Channon Christian 21, Missing TN - BF Chris Newsom found dead (BODY FOUND)

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=121165&catid=2
Coleman's attorney promised the jury in opening statements last week that they would hear from his client at the end of her murder trial. But the judge told Coleman Monday the decision to testify is hers alone.
 Updated: 5/10/2010 6:51:25 PM    Posted: 5/10/2010 9:53:02 AM
Vanessa Coleman is expected to testify in her own defense Tuesday morning. Judge Richard Baumgartner advised Coleman Monday afternoon the decision whether to testify is hers alone, and cannot be held against her.

Coleman is charged in connection with the 2007 kidnapping, rape, and murder of Knoxville couple Chris Newsom and Channon Christian.

Three men are already in prison for those crimes.

On the sixth day of testimony in Vanessa Coleman's murder trial, the prosecution rested at 11:40 a.m. Monday.

The defense began presenting its case after a lunch break. Assistant US Attorney David Jennings was the first witness defense attorneys called Monday afternoon.

He said he prepared an immunity request form and sent it to Washington, DC for authorization in January 2007.

Jennings said at first federal investigators thought Vanessa Coleman could be a witness in a federal carjacking trial against 4 men. The immunity request form kept that option open.

However, "Vanessa Coleman was never granted immunity," Jennings said.

Coleman's sister, Aja, took the stand late in the day Monday to tell the jury her sister never touched a gun.

Earlier, Knox County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Darinka Mileusnic-Polchan was the prosecution's last witness Monday morning, leaving the jury with a last impression of the injuries the two victims suffered.

She stepped off the witness stand to demonstrate with a mannequin. She showed the trajectory of three bullets recovered from Chris Newsom's body.

She also showed photographs from his autopsy and Channon Christian's autopsy.

The graphic photos showed Newsom's burned nude body, his ankles bound with his own belt, and his own sock stuffed in his mouth.

The medical examiner summed up her findings for the jury.

"The main cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds. The manner of death was homicide. In addition to that there were some other findings of importance such as blunt trauma to the body mainly in the anal genital region and also the body was severely burned," Mileusnic-Polchan said.

She detailed Christian's injuries and said she found no evidence of strangulation. Instead, Christian suffocated. Coleman told investigators she saw Lemaricus Davidson "snap" Christian's neck.

Defendant Vanessa Coleman put her head down on a table for most of the testimony and her mother, Linda Coleman, left the courtroom.

The parents of the two victims looked away most the time.

The jury paid attention with solemn faces.

After the medical examiner showed the photos of Christian's body, the lights in the courtroom were turned on and there was a loud noise. A man sitting in the audience fainted. Bailiffs helped him sit up and he appeared to be ok. He left the courtroom.

Coleman is charged with murder in the January 2007 deaths of Christian and Newsom. If convicted, she could face the death penalty.

Her then-boyfriend, Letalvis Cobbins, was convicted of Christian's murder and facilitation of Newsom's murder. He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole.

Cobbins' brother Lemaricus Davidson, said to be the ringleader behind the abduction, rape, and murder, was convicted of both first degree murders and has been sentenced to die.

Cobbins' friend George Thomas was convicted of both murders and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole.

****************
Interesting comments.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/may/10/torture-slaying-trial-day-6-state-rests-after-auto/
Torture-slaying trial, Day 6: Prosecutor grilled about dealings with Coleman
Posted May 10, 2010 at 11:49 a.m. , updated May 10, 2010 at 4:37 p.m.
KNOXVILLE - A federal prosecutor today spent nearly three hours on the witness stand in Knox County Criminal Court as he was pressed to explain why torture-slayings suspect Vanessa Coleman was initially offered immunity.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Jennings told jurors in Coleman's trial there was no proof Coleman "physically participated" in the crimes committed against slaying victims Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23, at the time an immunity offer was drafted a week after the January 2007 killings.

He said the offer was drafted in anticipation that Coleman would invoke her right against self-incrimination before a federal grand jury considering the federal offense of carjacking in the case. She didn't, and the deal was never struck, he said.

