Christian-Newsom Torture-Murders Quick Links

This page was last updated 11/12/19 @ 7:50am PT Sprocket

T&T's CASE COVERAGE


DEFENDANTS
Letalvis Cobbins
Lemaricus Davidson
George Thomas
Vanessa Coleman
Eric Boyd

VICTIMS
Channon Christian
Christopher Newsom

DOCUMENTS
Vanessa Coleman Interview Transcript

LINKS
Forever Changed Documentary - purchase link
Forever Changed Facebook Page
Channon Christian & Christopher Newsom Facebook Group Page

T&T Continuing Case Coverage
2010-2012
05/21/ 2010 Afterword by David in Tennessee - David in TN
03/02/2011 Christian-Newsom Case on ID - David in TN
06/11/ 2011 Cobbins' Motion for a New Trial - David in TN
10/23/2011 Motions For New Trials - David in TN
10/01/2011 Motions For New Trials Granted - Sprocket
01/07/2012 Torture-Murders: Five Years Later - David in TN
04/15/2012 State's Appeal Bid Rejected - David in TN
05/22/2012 Baumgartner Arrested!
05/25/2012 TN Supreme Court Stops Overturn of Verdicts
0604/12 Breaking News
06/06/12 Latest News
06/14/12 Judge Blackwood Refuses to Recuse Himself
08/21/12 Judge Blackwood Refuses to Step Down from Retrials

2013-2018
08/29/13 Christian-Newsom Murders Documentary - Forever Changed 
12/20/13 Christian-Newsom Case Synopsis 
02/12/14 Parents Speak Before Tenn. Judiciary Committee 
04/15/14 Christian-Newsom Bills Pass Tennessee House & Senate
12/12/14 Vanessa Coleman Denied Parole
09/02/15 "Forever Changed" Documentary Now Available 
01/28/18  Former Knox Co. Judge Richard Baumgartner Found Dead at Home

2019
02/07/19 Christian-Newsom Torture Murder Case Update

08/04/19 Christian-Newsom Torture Murder - Eric Boyd Trial
08/05/19 Christian-Newsom Torture Murder - Eric Boyd Trial
08/0719 Christian-Newsom Torture Murder - Day 2 Eric Boyd
08/08/19 Christian-Newsom Torture Murder - Day 3 Eric Boyd
08/10/19 Christian-Newsom Torture Murder - Day 4 Eric Boyd
08/12/19 Christian Newsom Torture Murder - Day 5 Eric Boyd
08/13/19 Christian Newsom Torture Murder - Day 6 Eric Boyd
11/09/19 UPDATE Lemaricus Davidson New Trial Bid

RETRIALS
George Thomas Retrial 
March 27th, 2013 Christian-Newsom Case: George Thomas Retrial
May 11th 2013 George Thomas Retrial Set To Begin
May 17th, 2013 George Thomas Retrial - Guilty!
May 18th, 2013 Thomas Convicted For Second Time

Vanessa Coleman Retrial
11/9/2012 Jury Selected in Vanessa Coleman Retrial
11/18/2012 Attending Vanessa Coleman's Retrial
October 23rd, 2012 One Victim or Two? Judge Blackwood to Decide in Christian/Newsom Retrial
November 8th, 2012 Christian-Newsom Case: Vanessa Coleman Retrial 
February 14, 2013 Vanessa Coleman Gets 35-Year Sentence

FIRST TRIALS
Leviltas Cobbins
August 23rd, 2009 The Christian-Newsom Torture Murder Case - David in TN
September 3rd, 2009 Verdict Reached in the Christian-Newsom Murder Case - David in TN
September 11th, 2009 Christian-Newsom Torture Murders Update - David in TN
November 7th, 2009 TruTV Replays First Trial in Christian Newsom Case - David in TN
February 25th, 2010 Sometimes There is a God: Sentencing - Donchais

Lemaricus Davidson
September 21st, 2009 Jury Selection Begins - David in TN
September 29th, 2009 Judge Delays Second Trial - David in TN
October 4th, 2009 Jury Seated in Second Trial - David in TNOctober 11th, 2009 Update Second Murder Trial - David in TN
October 17th, 2009 Second Murder Trial Starts - David in TN
October 21st, 2009 Second Murder Trial: Day 1 & 2 - David in TN
October 25th, 2009 Prosecution Rests - David in TN
October 31st, 2009 Death Sentence for Davidson - David in TN
June 13th, 2010 Lemaricus Davidson Gets Sentenced - David in TN

George Thomas
November 22nd, 2009 Third Trial Set to Begin - David in TN
December 5th, 2009 Trial Continues - Donchais
December 8th, 2009 Thomas Guilty on all 46 Counts - Donchais
December 10th, 2009 Thomas Receives Life Without Parole - Donchais
February 10th, 2010 Defense Acquittal Motion Denied - Donchais
March 4th, 2010 Thomas in Court Again: Sentencing - Donchais

Vanessa Coleman
January 28th, 2010 Families Suffering Continues - Donchais
March 5th, 2010 Did She Keep a Journal of the Crimes? - DonchaisMay 10th, 2010 Vanessa Coleman Trial Coverage - David in TN
September 17th, 2010 Vaness Coleman Sentencing - David in TN

OTHER NEWS MEDIA
Knox News Complete Trial Coverage & Video
Knox News Video Synopsis of the Crime
Knox News Jamie Satterfield Takes Questions Online

Vanessa Coleman Sentencing by David in Tennessee

This is a very belated guest entry from David in Tennessee. My apologies to David for not posting it in a timely manner. David was in the courtroom and this is his first person account. Sprocket

Vanessa Coleman Sentenced to 53 Years In Christian-Newsom Torture-Murders

David In Tennessee

The last of four suspects, and the only female, Vanessa Coleman, was sentenced to 53 years in prison on July 30 for her role in the murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. This is Knox News reporter Jamie Satterfield's story on the hearing. It has several links, including all of the stories she has written on the case, as well as videos. Here is the account by WBIR. It has several videos.

This is my story about attending three days of Coleman's trial. The jury acquitted Coleman of dozens of charges, including any involvement regarding Christopher Newsom and of Channon Christian's rape and murder. She was convicted of 17 counts of facilitation in crimes against Channon Christian, including facilitation of felony murder and facilitation of aggravated rape.

The jury, in effect, bought the defense argument that Newsom was murdered somewhere else and Coleman didn't see it. Lavitt claimed that law enforcement tricked "this little girl." Some jurors, by their questions, which Tennessee allows, wanted to blame Daphne Sutton, ex-girlfriend of ringleader, Lemaricus Davidson. During deliberations, a juror asked the court to define the word "perpetration."

My own personal opinion, from observing the jury in person for three days, hearing their questions, and the eventual verdict, is that the verdict was a compromise. I may be wrong, but I think some jurors wanted to acquit Coleman of every charge and turn her loose, while other wanted to convict on the main charges regarding Channon Christian. They compromised and went back to Nashville. Judge Richard Baumgartner decided on a jury from Davidson County, rather than Knox County. He did the same with Letalvis Cobbins, the first suspect tried (http://sprocket-trials.blogspot.com/2009/08/christian-newsom-torture-murder-case.html). This is the first story I wrote about the case. It outlines the case and describes the first trial.

I was aware the hearing was scheduled for 11 am, but entered the courtroom at 9. I saw Judge Baumgartner conduct his Friday docket, mostly probation hearings, mostly drug offenders. The judge would munch on snickers and called a break when he wanted to go to the smoking area. Three TV cameras were set up by 10:15. The judge called a break at 10:50. Outside, I spoke briefly with Hugh Newsom, Chris' father. Deputy DA Leland Price came over and told Hugh the hearing would start at 11 and the docket was cleared.

