Death for Lemaricus Davidson

Knoxville News Sentinel

via knoxnews.com

By Jamie Satterfield

October 30, 2009

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KNOXVILLE - A Knox County jury this afternoon sentenced convicted torture-slaying ringleader Lemaricus Davidson to death by lethal injection for the January 2007 murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.

The jury of five women and seven men deliberated about four hours before returning its decision to a packed courtroom. “The punishment is death,” the jury foreman said.

The victims' families gasped at the verdict, but Davidson showed no reaction. Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner admonished those in the courtroom to control any outburst.
“The murder was especially heinous, atrocious and cruel,” the foreman said, reading from the verdict form for Newsom...

Davidson's brother, Letalvis Cobbins, 26, was convicted in August and is serving life without parole. He is in a protective safety unit away from the general population at a West Tennessee prison after expressing fears for his safety.

Pending trial are suspects George Thomas, 26, who will face a Hamilton County jury Dec. 1, and Vanessa Coleman, 21, whose case is on hold pending a pre-trial appeal.

A fifth suspect, Eric Boyd, 37, remains uncharged in the killings but is serving an 18-year federal prison term for hiding out Davidson after the slayings...

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Read entire article here

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My own prediction is that "G" Thomas will end up with life without parole, although I can't remember what DNA evidence the state has against him. Both Cobbins and Coleman stated in the initial interrogation that they heard/saw Davidson hand Thomas a gun and said he needed to do something that would allow Davidson to trust him, leading me to believe it was Thomas who shot Chris Newsom. I don't find Thomas' statement anywhere--maybe he lawyered up fast.

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Coleman probably will end up with life with possibility of parole in 51 years. That will make her about 70 if she lives that long. OK with me. As I see it she deserves that for stupidity if nothing else. What I understand is she was running from a warrant in Kentucky when she left with Cobbins for Knoxville. She seemed to have been taught to 'know her place' i.e., do the cooking, cleaning and provide Cobbins with sex on demand. She would have us believe that from Saturday night until Monday morning she was in an 800 sq. foot house and never heard a peep out of the woman on the other side of a sheet who was being tortured for hours.

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Instead she said she was pissed off that Cobbins was in there having sex with another girl. Particularly stupid is Cobbins telling Coleman he was just checking to see if the girl was alright; Coleman said, "how could she not be alright? She was tied up. Common sense." Did it ever occur to her that simply being tied up made her NOT alright? Or did she just not care, one way or the other?

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And in all the statements, they all claim to have 'humanely' provided Channon with cups of water. And no one yet has claimed any responsibility for anything. Just pointing fingers at the others.

Jury finds Lemaricus Davidson guilty on 46 Counts

News Sentinel

Knoxville News

via knoxnews.com

October 28, 2009

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee - A Knox County jury today put torture-slaying alleged ringleader Lemaricus Davidson on the path to death.

With a sweeping set of guilty verdicts on all murder counts, the five-woman, seven-man jury set the stage for the state's bid Thursday to seek Davidson's life as punishment for the January 2007 deaths of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.

"The people of Knox County are the ones who took care of our kids today," said Deena Christian, mother of Channon Christian.

"We finally have the justice our kids deserve," said Mary Newsom, mother of Chris Newsom.

Jurors also found Davidson, 28, guilty of the kidnapping and robbery of the couple, rejecting defense claims the pair went willingly to Davidson's Chipman Street house.

They also deemed him guilty of multiple rapes of Christian, 21. They were unable to conclude whether Davidson raped Newsom, 23, and instead returned lesser verdicts of facilitation of Newsom's rape...

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read more from knoxnews.com here
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Read all 46 Criminal counts here (Knoxnews.com)

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The only emotion this bastard has ever shown was his bawling during the initial interrogation on January 11, 2007, because he had gotten caught and this afternoon when when the guilty verdicts just kept on coming. He did some heavy blinking to hold back tears--again tears for himself only.

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Where is Davidson's mother? Where is his father? Or does mama know who the father is? Why isn't she in the courtroom supporting her son? Where was she when Cobbin's went down? The family was represented by a sister and a cousin. Even your family doesn't like you, Marcus.

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It will be interesting to see tomorrow who the defense is going to drag into court for mitigating arguments.