However, Jennings said he didn't believe Coleman's account of the crimes.

"She lied under oath," he said. "Immunity was off the table."

Although summoned by Coleman's defense team, Jennings quickly proved key to state prosecutors trying to prove Coleman is criminally responsible for the crimes.

"I don't know how anyone in that house wouldn't know what was going on," he said. "That's a tiny house. (Christian) was raped by more than one person in that house."

Jennings said he also did not believe Coleman's claim she never saw Newsom in the Chipman Street house where the couple was taken after being abducted. He said Coleman's boyfriend, convicted killer Letalvis Cobbins, admitted Newsom was led into the house along with Christian.

Earlier in the day, the state wrapped up its case, presenting forensic testimony from Knox County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Darinka Mileusnic-Polchan.

Autopsy photos were so gruesome a spectator passed out. A similar reaction came during convicted ringleader Lemaricus Davidson's trial last year.

Mileusnic-Polchan told jurors Newsom was raped at least an hour before his death in January 2007. He was shot three times and his body set on fire, she said.

Christian was repeatedly raped over several hours before she was stuffed alive into a trash can, where she suffocated, she said.

The medical examiner discounted Coleman's claim that Davidson "snapped" Christian's neck.

However, she agreed with defense attorney Russell Greene that it is possible Christian's neck was encircled with Davidson's arm and temporarily passed out.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.volunteertv.com/home/headlines/93270674.html
Vanessa Coleman's Christian-Newsom trial, Day 6
Updated: 8:59 PM May 10, 2010
Prosecutors rested their case on the sixth day of testimony in Vanessa Coleman's double murder trial. Coleman is the only woman charged with the January 2007 carjacking, kidnapping, rape and murder of Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23. She faces the death penalty. Volunteer TV's Mario Boone is in the courtroom, and will be providing up-to-the-minute courtroom information on Twitter.com, just follow @WVLT. You can watch the trial live, gavel-to-gavel, on VolunteerTV.com.
Posted: 9:05 AM May 10, 2010
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Emotions ran high as the chief medical examiner who performed autopsies on Channon Christian and Chris Newsom testified about their deadly injuries..

During the medical examiner's testimony an unidentified man collapsed in the audience at the sight of the gruesome pictures.

Tensions ran high as a loud gasp was heard from spectators seated in the courtroom.

And Vanessa Coleman broke down several times as pictures of Newsom's burned body and pictures of Christian stuffed in a trash can were shown on big screen projector.

During all this at least one juror appeared teary eyed at the sight of the autopsy photos.

Needless to say the Christian and Newsom families were very upset, including Channon's best friend, who also broke down in tears.

Legal expert and defense lawyer Bruce Poston said the medical examiner's testimony is nearly impossible for the defense to oversome. Poston also said it will be very difficult for jurors to forget images of the victims during deliberations.

The prosecution rested after the medical examiner's testimony. Up next, Coleman's lawyers will put on its proof to create reasonable doubt in the jury. And, all it takes is one juror to say not guilty.

----

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Prosecutors rested their case on the sixth day of testimony in Vanessa Coleman's double murder trial. Coleman is the only woman charged with the January 2007 carjacking, kidnapping, rape and murder of Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23. She faces the death penalty.

Volunteer TV's Mario Boone is in the courtroom, and will be providing up-to-the-minute courtroom information on Twitter.com, just follow @WVLT.

You can watch the trial live, gavel-to-gavel, on VolunteerTV.com.

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/may/11/torture-slaying-trial-day-7-no-testimony-defendant/
Torture-slaying trial, Day 7: Jury deliberations set for Wednesday

    * By Jamie Satterfield
    * Posted May 11, 2010 at 9:40 a.m. , updated May 11, 2010 at 3:15 p.m.

Photo by J. Miles Cary // Buy this photo
Gary Christian listens to court proceedings Tuesday morning.
TK hammering idea Coleman never called mom throughout week of carjacking, killings #cntrial
Jamie Satterfied, http://twitter.com/jamiescoop
KNOXVILLE - Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner has indicated jury deliberations in Vanessa Coleman's murder trial will begin Wednesday.