Vanessa Coleman was brought in wearing a red jailhouse jumpsuit. There were motions for retrials of the other convicted suspects. They will be heard next year.

Deena Christian then was called to the stand to give her impact statement. She said, "You call yourself a victim. I think not." Deena scoffed as she quoted Coleman's journal entry: "Lets talk about adventure. I've had one hell of an adventure since I've been in the big Tennessee."

Gary Christian followed his wife to the stand. "Young lady, you are pure evil," he told her looking directly at her. The Newsom's could not make an impact statement because Coleman was found not guilty of every charge concerning their son.

Coleman's defense attorney, Theodore Lavitt, still insisted his client was innocent and asked for a sentence of 14 years with early chance for parole. Lavitt argued that Coleman should receive mitigation because she lacked a prior criminal record. Deputy DA, Leland Price, asked for the sentences to be consecutive, rather than concurrent, which would add up to 77 years. There was also the heinous nature of the crime be taken into account.

After hearing the respective arguments, detailed above, Judge Baumgartner told the court his decision.

Prosecutors asked for 77 years. The defense asked that the sentences by concurrent. The prosecution asked that they be consecutive. The judge ruled 53 years and made them consecutive:

25 years for Facilitation of Premeditated Murder of Christian
12 years for Facilitation of Especially Aggravated Kidnapping of Christian accomplished with deadly weapons
12 years for Facilitation of Aggravated Anal, Oral, and Vaginal Rape of Christian
4 years for Facilitation of Theft from Christian

I, and everyone with whom I have discussed the case, believe it was Coleman who kicked and beat Channon Christian's vaginal area. It was anger over her boyfriend, Cobbins, raping Channon.

"In my judgement, she substantially assisted in the assaults and rapes," Judge Baumgartner said. He also said he believed Coleman knew what was happening to the victims because Christian was tortured, raped, and murdered in an 800 square foot home on Chipman Street in East Knoxville.

The judge said Coleman was a street-smart 18-year old drug user when the crimes happened and he didn't think her youth mitigated her sentence. Interestingly, the judge said the jury had given mitigation in their verdict.

"I don't think she was under duress," the judge said or dominated by her co-defendants. The judge also said a message should be sent that those who hang around bad people will get into big trouble.

Vanessa Coleman declined to speak. The Newsom's said they would have liked to hear an apology. The Christians said they would have walked out.

Before the hearing, Vanessa Coleman was interviewed by a probation officer and said she fell under a bad influence. "She said she was influenced by bad guys," the pre-sentence report states. This is different from what she said to her parents, lawyers, and police. When she left the courtroom, Vanessa Coleman smiled and winked at her family.

After the hearing, numerous local reporters were interviewing the Christians and Newsom's. I stood nearby when a reporter asked Mary Newsom if the four trials had brought closure, a question that comes in every high-profile murder trial. Mary patiently answered this and the other questions. I then wished Hugh and Mary all my best and left the courthouse.

It may not be over. It appears there are two more individuals who took part. Two unidentified sperm samples were found on Channon Christian's undergarments in a last test for DNA in 2009. It belonged to none of the suspects or their known friends, as well as not matching Chris Newsom. This news was in an October 9, 2009 article in the Knoxville News-Sentinel by Jamie Satterfield. She has done a great job in covering this case. There may be more trials in the Christian-Newsom Torture-Murder case.

Another source for this article is WATE. I also used my notes.

The Christian-Newsom Torture Murder Case Update

 Christopher Newsom, Channon Christian

Murdered January 2007

February 7, 2019
T&T is grateful to have guest contributor David in Tennessee provide an update on the Christian- Newsom case. Sprocket.

Guest Entry by David in Tennessee
I've been following major trials going back to Manson and Patty Hearst. The Christian-Newsom torture-murders are distinguished by the sheer horror, length of time, convoluted events, twists and turns.

KnoxNews.com details the horrific events. In January 2007, Channon Christian, 21, and boyfriend Christopher Newsom were abducted, tortured, raped (both of them), and killed in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Channon Christian's SUV was abandoned by the killers after wiping it down. However, a fingerprint was found on an envelope in the car. The AFIS database linked the print to one Lemaricus Davidson, with an address in Knoxville. When the police arrived, they found Channon Christian's body stuffed in a garbage can. 

Eventually five suspects were arrested. Four were tried in Knox County. One, Eric Boyd, was tried and convicted in Federal Court. More on Boyd presently. 

The four tried in state court were convicted. The "ringleader," Davidson, was sentenced to death. His half-brother, Letalvis Cobbins, to LWOP (life without parole). George Thomas was sentenced to life with parole after 50 years. The lone female, Vanessa Coleman, to 35 years. Thomas and Coleman had two trials. Why? Judge Richard Baumgartner was doing drugs and having sex with a woman who was a probationer in his court. The other defendants didn't get new trials due to rock-solid DNA evidence against them. 

In April 2018, KnoxNews.com reports a Knox County grand jury indicted Eric Boyd, who had long been suspected as one of the perpetrators. 

"The grand jury returned a 36-count presentment March 20 against Boyd, 46, including charges of first-degree murder, felony murder, especially aggravated robbery, especially aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated rape in the January 2007 case."

Authorities previously thought they didn't have enough evidence to charge Boyd. There wasn't DNA from Boyd (at the time) on the victims and he was crafty enough not to admit being in the death house, unlike the others. 

Boyd did give a lot of details in his police interrogation, but claimed he heard them from Davidson. Boyd was convicted in Federal Court of hiding Davidson and sentenced to 18 years. 

Christopher Newsom's parents had pushed for Boyd's prosecution, whom they believed raped and murdered their son. 

"Two volunteer sleuths -Tom Hyman and Kevin Cowans- have helped the Newsoms piece together evidence to present to Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen." 

The Knox County DAG has declined to say what new evidence resulted in the grand jury indictment. 

According to a KnoxNews.com story in June 2018, Cobbins and Thomas implicated Boyd in their interrogations, but those statements can't be used as evidence against him. The U.S Supreme Court ruled defendants "have the right to confront their accusers via the witness stand, not through unchallenged statements of co-defendants."

The witness list against Boyd indicates his own words will be used against him, something all suspects are told. Several corrections officers and investigators are on the witness list. 

Last week KnoxNews.com reported, Lemaricus Davidson, "ringleader" of the Christian-Newsom murders, was in Knoxville for a hearing requesting a new trial. 

One of the oddities of the whole case is Davidson and his lawyers insisting on a Knox County jury. In all the other trials, a jury was brought in from elsewhere in Tennessee. Judge Baumgartner in open court pleaded with them to have a jury outside of Knox County. He sighed when the defense lawyers still insisted on it.

Eventually, Davidson was convicted and sentenced to death. Supposedly, the defense can't use the Knox County jury as an issue for appeal. It sounds like they are doing just that.

Why did they call for a local jury? The answer is the defense talked themselves into believing 12 impartial jurors couldn't be found. And defense attorney Doug Trant suggested in testimony at the hearing, hoped not to. 

Trant said: "I told (Davidson) if we were not able to seat a jury, he could not be convicted."

The defense attorneys hoped jury selection would be "interminable" and the prosecution might offer Davidson a plea deal on a reduced charge. The District Attorney General's office had offered the defense a guilty plea to life without parole. Davidson said no, declaring he preferred death to life in prison.

