Bob Shell

Sparky · Apr 21, 2007

Bob - thanks for piping in. I'd like to reserve the right, though, to discuss anything I wish in a forum such as this - HOWEVER - I do think it's in very poor taste to speculate on the trial outcome (guilt innocence and all that) - indeed, without knowing any of the material or circumstantial facts. It wouldn't surprise me much if idle talk about such things would/could influence the outcome of the trial (if there will be one). I suspect this is your concern and it is a very fair one, and I think - and hope that none of us will speculate further on this.

jd callow · Apr 21, 2007

I vote we close this thread -- Opinions?

My reasons are that we *don't know* anything and any speculation is ghoulish, and potentially harmful. Let us stick to what we know or gaining knowledge that might even benefit us.

Sparky · Apr 21, 2007

sure - i only started it because i was curious as to the status - if there's anything potentially harmful in it, then it certainly ought to be closed. it wouldn't exist had i not started it... and i certainly don't mind killing it.

Lee L · Apr 21, 2007

My vote is to delete the whole thread. There's nothing of interest except to voyeurs, and the topic isn't photography. The thread is nothing but speculation about an ongoing criminal investigation and trial in a public venue, or about similar but irrelevant trials, and completely out of place. If people want to speculate and gossip privately by pm or email, that's one thing. This is a worldwide public forum with none of the safeguards that should be in place to prevent or limit any possible damage to the case or the defendant, who has personally requested that his case not be discussed here. I find it apalling that he has to make the request himself rather than the rest of us acting like responsible adults. The trial will be covered in the papers if anyone wants updates.

Lee

Ole · Apr 21, 2007

Closed - in accordance with Bob Shell's request.

I'm sure he will let us know when he has anything he can tell us. In the meantime, let's forgo the speculations.

Mark Layne · Sep 4, 2007

Interesting to note that his attorney is the world's foremost authority on non-leica threadmount lenses

WarEaglemtn · Sep 5, 2007

Bob Shell GUILTY on 8 counts, Jury recommends 32 years Prison

Bob Shell Found Guilty
By Ashley Roberts / WSLS NewsChannel 10
Aug 31, 2007

http://www.wsls.com/servlet/Satelli...rticle&cid=1173352586692&path=!news!localnews

WarEaglemtn · Sep 5, 2007

This is the short report from another TV news station on the trial and outcome.

September 1, 2007
Jury recommends sentence for Bob Shell

http://www.wdbj7.com/global/story.asp?s=7013808

WarEaglemtn · Sep 5, 2007

This one is from the Roanoke Times, the local paper covering the trial. It took 3-4 years to get him to trial. At least now some sort of resolution has been made. Looks as if he will be in prison for a long time, if not until he expires.

http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/wb/130330

WarEaglemtn · Sep 5, 2007

I posted the three above as they are stories about the trial from three sources in the community where Bob Shell was tried and now convicted.

I have been in contact with Bob through the past few years as he waited for the trial. No more than any others who emailed or called him. We waited for the trial to see how it played out. From the news articles it appears the jury did not believe much of what he said during the trial. A recommendation of 32+ years is not a light one. This time means he will most likely die in prison, if the judge follows the jury sentencing time.

Now we know the trial took two weeks. A long time after the crime was committed but too long for the father of the victim. He died just before the trial was finished.

Apparently Bob is in jail now waiting for his sentencing date. A rude change from life on the outside.

If anyone is from the area where the trial took place and you have info on it, please post it so we can get a view other than the news organizations reports.

Rolleiflexible · Sep 6, 2007

WarEaglemtn said:
Looks as if he will be in prison for a long time, if not until he expires.

You presume an appeal will fail. Judging from public news accounts of the prosecution's mishandling of evidence, and the evidentiary basis of the jury's findings, I would not bet on that outcome.

Sanders

Roger Hicks · Sep 6, 2007

Sanders McNew said:
You presume an appeal will fail. Judging from public news accounts of the prosecution's mishandling of evidence, and the evidentiary basis of the jury's findings, I would not bet on that outcome.