The defense rested before lunch today on behalf of torture-slayings defendant Vanessa Coleman. Lawyers are presenting closing arguments.

Coleman is accused of playing a part in the killings of Channon Christian, 21, and Chris Newsom, 23, in January 2007.

She faces the threat of the death penalty. The defense argues she played no direct role in the killings. The prosecution, however, argues

she is criminally responsible.
The trial is in its seventh day in Knox County Criminal Court.

This morning, Coleman's parents took to the witness stand, telling jurors a federal agent repeatedly assured them that their daughter was a witness, not a suspect.

Greg and Linda Coleman insisted U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Agent Bernard Waggoner led them to believe Coleman would not be charged with any crimes related to the killings of Christian and Newsom.

"He said he would protect her from the beginning (of the probe)," Greg Coleman testified. "He said, 'I'm going to keep my word.'"

Linda Coleman conceded Waggoner did not believe her daughter's initial accounts of the crimes.
"I told her you need to tell the truth and tell them everything you know about (the other suspects)," Linda Coleman said. "She said she was afraid because she saw what Lemaricus (Davidson) had done. She just started crying really, really hard. She said, 'Momma, I saw some really bad things.'"

Linda Coleman said she believes her daughter was herself a hostage and insisted boyfriend Letalvis Cobbins continued to keep control over Coleman's actions after the pair returned to Kentucky from Knoxville after the slayings.

Davidson was sentenced to death in the case after a trial last year. Cobbins and pal George Thomas are serving life terms with no possibility of parole.

Defense attorney Ted Lavit told jurors in opening statements that Coleman herself would testify.

Coleman did not, however.
It's not clear why she didn't, but Lavit told Judge Richard Baumgartner he agreed with her decision to stay silent.

More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel.

[trimmonthelake]

That photo breaks my heart.   

[Leroy]

KNOXVILLE - The fate of the final defendant in the killings of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom is today in the hands of a Knox County Criminal Court jury.

Judge Richard Baumgartner met with jurors this morning and made a change to the instructions he had given them Tuesday.

The jurors left the courtroom around 9:20 a.m. to begin deliberating.

Vanessa Coleman, accused of a role in the January 2007 killings of Christian, 21, and Newsom, 23, faces a possible death sentence if convicted.

At 11:30 a.m., the jury returned to ask Baumgartner to clarify the meaning of the phrase "criminal responsibility" in their instructions.

The judge re-read to them the part of the instructions that he said was "the key language" they should rely on for determining criminal responsibility.

Coleman's boyfriend Letalvis Cobbins, and George Thomas are serving life terms with no possibility of parole. Lemaricus Davidson, identified as the ringleader, was sentenced to death.

Coleman did not testify. Her parents testified that they, and she, were led to believe by a federal agent that she would not be charged if she cooperated in the case. Linda Coleman said she feels her daughter was herself a hostage and under Cobbins' control.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Jennings testified that Coleman's version of the slayings contradicted Cobbins' account. Vanessa Coleman said she never saw Newsom inside the Chipman Street house of Davidson, who is Cobbins' brother. Cobbins said that both victims were taken back to the house, blindfolded and bound.

Jennings said he found Cobbins' account more credible because, by admitting he knew the victims were being held captive, he was admitting his own guilt.

More details as they develop online and in Wednesday's News Sentinel.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/may/12/torture-slaying-trial-day-8-jurors-begin-coleman-d/

[Leroy]

That photo breaks my heart.   

Mine too, Trimm.  I hope someday these families can find some peace    

[Nut44x4]

Jury acquits woman of murder in torture slaying caseThe Associated Press
Originally published: May 14. 2010 3:01AM
Last modified: May 14. 2010 12:02AM

KNOXVILLE — A jury acquitted Vanessa Coleman of murder charges Thursday in the torture slayings of a young Knoxville couple but convicted her of facilitating crimes against one of the victims.