After being convicted and sentenced to death, Davidson regretted his decision. 

Trant said: "I remember when he got the death sentence, he cried. He said it was one thing to anticipate a death sentence and another to actually get it."

The other defense attorney, David Eldridge, complained about the "level of publicity." 

The defense also said it was common knowledge in the legal community that Judge Baumgartner was a heavy user of painkillers. 

Davidson's conviction was nearly overturned because of Baumgartner's drug use on the bench, but the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled there was no "structural error." The defense is trying again. 

Most likely, they won't succeed, but with this case, you never know.

Eric Boyd's trial is currently set for August 2019.

The Christian-Newsom Torture-Murders Five Years Later

Channon Christian and Christoper Newsom

On the anniversary of the murders of Channon Christian and Christoper Newsom, guest writer David in Tennessee takes us back in time to remember Channon and Christoper and the horror that they suffered. Prayers are with the victim's families, who will have to sit through four heartbreaking trials again. Sprocket.

The Christian-Newsom Torture-Murders Five Years Later
by David in Tennessee

Five years ago, on the night and following morning of January 6 and 7, 2007, University of Tennessee student, Channon Christian, and her boyfriend Christopher Newsom were abducted at an apartment complex in Knoxville, Tennessee. The couple was about to drive to a party with friends when three armed men forced them into Channon's Toyota 4Runner and took them to a house about 3.5 miles away.

At the house, both were raped, tortured, and murdered. Chris Newsom was anally gang-raped. Channon Christian was raped orally, anally, and vaginally. Both were brutally beaten and cleaning fluid was poured down Channon's throat in an (unsuccessful) attempt to destroy DNA evidence.

According to the medical examiner, Channon Christian was found at the Chipman Street house in a trash can wrapped in five garbage bags. She was bound so tightly her knees were touching her cheeks. Christian was alive when placed in the trash can and died of suffocation. She had a plastic bag over her head. Her body had bruising and abrasions indicating rape with blunt trauma and an object. Her vaginal area had been kicked bloody.

The attorneys for the supposed ringleader, Lemaricus Davidson, called this "consensual sex."

Christopher Newsom, as described by the medical examiner, was raped with an object hours before he was killed. His bare feet were bound and he had been led or dragged to a railroad track a short distance from the house were Channon's body was found. Newsom's face was wrapped in a sweatshirt with a hole in it where he was shot in the head. His hands were tied behind his back and he was gagged with socks. Newsom was shot three times, the third to the head caused death. He was dead when his body was set on fire at the railroad track.

When Newsom's body was found, his mother, a genteel lady, wanted to see it. The police would not let her. She put her arms around the body bag.

The four suspects, Lemaricus Davidson, his half-brother Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, and Vanessa Coleman were arrested a few days later. Davidson was hiding in a house in Knoxville and was wearing Chris Newsom's shoes when the police found him. He took them off but they were found in a corner of the house. Cobbins, Thomas, and Coleman had fled to Kentucky. They were visiting Davidson that weekend and were at his house by chance.

Davidson, Cobbins, and apparently Davidson's friend, Eric Boyd carried out the abduction. Boyd was convicted in federal court in 2008 of helping Davidson escape. There wasn't enough evidence to charge Boyd in the murders.

It should be emphasized that the killers almost got clean away with it. Davidson's fingerprint was found on an envelope in Channon Christian's SUV. When run through the AFIS database, Davidson's name and address came up. Without this fingerprint, The police would not have gone to the Chipman street house and found Channon Christian's body.

Each of the four suspects blamed the others and claimed not to have done the killing. There was overwhelming DNA evidence against Davidson and conclusive forensic evidence against Cobbins. Thomas didn't leave any DNA but admitted to being in the house at the time, claiming he was stoned on drugs. Coleman also admitted being in the house but claimed to be a prisoner herself. Cobbins was her boyfriend.

There was also semen from two unidentified males found on Channon Christian' undergarments. The suspects said they were the only ones in the house, but they can't be trusted, to say the least.

Each suspect was tried separately. Cobbins was convicted in August, 2009 and sentenced to life without parole. Davidson was convicted in November that year and sentenced to death. Thomas was convicted a month later and sentenced to life without parole. Vanessa Coleman, the only female, was found not guilty of every charge relating to Newsom and not guilty of murder regarding Christian. She was convicted of facilitation of Channon Christian's murder and was sentenced to 53 years.

In 2011, it was learned that Judge Richard Baumgartner, who presided over all four trials, was addicted to prescription drugs that were provided by probationers in his court. Among other things, he had sex with one of his drug suppliers in judge's chambers during one of the trials. Baumgartner was eventually disbarred after resigning in disgrace from the bench.

On December 1, 2011, Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood, who took over Baumgartner's cases, overturned all four verdicts and ordered new trials for all four suspects. Judge Blackwood ruled "structural errors" made new trials necessary. This supposes that Baumgartner's drug addiction made him unsound and everything he did suspect.

The Knox County District Attorney's office has appealed Blackwood's ruling to the Tennessee Supreme Court. There is supposed to be a hearing on January 12 to set the dates for the new trials. Despite the murders taking place place five years ago this weekend, the case is still undecided. We don't know how long the Tennessee Supreme Court will take to make their decision or whether there will be any trials in 2012.

The Christian-Newsom Torture Murder Case: Motion For A New Trial!

GUEST ENTRY from David In Tennessee!

The Christian-Newsom Torture Murder Case: Motion For a New Trial

In 2009, I wrote this article that outlines the case regarding the murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom in Knoxville Tennessee on January 6 and 7, 2007. Anyone new to the case would welcome reading it. The horrific torture inflicted on the victims and the controversies surrounding the case are included in this piece and the one I wrote about the verdict in the Letalvis Cobbins trial. Cobbins was the first of the four suspects to be tried. He was convicted of the murder of Channon Christian, but only facilitation of Christopher Newsom's. Cobbins received a sentence of life without parole.

Donchais and I wrote many articles on the Christian-Newsom murders that are archived at Trials & Tribulations.

Since the verdicts for all four defendants (each was tried separately), another of the twists and turns that have characterized this case took place earlier this year. In February it was announced that Judge Richard Baumgartner, who presided over all four trials, was under a criminal probe by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Baumgartner was secretly buying pills from a probationer in his own court.

On Thursday, June 9, a hearing concerning a motion for a new trial for Letalvis Cobbins was held in front of Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood. Cobbins defense attorney, Kim Parton, refused to argue that Judge Baumgartner's addiction to prescription drugs influenced his trial rulings. Her client wanted this argument to be made.

Judge Blackwood rejected every issue Parton did make as grounds for a new trial. However, the judge said he will not issue a formal ruling until after she and attorneys for the other defendants have had time to review whether Baumgartner's addiction influenced the outcome of the respective cases.

Cobbins on Thursday made another complaint at the end of the hearing, one he had made last year at his sentencing hearing. He accused state prison officials and Knox County officers of beating him up. He said, "My face is still swollen and bruised from the beating I received this Sunday. I am asking that something be done to stop this abuse. I just want it on record."

Judge Blackwood responded, "It is noted on the record."

Channon Christian's mother, Deena, yelled out, "Did you see my daughter's face?"

Knox County Sheriff, Jimmy "J.J." Jones denied any assault.

"The truth is not in him," Jones said. "He is a lying murderer."

This report from the Knoxville NBC affiliate has a video including interviews with the parents of the victims, Hugh and Mary Newsom along with Gary and Deena Christian.

The next motion will be heard on September 8 for Lemaricus Davidson, who was sentenced to death. Cobbins will also be present for the final ruling on his motion for a new trial.

