared from her home while Bruce, a
family friend, was visiting.
Bruce was accused of raping her after Rimel's
DNA was allegedly found on his genitalia, NBC 4 reported. A jury later found
Bruce not guilty on the rape charge.
Bruce's attorney did not appear in
court, but wrote that there are conflicting statements about the so-called
confession Bruce allegedly made while in jail.
The attorney also claims that
there is no physical evidence that Bruce kidnapped the child, and there were no
signs of a struggle.
In May, the skull of Emily Rimel was found along the
banks of Big Walnut Creek. Since then, Bruce has also been charged with murder.
Bruce's lawyer said that personal reasons prevented him from arguing his
case for his client.
It could take several days for the judge to reach a
decision.
Watch NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for continuing coverage.

Of course there probably wouldn't be signs of a struggle, since Emily knew him! If it was before he raped her (and I still believe he did, jury or no jury), she wouldn't have had a reason to distrust him. If it was after the rape--which I think is the more popular theory--she was probably stunned and scared, and he could have taken advantage of that.
There's always of course a small possibility he really is innocent, but his lawyers are still going to have a hard time proving that. It especially doesn't look good because a) he was staying at her house that night (opportunity) and b) he was gone for a little while when she first disappeared. (I've been following Emily's case since the beginning.)
Time will tell what happens next. I suppose that's another trial where it'll be hard to find an unbiased jury.

Emily Rimel: Skull found, suspect indicted

After a long year and a half, there is finally proof of what police had suspected for most of that time (http://www.nbc4i.com/news/9279482/detail.html):

Remains Positively Identified As Emily Rimel's
Madison Township Girl
Last Seen In December 2004
POSTED: 10:37 am EDT May 26, 2006
UPDATED: 6:39
pm EDT May 26, 2006
Email
This Story Print This
Story
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A child's skull found Tuesday is that of a
missing Madison Township girl, sources told NBC 4.
Emily Rimel was last seen
in December 2004 inside her home. The 5-year-old girl disappeared from the home
while a family friend was visiting.
The friend, Lindsay Bruce, was
later convicted of kidnapping Rimel.
On Tuesday, a child's skull was found
by a woman who was fishing with her son along Big Walnut Creek in southern
Franklin County, NBC 4's Nancy Burton reported.
DNA was taken from three of
the five teeth in the skull. At the state's crime laboratory, the DNA was
matched with the girl's DNA, along with the DNA from her mother and father,
Burton reported.
"We were concerned about the sample due to the exposure to
the water and the length of time that it had been missing," said Lynn Bolen, BCI
lab director.
Police obtained Rimel's DNA from a winter coat, Burton
reported.
"We knew that this day was going to come," said Madison Township
Police Chief Greg Ryan. "We were hoping it was the other way around, and we
could walk her through the front door of her mom's house and give her to her."
Jane Rimel, the girl's mother, said earlier this week that she was holding
out hope that Emily would be found alive.
"I had a beautiful granddaughter,
who was very exuberant, loving and caring, and I no longer have her," said Mary
Schimpf, Emily Rimel's grandmother.
Detectives believed the girl died, but
Bruce was not charged with her murder. Bruce was accused of raping her after
Rimel's DNA was allegedly found on his genitalia, NBC 4 reported. A jury later
found Bruce not guilty on the rape charge.
Bruce was sentenced to 10 years
in prison, the maximum sentence possible for the kidnapping charge, NBC 4
reported.
Last year, detectives said they were confident that Bruce knew the
location of Rimel's body.
The judge in the rape trial agreed, saying in
court that Bruce was the only one who knew where Rimel was.
Police said they
will begin searching again for more skeletal remains. Meanwhile, the prosecutor
said he is preparing to file additional criminal charges against Bruce.
"We
now can establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Emily Rimel is, in fact, dead,"
said Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien.
That means that O'Brien will
pursue aggravated murder charges against Bruce, which is punishable by death,
Burton reported.
"(We are) considering it as aggravated murder based on
kidnapping, aggravated murder based on rape and aggravated murder based on the
age of the victim," O'Brien said.
Officials said the case is likely to be
presented to a grand jury in about two weeks.
Watch NBC 4 and refresh
nbc4i.com for continuing coverage.

Now the case against Lindsay Bruce is starting to move along (http://www.nbc4i.com/news/9358197/detail.html):

Man Indicted In Emily Rimel's Death
Bruce Could Face Death Penalty If
Convicted
UPDATED: 7:05 pm EDT June 12, 2006
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This Story Print This
Story
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A Franklin County grand jury indicted a man on
Monday in connection with the death of a 5-year-old girl.
Lindsay Bruce, who
was already convicted in kidnapping Emily Rimel, was charged with her murder,
NBC 4's Holly Hollingsworth reported.
Bruce, 25, was indicted on four
counts, including two counts of aggravated murder. He was also charged with
murder and tampering with evidence, Hollingsworth reported.
Bruce could face
the death penalty if he is convicted. He is already serving a 10 year sentence,
the maximum sentence possible for the kidnapping charge, NBC 4 reported.
The
indictment came a month after Rimel's remains were found in Big Walnut Creek in
southern Franklin County. A woman who was fishing with her son found the child's
skull.
DNA was taken from three of the five teeth in the skull. At the
state's crime laboratory, the DNA was matched with the girl's DNA, along with
the DNA from her mother and father, NBC 4 reported.
Police obtained Rimel's
DNA from a winter coat, Burton reported.
Rimel was last seen inside her
Madison Township home in December 2004. The 5-year-old girl disappeared from her
home while Bruce, who was called a family friend, was visiting.
Detectives
believed the girl died, but Bruce was not charged with her murder. Bruce was
accused of raping her after Rimel's DNA was allegedly found on his genitalia,
NBC 4 reported. A jury later found Bruce not guilty on the rape charge.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said he did not expect a plea
agreement from Bruce, who could face the death penalty if convicted.
"He
refused to do it then. He refused to do it thereafter," O'Brien said. "He
refused to do it before the start of the rape and kidnapping trial. I would not
expect there to be any attempt at pleas in this case."
Bruce, who is being
housed at the Warren Correctional Institution in southwest Ohio, is scheduled to
be arraigned on the murder charge later this week, Hollingsworth reported.
Watch NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for continuing coverage.

Rest in peace, little Emily, and may you get justice!