The verdict means Coleman cannot be sentenced to death in the kidnapping, rape and murder of 21-year-old Channon Christian and 23-year-old Christopher Newsom in January 2007. Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner scheduled sentencing for Coleman, who is from Lebanon, Ky., for July 30.

As Baumgartner read the counts, the foreman of the jury — which was chosen in Nashville — repeated “not guilty” to the majority of them, stating “guilty” only on 17 accusations that Coleman facilitated crimes including murder, rape and robbery against Christian. The reading of the verdict was seen on a live broadcast by a Knoxville television station.

The jury's decision came on the ninth day of the trial.

Newsom's bound, naked body was found along a railroad track near the Knoxville rental home where the crimes took place. It had been set on fire.

Christian's body was found stuffed into a trash can and the medical examiner ruled she had suffocated.

Prosecutors said the crime began as a carjacking because the defendants wanted Christian's sport utility vehicle.

In previous, separate trials, Coleman's boyfriend Letalvis Cobbins and George Thomas were convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Lemaricus Davidson, who prosecutors said was the ringleader in the crimes, was convicted and sentenced to death.

http://www.thedailytimes.com/article/20100514/NEWS/305149986

[Nut44x4]

http://www.wbir.com/pdf/05112010_coleman_verdict_form.pdf

[Leroy]

What a crying shame...so you can sit back and watch two defenseless people be raped and tortured for hours then killed and basically get a slap on the wrist?     

Lets just hope the judge stacks her sentences...I certainly don't want this girl out on the streets anytime soon!

[trimmonthelake]

http://sprocket-trials.blogspot.com/2010/05/christian-newsom-murder-trials.html
Friday, May 21, 2010
Christian Newsom Murder Trials: Afterword by David in Tennessee
Guest Entry from David in Tennessee!

The trials for the torture-murder of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom are over. There were four, one for each suspect. There was a fifth in 2008 of Eric Boyd in Federal Court for accessory to carjacking. Boyd was convicted and sentenced to 18 years for assisting the ringleader, Lemaricus Davidson, to escape.

The first trial saw Davidson's half-brother, Letalvis Cobbins, convicted of the rape and murder of Channon Christian and facilitation of the murder of Christopher Newsom. Cobbins was sentenced to life without parole. Here is my account of the Cobbins trial, along with an outline of the case. It includes the medical examiner's testimony.
The second trial resulted in the conviction of Lemaricus Davidson for both murders. He was sentenced to death. Davidson will be sentenced on the remaining charges on June 11.

In the third trial, George Thomas was convicted on all counts and was sentenced to life without parole.

In the last trial, Vanessa Coleman, the only female suspect, was found not guilty of both murders and of all charges relating to Newsom. Coleman was convicted of facilitating the first degree murder, kidnapping, rape, and theft of Channon Christian. The sentencing hearing for Coleman will be held on July 30.

I attended two and a half days of Coleman's trial. This is my account. There were some things I didn't write while the trial was still going on. My account of what I saw is from notes I took at the time.
The jury, as I wrote, looked unemotional, but their questions were revealing. Once, after defense attorney Theodore Lavitt finished a cross examination in which he yelled at the witness, several jurors were eager to ask questions. I saw one of them practically throw the question at the judge. The questions asked indicated an obsession with Daphne Sutton being "let off' and the thought that the authorities tricked and cheated Coleman. This is just what the defense was implying.

At noon on Thursday, I went to a coffee shop on the same floor as the courtroom for lunch. Standing in line, the entire defense team was standing behind me. The lead defense attorney. Mr. Lavitt, was right next to me. They were discussing trial strategy and didn't seem to care if anyone heard them (this was true of everybody). I couldn't keep from hearing what Lavitt said. He was saying (I thought) that the journal could hurt but Coleman's letters to her parents were "all right." Lavitt spoke in a clinical way, unlike how he sounded when cross examining.