I was in the courtroom for three days of the Vanessa Coleman trial and the sentencing hearings for Davidson and Coleman. I saw Baumgartner fall asleep once during a defense cross-examination. The judge would call a break quite often. When he did, Judge Baumgartner would head straight for the smoking area.

My brother is an attorney and years ago sometimes appeared before Baumgartner. In those days, the judge would smoke on the bench during a trial. This was before the no-smoking rules in public places. Judge Baumgartner is just over 60 years old, but looks older.

My brother told me that the appellate courts would consider Baumgartner's rulings on their own merits. Walt Lewis, a former Deputy DA in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, told me that since Cobbins received a sentence of life without parole instead of death, the appellate courts are much more likely to let it stand. Mr. Lewis is the author of The Criminal Justice Club.

That said, we may not have seen the last trial in this case. Two unidentified semen specimens were found on Channon Chritian's undergarments. The DNA did not belong to any of the suspects or their known friends. The DNA databases aren't that extensive but are growing all the time. Will there be a DNA hit?

David in Tennessee

Thank you for the update on these cases David! I'm wondering if Tennessee would be willing to do a "familial" DNA search to see if they could obtain a hit on the two unidentified DNA samples. This is how the LAPD was able to capture Lonnie David Franklin, Jr., aka The Grim Sleeper, one of the most prolific serial killers ever caught in the Southwest. Sprocket.

Book Review: The Criminal Justice Club, by Walt Lewis

GUEST ENTRY by David in Tennessee
After the shocking Anthony verdict, I thought our T&T readers would appreciate a little change of pace. Sprocket.

A Review of Walt Lewis' book, The Criminal Justice Club.
By David In Tennessee

Three years ago, I bought "The Criminal Justice Club," by former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Walt Lewis. Since then, Walt and I have exchanged emails about current trials and criminal justice issues. The controversy over the verdict in the Casey Anthony trial makes this book especially relevant.

The "Criminal Justice Club" is available on Amazon and at www.waltlewis.com.

The book points out that the players in the criminal justice system are members of a club and each has their own role. Prosecutors and defense attorneys have very different ethical obligations. A DA can ethically charge a suspect only if they are certain that with the available and admissible evidence all twelve people in the jury will be convinced the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This ethical rule means that only the cases with the strongest evidence are filed. This is a safeguard against convicting an innocent person. Because of this high standard, many suspects who are guilty of serious crimes go free.

The defense attorney's role is very different. His job is to get the best possible deal for his client, often a plea bargain. The fact that the defense attorney believes or knows his client is guilty is irrelevant. A defense attorney cannot stand up in court and say "My client is guilty." If he did, the conviction would be reversed and the attorney would likely face discipline by the state bar. The attorneys for defendants like O.J. Simpson and Casey Anthony did nothing wrong by winning acquittals for their clients.

The book is critical of the media and the Los Angeles Times in particular for, among other things, not telling the truth about the gap between sentences reported and the actual time served. Credit is given to the media when warranted.

Walt praises women's groups for demanding reforms regarding sexual assaults, child molestation, domestic violence, and drunk driving. Politicians of both parties come in for criticism.

The California justice system has undergone dramatic reform since 1978. Most of this was due to ballot initiatives. Walt Lewis was a Deputy DA from 1968-2000. In the early years of his career, he would have defendants who had been convicted of murder, been paroled from prison and were back on the street committing crimes. The general public would see a news story about a convicted murderer sentenced to "life in prison." They would not know that he would be up for parole in seven or eight years. Those in the criminal underworld were very aware of it, law abiding citizens were not.

Another thing that surprised Walt upon becoming a Deputy DA was that very few murders are reported in the press. Either the suspect or the victim had to be a celebrity, wealthy, or very good-looking for there to be press coverage.

Walt discusses some of his cases. Among these are the Dorothy Mae Apartment fire and the Lois Haro murder case. There is also a "Perry Mason Moment."

When I asked Walt his opinion of the Casey Anthony verdict, he answered:

"I did start following the trial near the end. I saw the closing arguments. I don't recall if I said it in my book, but I have always believed that the most important part of any criminal trial is jury selection. These 12 people are everything. The DA cannot make a mistake with selecting one juror who will find it very difficult to convict a defendant regardless of the evidence presented. I heard that juror #4 said in voir dire that she didn't like to judge people. The DA tried to excuse her (I heard) but judge Perry would not allow the DA's peremptory challenge because she was black. If this is true, my hunch is that the best the DA could have gotten was a hung jury. I have had many prospective jurors (mostly religious) tell me that they believe it is not their place to sit in judgment of another human being. When they said this I never had a problem excusing them no matter what their race."

"In L.A. County I think it would have been unlikely we would have sought the death penalty, although I think that searching the Internet for chloroform and neck breaking and the masking tape over the nose was sufficient evidence of premeditation for 1st degree murder."

"During the trial I saw many talking heads predicting this and that. The truth is that nobody, not the DA, defense attorney or judge, can predict what a jury will do. These talking heads with all their opinions and theories mostly just fill space between commercials. I could never be a guest on these shows because most of my answers would be "I have no idea."

"The Criminal Justice Club" has given me more understanding of the criminal justice system and helped me in following trials, including writing about one. There is much more valuable information in the book than I have mentioned here.

David in Tennessee

Christian-Newsom Torture Murders: Vanessa Coleman Retrial

Vanessa Coleman at a prior court hearing.

GUEST ENTRY FROM DAVID IN TENNESSEE 
This is a delayed post from David.  He originally wrote it on Oct. 26th, but I was dealing with a sick husband and trial coverage ground to a halt. Sprocket.

October 26th, 2012
On October 25th, 2012, the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood removed from the cases of three of the four defendants in the January 2007 torture-murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.

There has been a series of hearings and decisions regarding the case since the original judge, Richard Baumgartner, was removed after he was discovered to be perpetrating crimes while on the bench.

The Tennessee Attorney General's office asked the appellate court to remove Blackwood from three of the cases on the grounds Blackwood was so upset over Baumgartner's misdeeds that he could not be objective.

The appellate court ruled a "reasonable" person would conclude Blackwood could not be objective and a new judge must be appointed.

"In summary, this Court acknowledges that Senior Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood undertook difficult tasks in presiding over the cases involved in this appeal and the State prosecution of former Judge Richard Baumgartner. We have no doubt that Judge Blackwood subjectively has made every effort to approach these cases in an unbiased manner. We, however, are required to review the record to determine if Judge Blackwood's impartiality could reasonable be questioned by an objective person."

Blackwood took over the case when Baumgartner confessed in March 2011 to official misconduct for buying prescription drugs from a probationer in his court. Blackwood gave Baumgartner official diversion, which kept him out of prison and "spared his pension."

Baumgartner, coincidentally, is now on trial in federal court.

In December 2011, Blackwood ordered new trials for all four defendants. The numerous back and fourth decisions, along with an outburst in court by Blackwood, was enough to bring in a new judge to take a fresh look at the cases.

The state did not challenge the decision for a retrial for Vanessa Coleman or Blackwood's denison in that case. Her trial is still scheduled for next month. That may change after this ruling.

There is a chance the new judge will still order new trials for the other three defendants.

Here is a video report from WBIR with comments from the parents of the victims. It includes a clip of Blackwood's outburst in court several months ago.

November 3rd, 2012
At the last motions hearing for her upcoming retrial, Vanessa Coleman had a prison hair dye of "cherry red." Now, Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood has ordered Knox County Sheriff Jimmy Jones to allow a local private hairdresser to give Coleman a new look prior to next week's jury selection for her November 13 retrial.