Lemaricus Davidson trial: Torture slayings case in hands of jury

Slaying victims’ families preview impact statements
By Jamie Satterfield
October 28, 2009

Knoxville TN--In the final round of closing arguments Tuesday in the trial of alleged torture slaying ringleader Lemaricus Davidson, both sides accused the other of trying to fool jurors with unsupported claims.

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“The prosecution has said they can’t tell you a story,” defense attorney David Eldridge told jurors. “What the prosecution did … was they made one up.”

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“(Davidson’s) story is totally absurd,” prosecutor Leland Price countered. “You haven’t been presented with a story (by the prosecution). What you’ve been presented with is a first-degree murder case.”

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...Eldridge argued earlier Tuesday that Davidson is innocent of all the crimes, including rape, even though the defense concedes DNA proof of “sexual intercourse” between Davidson and Christian. Although Eldridge never used the term “consensual,” the implication was clear.

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...Price told jurors that Christian and Newsom walked out of Washington Ridge apartments with jobs, money, loving families and friends, transportation and bright futures. Davidson, he countered, had none of those things when their paths crossed that fateful night. “He had no job,” Price said. “He had no money. … He had no ride. He had no girlfriend.” When the fatal encounter ended, Price said, the tables had turned.

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“(Christian) lost everything, just like her boyfriend,” he said. “Suddenly things are looking up for Mr. Davidson, because now he’s got (Christian’s) clothes to give to his girlfriend. He’s got a nice ride (in Christian’s SUV). He’s offering money as well to his girlfriend. He took everything they had and everything they were going to have. He took it.”

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...The judge is allowing the families to present photographs of the couple when they were alive, a move denied to them in the August penalty phase hearing in Cobbins’ case. Cobbins’ life was spared by a Davidson County jury, in favor of life in prison

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read entire article here

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Gene Patterson on twitter
Jamie Satterfield on twitter

Lemaricus Davidson Trial, October 26, Jury retires for night

Knoxville News

knoxnews.com

By Jamie Satterfield
Posted October 26, 2009

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KNOXVILLE - A Knox County Criminal Court jury chose this afternoon to retire for the night after hearing the first round of prosecutors' closing arguments in the trial of torture-slaying alleged ringleader Lemaricus Davidson. (Great job Ms Fitzgerald!)

Defense attorneys will begin their arguments Tuesday morning, followed by the final arguments from the prosecution...

Jurors did not hear from Davidson, 28, who opted not to testify about the January 2007 slayings...

read entire article here

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today by Gene Patterson on twitter

today by Jamie Satterfield on twitter

Lemaricus Davidson Trial, October 24, 2007

The Prairie Chicken
October 24, 2009

Defense Attorneys for Lemaricus Davidson began the day asking for a mistrial due to the assistant DA's attorney's fainting spell yesterday when photo's of the victims were shown to the jury. She assured the judge it was the testimony as a whole rather than a photo that caused her ailment and the Judge accepted the explanation, instructing the jury to disregard it.

A second Medical Examiner testified that the lack of Channon's saliva being tested was unnecessary, because Channon's DNA would be all over the jeans.

The State rested their case this morning.

First defense witness was Ethel Freeman, a drug buddy of Davidson's who lived in the apartments where Christian and Newsom were kidnapped, and said she had expected him that night but he did not show up. She called him at 3:00am Sunday and said he was out of breath and talking fast. She swore to seeing Christian and Newsom on Saturday night between 9 and 10:00pm at a gas station close to the Chipman house. Interesting, in that the victims were alleged to have been carjacked at about 9:05pm. She had no proof that this ever happened and it reeked of stink, imo.

Next, the defense found a neighbor who testified that he had seen Christian with Davidson days before the crime was committed, getting out of a green Grand Am with another woman and going in Davidson's house. Prosecutor Fitzgerald showed him a picture of Stacey Lawson's green Grand Am and he said that was the car. I don't know how he could mistake a short fat girl with short dark hair for a tall thin girl with long blond hair, but that's me. But Stacy Lawson and her car were gone days before the murders.

The defense continues on Monday, with Davidson having until then to decide if he wants to testify on his own behalf against his attorneys advice, and giving up his secret "priors" if he DOES testify and is still convicted.

