Background Mar. 23 1998Update Mar. 24 1998Update Mar. 25 1998 Update Mar. 27 1998 Update Mar. 30 1998 Update Mar. 31 1998 Update April 1 1998 Update April 2 1998 Update April 3 1998 Update April 6 1998 Update April 7 1998 Update April 8 1998 Update April 9 1998 Update The Outcome (1998 Trial) The Bail Hearing (1998) The Verdict (1999 Retrial)

(March 27) Most of today's testimony focused on character witnesses for Travis and Cheryl Miller, the parents of the deceased Jasmine Miller, and they all said that the Millers seemed like a happy family. In addition, these witnesses said, Jasmine seemed like a healthy, happy baby before her tragic death.

Baby Jasmine's pediatrician, Dr. Robert Gardner, said that the infant was normal and healthy shortly before her death and that she did not suffer from any deformities or growth and development problems. Dr. Gardner also testified that he never saw any signs of child abuse on Jasmine during his examinations. Imara Swenson, Crystal Miller's co-worker at the time of Jasmine's death, and Teresa Elmore, Crystal's supervisor, both said that the Millers appeared to be a happy couple and Jasmine a smiling, normal infant. Both Swenson and Elmore said Travis and Crystal were also responsible young parents. Another friend of the Millers, Johnny Gaines, supported the testimony of Swenson and Elmore but also said that shortly before his daughter's death, Travis said that he was considering looking for another caregiver for Jasmine.

Perhaps the most emotional testimony of the day came from Jose Oliveras, an emergency room technician who witnessed Crystal Miller's reaction when she learned that her daughter had died. Oliveras said that a sobbing, shrieking Crystal was crawling on the floor, crying, "Please don't tell me my baby's dead!" When Crystal saw Jasmine, Oliveras said, she held her and apologized for not finding a new caregiver for her. Crystal apologized to her dead child for not getting her away from Suzanne Johnson.

According to Oliveras, Travis Miller also clutched Jasmine when he arrived at the hospital and wept silently. Eventually, Crystal persuaded to call their relatives to tell them the tragic news.

The emergency room doctor who treated Jasmine on the day she died, Dr. Cynthia Hoecker, testified that based on the bruises she noticed on the infant and head trauma, she was highly suspicious that Jasmine may have been abused. The doctor had been told that Jasmine had choked on her baby food and stopped breathing. Dr. Hoecker also said that Jasmine's injuries were inconsistent with the other cases of babies choking on their baby food. (According to another witness, police officer James Boyd [who also responded to Johnson's 911 call], Johnson told him that Jasmine had choked on her food.) In addition, she had not personally seen a case where a baby dies from falling out of a high chair. Dr. Hoecker, who broke the tragic news to the Millers, later wrote them a letter saying she suspected abuse was the cause of Jasmine's death.

Carolyn Gain, a paramedic who treated Jasmine at Johnson's house and on the way to the hospital, said she found no obstruction in Jasmine's throat, despite Johnson's report that Jasmine was choking on something. Gain said Jasmine was beyond a certain revival point and attempts to resuscitate her failed.