At first, Sheriff Jones refused without a court order. Defense attorney Russell Greene went to Judge Blackwood, who obliged. Greene said Coleman's parents will foot the bill. 

November 8th, 2012
Here is a report on jury selection which takes place tomorrow. Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday, November 13. I have a hotel room booked for five days.

David in Tennessee

I'm very excited that David will cover the first week of Vanessa's trial for T&T! Sprocket.

Sources:
KnoxNews.com

WBIR.com

Interview With Former LA County Deputy DA Paul Turley

GUEST ENTRY by DAVID in TENNESSEE

Back in April 2012, I had lunch with Paul Turley, former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney. I recently obtained permission from Paul to write about our lunch together. Paul and his wife Barbara (also a lawyer) were visiting friends in Nashville and since we were email correspondents, I scouted out a restaurant were we could meet.

Paul told me he would be wearing a vest and was traveling with a beautiful woman, his wife. I recognized them right away. Barbara is tall, slim and elegant. She was wearing a pullover sweater and slacks.

The trial we would discuss was for the murder of Thora Rose in 1963. The case was tried 30 years later in October 1993. At the time it was the coldest case ever solved by the LAPD.

This trial was referred to by Matthew McGough in his Atlantic Magazine article, The Lazarus File. The suspect, Vernon Robinson, was identified through the AFIS fingerprint database. I had mentioned this trial to Sprocket a few times.

I saw a Hard Copy segment on the trial in the summer of 1994. The piece was about 6-7 minutes long and left a lot out. I was always curious about the whole story. When I obtained Walt Lewis' book The Criminal Justice Club, that I reviewed for T&T, I asked Walt if he had heard of the case and he put me in touch with Paul Turley.

In our meeting, Paul told me a lot about trying cases. When I asked him a question, Barbara chimed in. She also knows the law front and back.

When asked about picking juries, Paul said he liked people who owned homes, blue collar people. He didn't like "PHD's." I told him about the first Phil Spector trial and the juror with multiple engineering degrees who hung the jury. Paul agreed that was the type he meant, "They want to show they're smarter than you."

Paul was in the DA's Office Career Criminal Unit when he got the Thora Rose case. A modest, self-effacing man, he gives a lot of credit to LAPD detective Mike McDonough and the other investigators.

Paul tried two high profile cases, Robinson and Charles Keating, in which he was co-counsel with William Hodgman. Barbara told me that once a local TV station showed up at the front door to do an interview. She didn't like people coming into her home but she had to go along.

CBS filmed the entire Robinson trial for a 60 Minutes episode. They thought at first he was innocent because of computer error and another man gave Robinson an alibi, claiming the two were in boot camp in San Diego at the time of the murder. It turned out the man was mistaken, Robinson and he were never together according to Navy records.

The CBS technicians gradually realized Robinson was guilty. He left 36 fingerprints in Thora Rose's apartment and he was living at home and going to a Navy training station in Santa Monica at the time. "He really is guilty," the CBS people started telling Paul during the trial.

Robinson took the stand and Paul took his story apart piece by piece on cross examination. In his closing argument, the defense attorney said computers make mistakes. In his rebuttal, Paul Turley said "I stand in opposition to the idea that someone is entitled to a free murder every 30 years."

The jury came back with a guilty verdict in 6 hours.

I asked Paul and Barbara their opinion on the overturning of the verdicts in the Christian-Newsom case, which we have covered on T&T. They both said immediately "It has to be overturned." With Judge Baumgartner buying drugs from probationers in his own court and having sex with a druggie under his supervision in judge's chambers, there is no way the verdicts would stand in California, Paul told me. The federal courts would overturn the verdicts if the Tennessee Supreme Court did not.

All in all, I spent a most enjoyable couple of hours with Los Angeles residents, Paul and Barbara Turley, who were visiting Tennessee. I've read a lot about trials in Los Angeles and elsewhere but had never talked face to face with someone who had been there and done it.

David in TN

30 Years Later, Fingerprints Bring Murder Case to Trial- LA Times

Thirty Years On, Police Computer Names a Killer- Independent

Articles on Vernon Robinson- LA Times Archive

Charles Keating Trials- Encyclopedia.com


Articles on Paul Turley- LA Times Archive

Christian-Newsom Torture Murders: Judge Blackwood Refuses to Step Down From Retrials

GUEST ENTRY FROM DAVID IN TENNESSEE!

Judge Refuses To Step Down From Christian-Newsom Retrials
David In Tennessee

Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood on Monday declined to recuse himself from the retrials of the individuals convicted in the torture-murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. The crimes took place in January of 2007 in Knoxville, Tennessee. No end of the legal proceedings is in sight.

According to WBIR, Knoxville's NBC affiliate, "Blackwood's decision was swift and without explanation."

Knox News reported, Knox County Assistant District Attorney General Leland Price made what a defense attorney called an "unrelenting attack" on Judge Blackwood's fitness to preside over the case

Last December Blackwood ordered new trials for the four defendants. This resulted from a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe which revealed former Judge Baumgartner was buying drugs from probationers in his own court while presiding over the Christian-Newsom trials. Baumgartner was forced to resign from the bench and is now facing trial in federal court.

The state appealed and the Tennessee Supreme Court narrowed the grounds for new trials but left the door open for Blackwood to opine that he could not act as "13th juror." Blackwood has indicated he might uphold the verdicts in the first two trials because there was overwhelming DNA evidence against those two defendants, Letalvis Cobbins and Lemaricus Davidson.

The third defendant, George Thomas, has asked for a retrial on the original date in October. Blackwood has yet to rule on the matter. The state does not contest the ruling for a new trial regarding the fourth defendant, Vanessa Coleman. Baumgartner's impairment was caught on camera during Coleman's trial.

In an unusual move, Price personally attacked Blackwood . He argued Blackwood was so upset by Baumgartner's  conduct that he ruled for new trials without considering the state's argument that Baumgartner gave the defendants a fair trial.

Thomas' defense attorney, Robert Lillard, said the prosecutors were "not used to losing." Dillard noted Blackwood had granted new trials in two other cases formerly handled by Baumgartner and the state had not asked for recusal in those.

WBIR interviewed the victims' parents.

From the WBIR article and video:

"I cannot, I will not let that man sit on my daughter's trials without a war," said Gary Christian, Channon Christian's father.

"This is 283 times we've been here, standing right here," said Hugh Newsom, father of Chris Newsom. "It'll be six years in January of next year. Right now, what do we have?"

"Our kids need the justice, that's what we promised them we would do for them, and it's just been a rough road, and it seems like it's getting rougher, taking a toll on these families. Every single day we think of our kids and hope that they will get the justice that they deserve," Mary Newsom said. "It's just hard to keep coming here over and over again and not accomplishing anything, not getting done what we want to happen. It's depressing, it makes you feel bad when you leave, nothing seems to go your way."

Prosecutors will now discuss the issue with the state attorney general to decide whether to appeal directly to the appellate court.

Also, Cobbins asked the judge to remove his attorney, Kim Parton from his case. This will likely happen. Parton was all smiles. She will be glad to leave Cobbins.

The only thing that looks likely at the moment is that Vanessa Coleman's case will be retried as scheduled this fall.


T&T Coverage QUICK LINKS of CHRISTIAN-NEWSOM Cases

Christian Newsom Murders: Parents Speak Before Tennessee Senate Judicary Committee

GUEST ENTRY by DAVID in TENNESSEE!