Sanders

This is my view also. I would certainly not write off his chances just yet.

Yes, Bob is a friend of mine, so I'm biased that way and of course he's told me his side of the story. But I've also got a law degree and (like Sanders) I have read many of the reports in the papers. Bob has been a bloody fool and made innumerable lapses of judgement, but the evidence against him, and the chain of custody of that evidence, is such that even if he were guilty (which I don't think he is), he coud very likely get off on appeal on a choice of technicalities.

Roger

bill schwab · Sep 6, 2007

If I were a member of "the model's" family, I would be thouroughly disgusted by the display some have made in this thread. She is no longer able to post here as is the case with the convicted and his "friends". She never had the chance to tell her "side of the story".

Sparky · Sep 6, 2007

I agree - and I think that showing support for this very third-rate photographer (okay- that was a personal slight- nothing to do with the case!) is at least as tasteless as suggesting that he's getting what he deserves... I would vote, on that basis to close THIS thread too!

Andy K · Sep 6, 2007

It seems this topic is extremely controversial. It has even been censored on other forums (RFF).

WarEaglemtn · Sep 6, 2007

Why would you close this topic? It is news and relevant to Shell, his upcoming sentencing and any appeals. From a reading of the news accounts he is everything momma warned you about in 'dirty old man photographers' with young models.

I have talked with Bob and emailed back and forth with him on the trial. Not a good friend, just an aquaintance. But I did take the time to make contact the past few years.

Now that the trial has come and gone the appeals process will start, IF he can afford it. I wouldn't take bets he will get it overturned and he will spend that time incarcerated while waiting.

Videos of sex and bondage at the trial? The stuff that comes out in court sure is interesting. On the PR side he looks dirty and from reading news accounts nothing comes out to change that view. No, I was not there and sure would like to hear from someone who was as to how it really did appear. From these news accounts it sounds as if Bobs testimony was pretty bad and poorly prepared to the point he was his own worst witness.

Either way this topic should remain open. Not to attack him but for the information and discussion that comes with it.

I bet none of you tried to censor topics anywhere on Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky... and she didn't die at the hands of the dirty old man.

Rolleiflexible · Sep 6, 2007

billschwab said:
If I were a member of "the model's" family, I would be thouroughly disgusted by the display some have made in this thread. She is no longer able to post here as is the case with the convicted and his "friends". She never had the chance to tell her "side of the story".

I am not a friend of Bob Shell's. I've never met the man. But I am a lawyer licensed to practice in Virginia and New York with over 20 years of practice, and I have read the news accounts and I would be surprised to see this verdict withstand appeal. My comment was an unbiased assessment based on my knowledge of the law, and my understanding of the facts as reported in the press. I was not in the jury box. I recognize the press has likely gotten the facts wrong. Maybe the verdict is sound. I can go only on what I read. From what I read, the verdict sounds unsupportable on appeal.

Sanders

Andy K · Sep 6, 2007

WarEaglemtn said:
Why would you close this topic? It is news and relevant to Shell, his upcoming sentencing and any appeals. From a reading of the news accounts he is everything momma warned you about in 'dirty old man photographers' with young models.

I have talked with Bob and emailed back and forth with him on the trial. Not a good friend, just an aquaintance. But I did take the time to make contact the past few years.

Now that the trial has come and gone the appeals process will start, IF he can afford it. I wouldn't take bets he will get it overturned and he will spend that time incarcerated while waiting.

Videos of sex and bondage at the trial? The stuff that comes out in court sure is interesting. On the PR side he looks dirty and from reading news accounts nothing comes out to change that view. No, I was not there and sure would like to hear from someone who was as to how it really did appear. From these news accounts it sounds as if Bobs testimony was pretty bad and poorly prepared to the point he was his own worst witness.

Either way this topic should remain open. Not to attack him but for the information and discussion that comes with it.