Lemaricus Davidson Trial, October 23, 2007

First witness Jennifer Millsap, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. She testifies on DNA evidence found on both bodies, the victims clothing, and the bindings of each. Davidson and Cobbins are both identified on Channon’s body. She testifies that pink panties with Christian’s DNA and that of an unidentified person were found inside Christian’s purse.

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Jurors spent much of today listening to testimony from Knox County Medical Examiner Dr. Darinka Mileusnic-Polchan and viewing the horrific photographs of the injuries suffered by Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. As the photo’s are shown Mileusnic explained various details, including the damage done to Chris before he was shot to death, and step by step photographs as Channon was removed from the trash can and unwrapped. After being orally, anally and vaginally raped, she was kicked repeatedly in the pubic area. “This is not just a rape”, she said, as assistant to the district attorney's office, attorney Karen Manning fainted.

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Davidson’s attorneys are contending that Channon had consensual sex with Davidson, and his semen everywhere else was caused by “transference”. Unfortunately, in his January 11 interview with Knoxville Police, he denied having ever seen her before in his life.

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The trial will continue in Knox County tomorrow, Saturday, October 24, and Judge Baumgartner expects the case to go to the jury by Monday evening.

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I hope it is going better than it sounds to me, although TK Fitzgerald is doing a very vigilant job of laying out the evidence and rebutting every defense suggestion.

DA Assistant faints in courtroom

UPDATE: Davidson defense witness scared

Jamie Satterfield (jamiescoop) on twitter

Lemaricus Davidson Trial; Thursday, Oct 22

The Prairie Chicken
October 22, 2009

Testimony today covered the flowered torn sheet that was used for binding both Newsom and Christian and came from a set in Davidson's house. It ties Newsom's death to Christian's, and back to Davidson's house. Daphne Sutton testified yesterday that the sheet set was one she didn't care for and had put in the closet in the back bedroom, off the kitchen.

Tim Schlade of KPD testified on Davidson's palm print recovered from one of the trash bags in which Christian's body was found. Palm print as well as finger prints were abundant on the trash bags. Juror's asked a couple of questions, one being whether there was trash or garbage in the trash can at all, that would explain Davidson's palm print. The answer was they were all fresh bags, containing nothing but Christian's body. The other question involved the time lag between when the prints were placed there and when they were identified as the defendants. I don't understand the significance of the question.

I like Tennessee's ruling that jurors are allowed to submit questions to the judge to be asked of the witness. Yesterday the judge chuckled and said he could not ask the question. I really want to know what the question was...

KPD firearms expert Patricia Resig talked about the slugs found in Newsom's body, two could be matched to each other, but were of a common variety that could possibly be common to many many cheap .22 semi-automatics. Her testimony was moot.

For the rest of the day the courtroom heard Davidson's taped interview at the Knoxville Police Department at about 4pm on January 11. Davidson's attorney had argued against the interview being presented at trial.

TBI agent says use of same cloth links crimes to Davidson's house
Voice mail calls part of mystery in slayings
Web Extra: Read unedited transcript of Lemaricus Davidson's interrogation
Analyst can't prove all bullets in Newsom's body from same gun