Parents of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom Speak Before Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee by David In TN

On Tuesday, February 11, the parents of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom traveled to Nashville and appeared before the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee unanimously approved two bills they said can ease some of the heartbreak they suffered in the Tennessee judicial system.

On Saturday night, January 6, 2007, Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23, were carjacked, tortured, and murdered. 

Four suspects, Letalvis Cobbins, Lemaricus Davidson, George Thomas, and Vanessa Coleman, were convicted during 2009-10. Cobbins received a sentence of life without parole. Davidson was sentenced to death. Thomas received life without parole and Coleman was convicted of facilitation of the crimes against Channon Christian for a sentence of 53 years.

George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman each received a second trial.  Thomas was convicted again, but his sentence was life with the possibility of parole after 50 years. Coleman was convicted on 13 counts, down from 17 in her first trial, resulting in a sentence of 35 years, down from 53.

I attended three of the seven trials in the Christian-Newsom case, two sentencing hearings, and one motions hearing. I spoke several times to Hugh Newsom, father of Chris, and heard Gary Christian make several comments during breaks in trial. 

The parents were unhappy with some of the sentences, in particular the life sentence for Letalvis Cobbins, brother of ringleader Lemaricus Davidson, and the sentence for the lone female defendant, Vanessa Coleman.

When I met Hugh Newsom before Coleman's second trial in November 2012, he told me it was because of "the idiot judge" that the case was being retried. (The retrials were caused by the drug conviction of Judge Richard Baumgartner.) Of Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood, who replaced Baumgartner, Mr. Newsom said "I don't like this judge either."

During the retrial last May of George Thomas, Gary Christian said he would "never, ever let anybody forget."

The first bill was the Chris Newsom Act, which would modify Tennessee's "13th Juror" rule. Former judge Baumgartner went through four verdicts and four sentencing hearings without bothering to affirm the verdicts as 13th Juror as required by Tennessee law.

Judge Blackwood overturned all four verdicts, saying he could not act as 13th Juror without seeing testimony. After presiding over the Coleman retrial, Blackwood affirmed the verdict as 13th Juror.

Under the new law, a judge is required to act as 13th Juror immediately after a jury's unanimous verdict. Since Baumgartner left the bench, Knox County judges have been doing exactly that. 

Judge Walter Kurtz, who replaced Blackwood for the George Thomas retrial, quickly acted as 13th Juror when Thomas was again convicted. Judge Kurtz previously overturned Blackwood's ruling for retrials and upheld the guilty verdicts for Cobbins and Davidson because of overwhelming DNA evidence against both.

The second bill passed by the Senate committee was the Channon Christian Act and is supposed to prevent defense attorneys from making up stories out of whole cloth about a deceased victim. Deena Christian, Channon's mother, said attorneys for defendant Lemaricus Davidson "lied to everybody about our daughter," falsely claiming Channon "had associated with Davidson and used drugs." 

Her autopsy revealed Channon Christian had no drugs in her system and she had to pass a drug test to have her job. There was no evidence such as cell phone records that the murdered couple knew their killers.

Both bills passed 9-0 without debate beyond sponsor Sen. Randy McNally explaining them and senators expressing sympathy for the families and appreciation for their testimony.

Mary Newsom testified for the first bill and Deena Christian for the second.

The parents will return to testify before a House committee in two weeks. 

My sources for this story were the Knoxville News Sentinel and WBIR, Knoxville's NBC station. I also used my own observations at the trials I attended or watched by live stream.

The Christian-Newsom Torture Murder Case: Third Trial Set to Begin

GUEST ENTRY by DAVID in TENNESSEE!

A jury was selected this week for the trial of George Thomas, the third suspect to be tried in the Christian-Newsom torture-murder case. Because of extensive publicity in Knoxville, Tennessee, the jury was chosen in Chattanooga and will be taken by bus to Knoxville and sequestered in a hotel. Opening statements are set for December 1.

The jury was originally made up of 5 white men, 5 white women, 1 black woman, and 1 black man. However, the black man was excused when he revealed that his sister had been murdered. He was replaced by a white woman. The defense agreed to this man being excused.

Here is my outline of the case and account of the first trial of Letalvis Cobbins, who was convicted in August and sentenced to life without parole. His half-brother, Lemaricus Davidson, is considered the ringleader and was convicted in October and sentenced to death.

The trial of George Thomas will be different from the first two and is the toughest yet for the prosecution. There is no forensic evidence linking Thomas to the crimes. No DNA links Thomas to the victims. Cobbins, in his police interview, said that Thomas shot Newsom. This will not come into the upcoming trial. This means there will be no eyewitness or forensic proof pointing to Thomas.

There is, however, evidence placing Thomas inside Davidson's house at the time of the abduction. Davidson's ex-girlfriend has testified three times that she saw Thomas in the house after Newsom's death and at a time when Christian is believed to have been held alive in a bathroom or dying inside the trash can. Thomas, in his police interview, admitted to being in the Chipman Street house during at least part of the crime spree, and supposedly told of riding around in Christian's SUV.

The prosecution will attempt to label Thomas criminally responsible for the January 2007 murders regardless of whether he did either himself. Lead prosecutor Takisha Fitzgerald said of a legal provision known as criminal responsibility, "That's what this case is all about." In the state of Tennessee, if you are present while a murder is taking place, you are responsible if you do not report it or try to stop it.

A hearing took place on Friday which had some potentially explosive developments. Knox County Sheriff's Detective Nevil Norman testified that Thomas told him "**** that white girl, she don't mean nothin' to me. You cops come into my neighborhood and kill us. Why should I get involved in something that is none of my business."

Norman said the comment came after he had turned off the tape recorder he had been using to interrogate Thomas. After the interview was over, Norman said he asked Thomas if he should have called someone about what was going on in the Chipman Street house where Christian and Newsom were held hostage before they were killed and Thomas gave that statement in reply.

Newman said he was "shocked" by the statement but did not write it down for 17 months when he met with prosecutors and revealed the alleged statement to them. Prosecutor Leland Price asked him to write a memo about the statement. The memo was dated June 24, 2008.

The defense counsels, Tom Dillard and Steve Johnson, questioned why Norman failed to document such a shocking statement. Norman answered that there was "so much other stuff in this case we were trying to get organized I just didn't write it down."

The defense attorneys are asking Judge Richard Baumgartner to keep jurors from hearing the statement. Dillard said that it is irrelevant and not an admission of guilt. The defense also accused the prosecution of "playing the race card." Price argued that the statement showed Thomas' motive in being involved in the crime spree. The judge said he will rule in the coming days.

Prosecutors also said Friday they want to introduce a phone call between Thomas and his then girlfriend, Stacy Lawson, into evidence. In the call, Lawson asked where Christian was being kept that weekend. Thomas said she was kept in Davidson's room. Lawson then asked why Thomas didn't call the police and said the victims didn't deserve what was done to them. Thomas replied, "Should have, would have, could have."

Prosecutors said Thomas' comment shows that he knew about the murders and did nothing. Thomas benefited from the crimes by driving Christian's Toyota 4Runner, prosecutor Takisha Fitzgerald argued.

"All Channon is to Thomas is an SUV," Fitzgerald said. "We are not trying to bring race into this but these are the facts."

Judge Baumgartner said Friday was the first time he heard about the phone call. He will rule on whether he will allow the phone call or the comment by Thomas in the trial.

The main source for the above is the Knoxville News-Sentinel. The source for the testimony about the phone call was the Knoxville TV station WATE.