I bet none of you tried to censor topics anywhere on Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky... and she didn't die at the hands of the dirty old man.

Sorry I should have been clearer. I was not suggesting the topic should be censored here on APUG, I was simply pointing out that other more uptight and less free thinking forums have censored the subject.

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 6, 2007

Since we're in the realm of news rather than pre-trial speculation, and Bob Shell is a fairly prominent figure in the photography world, we'll leave this open for discussion, but please keep it civil, or we'll shut it down.

It would help if participants don't address other persons in the thread--just the posts.

If someone makes a provocative post for the purpose of shutting down the thread, the post will be deleted and the poster will be banned from the thread.

eclarke · Sep 6, 2007

Sanders McNew said:
I am not a friend of Bob Shell's. I've never met the man. But I am a lawyer licensed to practice in Virginia and New York with over 20 years of practice, and I have read the news accounts and I would be surprised to see this verdict withstand appeal. My comment was an unbiased assessment based on my knowledge of the law, and my understanding of the facts as reported in the press. I was not in the jury box. I recognize the press has likely gotten the facts wrong. Maybe the verdict is sound. I can go only on what I read. From what I read, the verdict sounds unsupportable on appeal.

Sanders

It's tough to really have a good conversation about this based on reporting from the press. The jury has 100% of the testimony and still has trouble coming to a conclusion, how can anybody know what is going on by reading a few paragraphs of edited news?...EC

Roger Hicks · Sep 6, 2007

billschwab said:
She never had the chance to tell her "side of the story".

No, she didn't, and this is that nature of the victim's role in a homicide trial. This is not the same as saying that the accused -- and indeed the convicted, in this case -- should have no right to respond, even by proxy, or to appeal. I hasten to add that I am not acting as Bob's proxy: my views are my views, and if genuinely I thought he had deliberately or even accidentally killed her, I would not be taking his part.

Nor have I suggested that Bob was saintly. I have already called him a bloody fool, and I have to say I thought he was/is much better at B+W pictures of small towns than with models. What I am saying that on my reading of the evidence presented, plus what I learned from Bob, I'd be modestly surprised if he could not win an appeal because of shortcomings in the legal presentation of the evidence.

When you've known someone for 20 years, you form a certain opinion of what they can and cannot do, and of what they are likely and unlikely to do. I can easily believe that Bob behaved stupidly enough to get into this corner, but the evidence does not fit the man I know, and the evidence appears to have been spectacularly mishandled by the police.

I could of course be completely wrong.

bill schwab · Sep 6, 2007

Sanders McNew said:
I was not in the jury box.

Exactly. Twelve of the man's peers were. If any of the [persons] here thinks they have more information and evidence than was put before them, speak up. Maybe one of them should have represented the man?

Roger Hicks · Sep 6, 2007

billschwab said:
Exactly. Twelve of the man's peers were. If any of the [persons] here thinks they have more information and evidence than was put before them, speak up. Maybe one of them should have represented the man?

Dear Bill,

Why do you think appeals exist?

If Bob loses his appeal, I may have to accept -- with difficulty -- that he killed her. Until then, as I say, I find it likelier than not that his appeal will succeed. This [...] is a reasonable (though not necessarily correct) assessment of the situation affecting a man I have known for 20 years.

Roger

naturephoto1 · Sep 6, 2007

Hi Roger,

I hope that Bob did not or was not responsible for the death of the young woman. We do know however, that there have been instances in the legal systems where the innocent have been found guilty and the guilty have gone free.

Rich

Roger Hicks · Sep 6, 2007

naturephoto1 said:
We do know however, that there have been instances in the legal systems where the innocent have been found guilty and the guilty have gone free.

Dear Rich,

That was my point. No justice system is perfect. My own belief -- and as I say, I could well be wrong -- is that Bob was not responsible. To be 100% sure that the verdict was correct is as mistaken as I would be if I said that I am 100% sure he was not to blame. This is, as I say, why appeals exist.

Roger

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