Lemaricus Davidson Trial day 3

Right: Lemaricus Davidson

The Prairie Chicken
October 23, 2009
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Wednesday morning the most interesting testimony came from Lemaricus Davidson's girlfriend Daphne Sutton. She testified that Davidson had called her Sunday morning and asked her to come by and get some clothes that he had "bought" for her. When she arrived she took the items in a Penney's bag only to find out later they were used clothing and too big for Daphne. She says when she was going into the bathroom to pick up some personal items, he stopped her and wouldn't let her enter. In Cobbins trial it was discovered that while Daphne was at the house, Channon was being held by Coleman in the bathroom.
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Daphne testified that Eric "E" Boyd was there that morning and that she didn't like him, because Davidson had told her that Boyd did not like white people. She told what she knew about the guns kept at the house and was fully aware that Davidson sold drugs and robbed small businesses as his way of making a living.
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Kassie Suttles, one of the girls Daphne was staying with, said that Davidson showed up on Monday evening about 10:30pm and spent the night. The news of Newsom's body being found by the railroad tracks was all over the news on Tuesday. Having seen Davidson in a car matching the Toyota and weighing out all of the other information, she asked him to leave (she was facing her own day in court for marijuana sales, and didn't need involved in a murder).
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Two cell phone experts testimony consisted of explaining the cell tower positioning and pings. The last call on Channon's phone was to her dad at 12:33am on January 7 and cell phone records show the call was made from the Chipman house. That phone call pinged from the Cherry Hill tower, which is how the family was able to find her car so soon, they started searching a grid of the Cherry Hill tower service area.
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Barney Waggoner, ATF, testified about the arrest of Cobbins, Thomas and Coleman in Franklin, Kentucky at the apartment of Stacy Lawson, George Thomas' girlfriend. They confiscated her computer and a search of the house found Channon Christian's purse there, the one Coleman said Davidson had given her. He stated that the house was messy and they collected numerous items, including brass knuckles. In yesterday's testimony, one of the defense attorney's confronted her about a letter she had written to Davidson after the murders and arrests, one where she tells him that she wants to have sex with him...
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read more here:
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Gene Patterson's twitter coverage
TBI scientist testifies bleach-like chemical found on victim's clothing
Channon Christian & Chris Newsom Trial coverage

Lemaricus Davidson Trial day 2

The Prairie Chicken
October 20, 2009

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This morning the victims mothers were put on the stand and asked various questions; Channon's mother identified her daughters clothing, discussed the last times she spoke with her daughter and described the futile attempt to get Knoxville Police involved, until Chris' body was found Sunday, mid-morning. By then the family had already found the car based on a grid search of the area of the last cell tower use from Channon's phone.

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Both mom's were asked about their knowledge of Channon and Chris' drug use, which was apparently recreational. Channon had a small amount of alcohol in her system and Adderall, a drug prescribed to her brother. Chris had marijuana in his system and his friend said yesterday that he had removed a small amount from Chris' truck after the murders.

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Channon's golf shoes were found in Davidson's house. What in the hell did he think he was going to do with ladies golf shoes?

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Stacy Lawson took the stand last, after the landlord of the Chipman property that Davidson and his girlfriend Sutton had leased. Stacy is the girlfriend of George "G" Thomas, due to be tried next. Stacy is a rubeneque white woman who had driven Thomas, Cobbins and Coleman down to Knoxville from Kentucky on December 28. She stayed there over New Years and went back alone on January 2, before the murders. Her testimony consisted of the drug usage (everyone), the guns in the house and Davidson having gotten mad at her, threatening her, just prior to her leaving.

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Another question asked and answered was what type cigarettes were smoked by occupants of the house during her stay. She testified that Davidson, Cobbins, Thomas and Coleman all smoked Newports. It was much earlier reported (not in court today) that a Newport cigarette butt was found at the scene of Newsom's death.

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For articles read:
Gene Patterson's Twitter coverage (excellent)--thank you Gene!
Knoxville News
WBIR.com

Lemaricus Davidson trial: Judge warns families about commenting to/on lawyers

knoxnews.com
By Jamie Satterfield
Posted October 19, 2009

KNOXVILLE - A Knox County judge this afternoon threatened to remove from the courtroom relatives of a couple at the center of a torture slaying if they make any more derogatory comments to or about attorneys representing alleged ringleader Lemaricus Davidson...

In a surprising move he publicly ordered the relatives not to make comments about the defense team to the media...

The incident came after Davidson's attorney Trant asked witness Josh Anderson, who was a friend of Newsom's, what he removed from Newsom's truck after the 23-year-old went missing. "We had gotten his weed, his marijuana," Anderson said.

...Defense attorney Scott Green, who represented Davidson's brother, Letalvis Cobbins in August, made it a point to say throughout the trial that he did not intend to sully the reputations of either victim. Trant's question shows that Davidson's defenders are not so squeamish.

In opening statements this morning, Eldridge said the "gang from Kentucky" killed the Knox County couple and set Davidson up to take the fall...Davidson's defense made clear that they will seek to blame Cobbins, Cobbins' pal, George Thomas, and Cobbins' girlfriend, Vanessa Coleman.