David From Tennessee

Thank you so much David, for all your hard work in covering this horrific case. Sprocket.

Death Sentence in Christian-Newsom Torture-Murder Trial

GUEST ENTRY by DAVID in TENNESSEE!

On Wednesday, October 28, 2009, Lemaricus Davidson was found guilty of the murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. Davidson was considered the ringleader of the 5 individuals who have been charged. Eric Boyd was convicted in ferderal court of accesory to carjacking in 2008 and sentenced to 18 years. Davidson's half-brother, Letalvis Cobbins, was convicted of the murder of Channon Christian last August and sentenced to life without parole. 

Davidson was defended by two prominent Knoxville attorneys appointed by the court, Doug Trant and David Eldridge. Surprisingly, Davidson insisted on a Knox County jury, despite advice to the contrary from Judge Richard Baumgartner. His attorneys agreed with their client. Opinion was running high against the defendant. Why did he and his lawyers not want an outside jury? The answer seems to be in the tactics employed. The defense was to smear the two victims. There is no other word for it. They thought this would change the perception of the case. 

Here is my outline of the case written in August. The accepted story was that Christian and Newsom were carjacked by a gang led by Davidson. Cobbins testified in his trial to taking part in the carjacking which brought the victims to Davidson's house on Chripman Street. In his police interview, Davidson admitted the pair was brought to his house at gunpoint, but claimed he wasn't involved, and had never seen the couple before. He also said his DNA would not be on Channon Christian. It was. 

At the trial, attorneys Trant and Eldridge claimed that Christian and Newsom were out looking to buy drugs and came to the Chipman Street house voluntarily. Some druggie friends of Davidson provided dubious testimony of seeing the victims in the area. This is recounted here. This put the prosecution on the defensive for part of the trial. Marijuana was found in Newsom's truck and a small amount in his toxicology report. Christian's toxicology report showed her clean of drugs, and she had passed several drug screens for employment.

There was no credible evidence that the victims had ever met Davidson. Cell phone records showed neither had ever made or received calls from the defendant. The defense claimed that Davidson's DNA was on Channon Christian because of "consensual sex," after which Davidson went on his dope selling run while the other members of the gang killed the couple. 

Channon Christian's injuries were recounted by the medical examiner. She was found in a trash can in the kitchen wrapped in five garbage bags. She was bound so tightly her knees were touching her cheeks. Christian was alive when placed in the trash can and died of suffocation. She had a plastic bag over her head. Her body had brusing and abrasions indicating rape with blunt trauma and an object. Davidson's sperm was in both Christian's vaginal and anal region. Cobbins sperm was in her mouth and vagina. Her vaginal area had been kicked or beaten bloody. 

Does this sound like consensual sex?

Chris Newsom, according to the ME, was raped with an object hours before he was killed. His bare feet were bound and he had been led or dragged to the railroad track. Newsom's face was wrapped in a sweatshirt with a hole showing in it where he was shot in the head. His hands were tied behind his back and he was gagged with socks. Newsom's was shot three times, the third to the head caused death. He was dead when set on fire at the railroad track. 

When Newsom's body was found, his mother, a genteel lady, wanted to see it. The police would not let her. She put her arms around the body bag.

This is only a brief account of what was done to the victims. The first time I watched the ME's testimony on the live stream, I cried. The second time, I was in a cold rage.

In most murder trials, the prosecution puts it together in the closing argument. The lead prosecutor, Takisha Fitzgerald (TK), did exactly that. She spoke to the jurors for over an hour Monday without notes making a passionate call for justice. TK framed it by playing Davidson's own police statement in which he admits the couple was brought to his house. She questioned his motive for sullying the couple's reputation. TK described the horrors the couple suffered. "The only thing that matters is giving these two kids justice," Fitzgerald said.  

The jury found Davidson guilty of both murders. At the sentencing phase, the defense brought in a series of social workers who tried to help Davidson. He had received chance after chance to change his life but went back to crime each time. In 2001, Davidson was convicted of carjacking and was paroled in 2006. His former foster parents (white incidentally) testified at the hearing and offered him a job in New Orleans rebuilding after Katrina. Instead, Davidson went to Knoxville to sell drugs and commit robberies. In January 2007, the murders of Channon and Chris occured. There was no objective reason for mitigation. On Friday, the jury of 7 men and 5 women voted for death. One of the men was black, normal for a Knox County jury. 

"The murder was especially heinous, atrocious, and cruel," the foreman said, reading the verdict form for Newsom. The same was said regarding the murder of Christian.

Davidson was taken to death row at Riverbend in Nashville Tennessee. 

In my first article on this case, I wrote that the 6 days of the Cobbins trial was harder to get through than both Spector trials combined. The Davidson trial was even worse. Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom were good and decent young people with a promising future who died in unspeakable agony.

  

Here is a complete archive of articles by the Knoxville News Sentinel.

A professional writer needs to write a book about the case to do this story justice. This is the best I can do. 

David From Tennessee

Thank you David for your excellent coverage of this horrific case.  I know it has been very emotionally draining for you to write about the trials and T&T is greatly appreciative of your efforts. Sprocket.

Lemaricus Davidson Gets Sentenced

GUEST ENTRY FROM DAVID IN TENNESSEE!

The Davidson Sentencing Hearing by David In Tennessee

On Friday morning, June 11, I went to the courthouse in Knoxville, Tennessee for the sentencing hearing for Lemaricus Davidson, the convicted ringleader in the torture-murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. Davidson was convicted of the murders on October 28, 2009. The jury sentenced him to death after the penalty phase two days later. This hearing is for the sentence on the remaining charges. Here is my account of the trial of Davidson's half-brother, Letalvis Cobbins, and an outline of the case.

Around 10:30 pm on the night of January 6, 2007, Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom were abducted from the Washington Ridge apartments. They were taken to a house at 2316 Chipman Street. There, they were raped and murdered. The couple died after hours of agonizing torture. Chris Newsom was dragged by a dog leash around his neck to a railroad track. He was naked from the waist down and his hands were tied behind his back. Chris' face was wrapped in a sweatshirt and his mouth was gagged with his own socks. His bare feet were bound. He had been raped with "an object" as well as by unknown males. At the tracks, Newsom was shot three times. The killers inflicted as much pain as possible. His body was set of fire, which destroyed the DNA evidence and made it impossible to identify which of the killers raped him.

When Chris Newsom was found, his mother wanted to see the body. The police would not let her. Mary Newsom put her arms around the body bag.

Channon Christian's body was found in a trash can in the kitchen of Davidson's house. The medical examiner testified that Channon's body was "crammed" in five large trash bags. She was "hog-tied." Davidson's palm print was found on a bag. Channon had a plastic bag over her head and her eyes were open. Her body indicated that she was raped by an object causing blunt trauma. DNA evidence showed that she was raped by Lemaricus Davidson anally and vaginally. Semen from Davidson's half-brother, Letalvis Cobbins, was found in her mouth. Her vaginal area had been beaten bloody. Channon Christian died of "lack of oxygen" in the trash can.

Here is my account of the death sentence handed down by the jury in Lemaricus Davidson's trial last October. The defense tactic in this trial was to claim that the victims came voluntarily to Davidson's house to buy drugs. In addition, it was claimed that Channon had "consensual sex" with Davidson. The defense attorneys were doing what their client wanted as Davidson likes to be in control. The prosecution was able to show that the victims had no prior contact with the suspects. Davidson had told a completely different story to the police when first captured.