On Wednesday, I heard someone give a pungent opinion of Lavitt's cross examination. He described it as like "watching a dead snail crawl down the aisle."
When the journal entry about Vanessa's "HELL OF AN ADVENTURE in the big T.N." was read on Friday afternoon, Lavitt looked beaten to me. I forgot to check the jury's reaction but they had no questions, for about the first time all day. It now appears by the verdict that most jurors paid no attention to the journal.

A woman sat next to me on Thursday and Friday. On Friday, she asked me if the medical examiner would testify that day. I answered that Lavitt's cross examinations had taken so long that she would not. The woman looked relieved and said, "I'm glad I won't have to watch it." We knew about the testimony the ME was going to give, along with the gruesome photos. On Monday, I watched the live stream of the medical examiner's testimony. Once, the camera panned over the audience. Sure enough, the woman I talked to was in the same seat as on Friday, watching the same testimony.

The key to how the trials went was each suspect having a separate trial. This enabled each suspect to blame it on the others. Cobbins blamed Davidson. Davidson blamed Cobbins. Thomas claimed to have been stoned. Coleman said she was a victim held against her will and the jury found her guilty of facilitation only.
The victims' families had to sit through five trials (counting Eric Boyd's federal trial) and hear the horrible details and see the awful photos. In Davidson's trial, the defense attorneys said that Channon and Chris came to the Chipman Street house voluntarily to buy drugs. They also said that Channon had "consensual sex" with Davidson.

The suspects had the best defense attorneys in Knoxville appointed to represent them free of charge. Theodore Lavitt is a Kentucky attorney hired by Coleman's parents. When their money ran low, Lavitt was paid by the state of Tennessee.

A few months ago, I reread Vincent Bugliosi's book on the Charles Manson case, "Helter Skelter." Former Los Angeles prosecutor Walt Lewis, author of "The Criminal Justice Club (a book I recommend to T&T readers)," told me by email that the Christian-Newsom case was about the worst he had heard of since the Tate-Labianca murders.

A big difference is that Manson, Krenwinkel, Atkins, and Van Houten were all tried together. This was Manson's idea. Tex Watson was tried and convicted separately, but would have been tried with the others if not for his family's political influence which delayed his extradition from Texas.
If we didn't already know it, the Christian-Newsom trials have shown that there is no slam dunk in a murder trial.

Donchais did an outstanding job covering the Coleman trial on her blog. Jamie Satterfield's articles at the Knoxville News Sentinel can be found at this archive.

[trimmonthelake]

http://sprocket-trials.blogspot.com/2010/06/lemaricus-davidson-gets-sentenced.html
Sunday, June 13, 2010
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.
he 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.

[trimmonthelake]

http://sprocket-trials.blogspot.com/
Friday, September 17, 2010
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.

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.wbir.com/news/article/193674/2/Four-defendants-in-Christian-Newsom-case-granted-new-trials
Judge grants new trials in the Channon Christian, Chris Newsom murders
8:10 PM, Dec 1, 2011   
Video at link.
The four defendants -- Lemaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman -- have all been sent back to prison, where they will stay through the new trials.

Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood presented a detailed account of illegal and unethical behavior by former judge Richard Baumgartner to feed a painkiller addiction prior to, during, and after the murder trials.

Because of the double jeopardy rule, none can be found guilty of any higher crime than their previous convictions. That means only Davidson is again eligible for the death penalty.

The victims' families are now bracing for the new trials, which could take years.
 ::snipping2::

 ::snipping2::
Previous story

Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood has granted the motions for new trials for all four of the defendants convicted in the murders of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom.

The judge announced his decision just after 1 p.m. Thursday after a lengthy explanation involving a projector. Click here to see the information Judge Blackwood used to make his decision.

The trials of the four defendants were presided over by former Judge Richard Baumgartner, who was removed from the bench after admitting he had an addiction to prescription painkillers.

The file of the TBI investigation, which had been sealed from public view up until Thursday, outlined evidence that Baumgartner was likely impaired while presiding over those trials. Witnesses in that investigation told of years of prescription drug abuse by the former judge, who reportedly doctor-shopped and associated with at least two convicted criminals in order to get the painkillers.

