Sunday, October 11, 2009

Update: Second Christian-Newsom Murder Trial

GUEST ENTRY from David in Tennessee!

Here a new 16-minute video produced by the Knoxville News-Sentinel about the Christian-Newsom Torture-Murders. It tells you about the victims and their parents, the effect on the community, and a feel for the area. This is my first entry for T & T which outlines the case.

It was announced on Thursday that a specialized test in Virginia on Channon Christian's underwear found sperm for two men that does not match the DNA of any defendants or suspects in the case or the DNA of boyfriend and fellow victim Chris Newsom. This could mean that two more suspects were in the house that night taking part in torturing the victims. It could also be cause by the underwear being thrown into a bag were other clothes were. The defense was happy over this because they hoped it would pass blame to people besides Davidson. They want to forget that Davidson's DNA was all over Channon, along with his fingerprints on several items belonging to her, including an envelope in her SUV.

If I were the prosecution, I would ask the defense, "Have your client tell us who these other men are and we will arrest them."

Another motion was made by the defense on Thursday. Davidson's attorneys accused the Knox County Sheriff's office of copying a letter from Davidson to his attorneys that was about strategy and trial issues and turning it over to the prosecution, violating the confidentiality between defendants and attorneys. They asked Judge Baungartner to toss out the case as a result. Mail from jail inmates is regularly intercepted because of the possibility of escape plans or an order to intimidate a witness. Communication to attorneys is not supposed to be opened.

Part of the hearing will be over whether the letter had anything affecting trial strategy. Some people think the case will be thrown out either by the judge or at the appellate level. Bruce Poston, a leading local defense attorney (he defended Eric Maclean) was quoted as saying it probably would not get the case thrown out.

In a motion filed Friday, the state is planning Davidson's sentencing hearing. The prosecutors want to show jurors childhood photos of Christian and Newsom. This was not allowed in the first trial of Davidson's half-brother, Letalvis Cobbinns. The jury was allowed to see childhood photos of Cobbins. This will also be taken up in the hearing on Thursday, October 15.

David From Tennessee

Thank you David, for keeping T&T's readers up-to-date on this horrific case. Sprocket.

3 comments:

donchais said...

Thanks for the update David.

This is just so awful, but the video just really undid me. I kept looking at the faces of the parents and trying to even imagine their anguish.

Anonymous said...

David,
Thanks so much for keeping up with this trial. I used to rely on Thirteenth Juror but they are closing their site as of January. I bookmarked the paper in Tenn so that I could keep up with this case. One certainly will not get any information on the large news outlets! Surely, it will not get thrown out. Even if it does, I don't believe the accused will be walking around for long. There is so much horror and so much rage ignited by this crime.
I live in North Carolina and this case has just rocked me to the core. I have this video on my Facebook and my Myspace with just a request to pray for the families.
Thank you again, I will be reading and watching on October 19th. God speed healing on these people. Penny in Small Town, North Carolina

Anonymous said...

Judge Baumgartner ruled today he will not dismiss the case against the alleged ringleader of the torture-murder Lemaricus Davidson. The judge also said he will not remove the prosecutors.

This was regarding a letter that Davidson had sent to his attorneys. The judge found that the breach was unintentional and the DA's office did not know it was legal mail. The ruling is there was no prejudice to the case.

This information is from Twitter updates by Jamie Satterfield, Knoxville News-Sentinel reporter.

David From TN