Davidson left his fingerprint on an envelope in Channon's abandoned Toyota 4Runner. Without this print, which traced Davidson through the AFIS database, the killers might have gotten clean away with it. In addition, when captured, Davidson was wearing Chris Newsom's shoes.

Although I was aware that the sentencing hearing would begin at 11am, I entered Judge Baumgartner's courtroom before 9am. The judge arrived at 9:07 to take care of the day's docket. It was mostly probation hearings. The probationers would stand before the judge beside their attorneys with their hands clasped behind their backs and a humble expression. Some had probation continued. One man's ended and the judge told him to "behave himself." There were some prisoners in jailhouse stripes who had hearings on court dates. The judge sometimes chewed on a Snickers bar. At 10:05, the judge stopped proceedings and went to smoke in the area designated.

At 10:20, someone comes in and sets up a TV camera. Another camera comes in at 10:40. By 11:00, there are 3 TV cameras. There is a break before the hearing begins. Outside the courtroom, I speak briefly with Hugh Newsom, Chris' father. A member of the DA's office comes by and tells Mr. Newsom that he can let loose this time in his victim impact statement.

The mood in the courtroom is relaxed, although Gary Christian is somewhat wound up as usual. Davidson is brought into the courtroom at 11:12. He wears an outfit with TDOC Maximum Security on the back. His nickname is "Slim," which he no longer is. To me, he appears to be glad to get out of his cell on death row and make the trip. Davidson is still directing his attorneys. Davidson now has the goatee he had shaved off for the trial in which he wore a sweatshirt similar to the Menendez brothers. At 11:16, the judge takes the bench. About a dozen deputy sheriffs watch the audience. Prosecutor Takisha Fitzgerald details Davidson's prior offenses. There are a lot of them, as his criminal career started in 1994 at age 13 with carjacking and home invasion.

My impression of Davidson is that he still thinks he will get out of the death sentence. Former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney, Walt Lewis, in his book "The Criminal Justice Club," wrote that sociopath criminals are always optimistic.

The defense attorneys contest everything in the style Casey Anthony's team is using. The judge munches on Snickers while the defense argues against consecutive sentences. This goes on until 11:40 when the judge calls a break. During the break, Mr. Newsom is standing beside me. I say regarding the defense lawyers, "Still wasting time." Mr. Newsom replies, "They get paid by the hour." This hearing was supposed to take an hour. Davidson's attorneys, David Eldridge and Doug Trant, made it last almost 3 hours.

At 12:01, the victim impact statements begin with Deena Christian, Channon's mother going first. They are the most powerful I have ever heard. Denna looks straight at him and calls Davidson an animal. Davidson stares back. He is stoic at first but looks defiant as the statements go on.

Gary Christian tells that he dreams of he and his son "giving you a lil' East Texas justice." Referring to the defense tactics in the trial, Gary says anyone who speaks against his daughter "is my enemy." Gary says he will do "everything in my power to have that needle stuck in you as soon as possible." He also said he intended to live to see it. Gary ended his statement by saying, "You rot in hell." When leaving the stand, Gary paused and looked straight at Davidson. For a moment, it looked like he would jump him, but he returned to his seat.

Chris' sister takes the stand and quotes scripture. Her father comes next. Defense attorney Doug Trant objects to Hugh Newsom bringing up Davidson's criminal past. This angers victim's parents. Mary Newsom then says, "Lemaricus Davidson, you are a hateful, evil person."

Judge Baumgartner then handed down the sentences. He sentenced Davidson to 80 years on various charges, including especially aggravated robbery. especially aggravated kidnapping and especially aggravated rape. The defense attorneys argued every charge, mostly concerning consecutive versus concurrent sentences.

The judge ordered the 80 years to be served consecutively to the death penalties. In a move that the judge said was probably unprecedented, he ordered the death sentences to be consecutive.

"This is one of the most incredibly outrageous, cruel, and inhumane cases this court has ever seen," Baumgartner said. "How people can engage in this type of activity is just unexplainable. There really is no sentence great enough to punish you for the conduct you have been convicted of."

The judge took into account that Davidson had numerous chances to straighten himself out. At age 16, an affluent white family took him in. They testified for him at the penalty phase of Davidson's trial. They gave him a car and he played on the sports teams at their private school. Davidson still went back to a life of crime. The judge finally said, "For you I have no mercy."

It is safe to say that Davidson is as bad a criminal as has been seen since Charles Manson. Incidentally, the defense asked for a hearing in February 2011 to argue for a new trial. In March 2011, Davidson will be brought back to Knoxville to be tried for robbing a Pizza Hut the the day after leaving his house with Channon Christian's body inside.

For this piece, in addition to my notes, I used WATE reporter Hanna Kim's twitter report, WATE, the Knoxville News Sentinel archives along with Donchais's blog, Calls For Justice.

Jury Seated in Second Christian-Newsom Torture-Murder Trial

Guest Entry from David in Tennessee!
T&T is honored to have our regular contributor, David from Tennessee bring us the latest on the Christian-Newsom case.

In Knoxville, Tennessee, on the night of January 6, 2007, Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom were abducted from an apartment house parking lot. They were taken to a house three and a half miles away and raped, tortured, and murdered.

Chris Newsom was raped and then led blindfolded, gagged, and barefoot to a set of railroad tracks. He was then shot dead and his body set on fire.

Channon Christian death came after hours of sexual torture. She suffered horrific injuries and was not only raped, but savaged with an object according to the medical examiner. Bleach was poured down her throat. She was "hog-tied" and placed inside a large garbage can. Christian died slowly of suffocation.

The first suspect to be tried, Latalvis Cobbins, was found guilty on August 25 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. A jury was seated on Friday, October 2, for the trial of Lemaricus Davidson, Cobbins' half-brother, the alleged ringleader.

The jury is composed of seven women and five men. One of the men is black, the rest are white. Three extra alternates have been chosen for a total of six. The extra alternates were picked because the trial will not start until October 19. The delay is because of special DNA testing and the absence of the medical examiner, Dr. Darinka Mileusnic-Polchan, who is on vacation. The ME was the best prosecution witness in the first trial.

Davidson is facing the death penalty. He had demanded the right to a Knox County jury despite Judge Richard Baumgartner asking him to reconsider due to the outrage in the community over the most heinous crime in the area in memory.

During voir dire, Davidson's attorneys gave a few clues to their trial strategy. It is apparent they are not conceding anything. They told prospective jurors that Davidson sells and uses drugs. One of his attorneys admitted that Davidson's semen was on Channon but says jurors should "wait and hear all the evidence."

The defense attorneys say that just because Channon's body was in Davidson's house doesn't make him guilty. The gist of the defense seems to be that Davidson is the victim of his freeloading brother (Cobbins) and his pals. Davidson's attorneys were appointed by the court and are two of the best in Knoxville. They have an expensive jury consultant who usually works in white-collar cases. The jury consultant is being paid by Tennessee taxpayers.

During his police interrogation, Davidson said his DNA would not be on Channon Christian. It was. A lot of it. He also claimed to be out selling drugs while the murders were taking place.

Davidson's fingerprints were found on a bank envelope in Channon Christian's SUV and run through the database. This sent the police to Davidson's house. They found her body in a garbage can. Davidson's prints were also found on Christian's pay stub, her Blockbuster rental card, and on the trash bags that held her body. This is in addition to the DNA evidence.

The jurors have been instructed not to read or watch anything about the trial over the next two weeks. The night before the trial starts, they will be sequestered in a Knoxville hotel.

The information on the voir dire came from twitter updates during Friday's jury selection by Jamie Satterfield, the reporter for the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

David From Tennessee