The evidence included Baumgartner's abuse of hydrocodone, oxycodone, oxycontin, and more. He reportedly obtained much of that medication from Deena Castleman, who was a drug addict herself. Baumgartner apparently visited her in the hospital, where the two did drugs. The report said he also used drugs and had sex with her inside his chambers.
Judge Blackwood was visibly upset when making his decision but said, while he could not point to a transcript that showed Baumgartner was high during the trials, he said, "Use your common sense."

He said he felt for the families and all of those who worked so hard on the cases, but he had no choice but to grant the retrials.

Mary Newsom, the mother of victim Chris Newsom, said she was angry with Baumgartner. Newsom told reporters she felt like four years of her life had been wasted.

Motions will next be heard in the case January 12th at 9:30 a.m.
 ::snipping2::

Document......
http://www.wbir.com/pdf/12111_CNDOCUMENTS.pdf


OMG! 

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/02/clerks-office-releases-155-pages-of-tbi-of-ex/
Clerk's office releases 155 pages of TBI investigation of former judge Richard Baumgartner

    By News Sentinel staff
    Posted December 2, 2011 at 2:24 p.m., updated December 2, 2011 at 4:01 p.m.

 ::snipping2::
After ordering new trials Thursday for defendants Lemaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman, Blackwood did order a redacted version of the file to be released today.

What has been released chronicles Baumgartner’s addiction to and abuse of pain pills, trysts in his office, drug deals with felons on a tax-payer funded cell phone and snorting pain pills with a former probationer in the Drug Court, which he oversaw.

Baumgartner resigned earlier this year, pleaded guilty to official misconduct and received a suspended two-year sentence from Blackwood, who also granted him judicial diversion. He also got to keep his state pension.

Baumgartner was later stripped of his law license.

More details as they develop online and in Saturday’s News Sentinel.

[trimmonthelake]

Related

    Judge Blackwood gives his opinion on former judge Richard Baumgartner's actions 0 comments
http://www.knoxnews.com/videos/detail/judge-blackwood-gives-his-opinion-on-former-judge-
    Courtroom scenes: Hearing to overturn convictions in Christian, Newsom murders
http://www.knoxnews.com/photos/galleries/2011/dec/01/hearing-overturn-convictions-christian-newsom-murd/

[iluvmua]

I hope this story eventually is told on 20/20, 48 Hours Mystery & Dateline.

These 5 have NO soul, NO nothing. I truly believe they would have done this to their own race if it happened to be a black couple instead of a white couple. I really think they would have killed, tortured anyone that night regardless of skin color.

This is probably one of the worst crimes I have ever heard of.

I can't even begin to imagine the fear and physical pain Chris & Channon (esp. her) felt as they were being raped, tortured and killed.

And it absolutely sickens me that they can not get higher punishment than they already have.

I hope someone eventually writes a really good true crime book about this horrific, horrific case.
 

[cartfly]

I hope this story eventually is told on 20/20, 48 Hours Mystery & Dateline.

These 5 have NO soul, NO nothing. I truly believe they would have done this to their own race if it happened to be a black couple instead of a white couple. I really think they would have killed, tortured anyone that night regardless of skin color.

This is probably one of the worst crimes I have ever heard of.

I can't even begin to imagine the fear and physical pain Chris & Channon (esp. her) felt as they were being raped, tortured and killed.

And it absolutely sickens me that they can not get higher punishment than they already have.

I hope someone eventually writes a really good true crime book about this horrific, horrific case.
 

I agree these bottom feeders are trash. This case has haunted me for a long time and have a difficult time reading about it. Prayers to Chris and Channon's family for strength and some kind of justice.

[KittyMom]

OMG...I can't believe those poor families have to go through these trials again.  I tried to follow but I just couldn't stomach the way the defense raped Chris and Channon all over again.  There will be a special pit in hell for the attys and their clients.

[MuffyBee]

OMG...I can't believe those poor families have to go through these trials again.  I tried to follow but I just couldn't stomach the way the defense raped Chris and Channon all over again.  There will be a special pit in hell for the attys and their clients.

ITA KittyMom.