Cobbins was convicted of rape and murder but escaped the death penalty.

read entire article here

Transcript of the Jan. 11, 2007 interrogation of Letalvis Cobbins

Transcript of the Jan. 31, 2007, interrogation of Vanessa Coleman

Lemaricus Davidson Trial day 1: Opening statements set today

Right: Lemaricus Davidson

Alleged ringleader of killings in 2007 gets his wish of Knox jury

knoxnews.com

By Jamie Satterfield
October 19, 2009 am

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Knoxville, Tennessee--

...The courtroom will be packed with family and friends of the slain couple and, authorities expect, more than a few angry gawkers. Davidson himself will be flanked by plain-clothes Knox County Sheriff’s Office deputies and seated with two defense attorneys who have found themselves and their families the subject of death threats serious enough to rate an FBI probe.
And, he will face two prosecutors perched atop a mountain of forensic evidence linking Davidson to the crimes and an account by Davidson...

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The prosecutors themselves handed the defense fodder in the form of two mystery male DNA profiles on underwear saturated with Christian’s DNA. That, coupled with a statement from Cobbins’ attorney that Davidson was claiming in jail calls he had dated Christian, has fueled rumors Davidson might seek to defend himself by trashing the reputation of his victims...

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It could be a clever strategy that will become clear in the next two weeks of trial. Or it could turn out to be just what Davidson lamented to Flores back in January 2007. “Ya’ll know now,” Davidson said of what happened to the couple. “Ain’t nothing I can do … that’s gonna (sic) save me or gonna (sic) help me.”

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read entire article here

Read Lemaricus Davidson January 2007 statement here

No DNA match for sperm found on Channon Christians underwear

Right: Channon Christian

Knoxville Tennessee

October 8, 2009

knoxnews.com

Knoxville News Sentinel

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KNOXVILLE - A specialized test shows sperm found on a pair of torture-slaying victim Channon Christian's underwear does not match the DNA of any defendants or suspects in the case or the DNA of boyfriend and fellow slaying victim Chris Newsom.

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...For now, the sperm source remains unknown. Defense attorneys for alleged ringleader Lemaricus Davidson, facing trial this month in Knox County Criminal Court, sought the testing with hopes of clarifying the source of the sperm...

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Authorities allege Davidson led his brother, Letalvis Cobbins, and two other defendants in carjacking, raping and killing Christian and Newsom.

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Eric Boyd has been identified by prosecutors as a suspect in the killings but so far has only been convicted of related federal accessory charges. So it couldn't be Eric Boyd?

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Christian's body was found in a trash can in Davidson's rental home and Newsom's burned body was found along railroad tracks near the house.

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Davidson, who faces the threat of the death penalty, is to be tried Oct. 19 in Knox County.

Cobbins has been convicted and faces life in prison without a chance for parole.
Co-defendants George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman are awaiting trials.
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read article here

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While my heart did thud for a second when I read the above article, after having pondered 'n such, I don't worry about this development as detrimental to the case against Lemaricus Davidson. His sperm was found in her vagina and rectum.

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Now, wording could be everything in this report. In paragraph one it is stated that the sperm does not match any defendant or suspect in this case. OK. But Eric Boyd, has been tried and sentenced to 17 years as an accessory and aiding and abetting in carjacking. Are they not counting him as a suspect in this case because he has been incarcerated already? LE certainly works in mysterious ways at times.

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Or did the Feds, as I suspect, just tuck him away on those charges and are waiting for additional information to be revealed during the trials of Cobbins, Davidson, Thomas and Coleman. Then they can file murder charges on Boyd as well.

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From what I've read about the case, Channon was undressed and redressed more than once, twice to go to the bathroom she put clothes on and, off the top of my head I can't remember whether Channon was dressed when she went in the trash can. Seems like she was.

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My point being, the panties she was wearing could have been any ones. Lemaricus' girlfriend, Vanessa's, whatever woman may have been there in the last month or so.

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Remember in the Brianna Dennison case in Reno, Nevada, the murderer left another woman's panties with her body to confuse the police. It worked for a while. I imagine if they ran the DNA that was found through CODIS, they might find a crack-ho in Knoxville who actually owned and wore these panties.

Judge delays second torture-slaying Christian-Newsom trial

Right: Lemaricus Davidson, smug, arrogant criminal

knoxnews.com

By Jamie Satterfield
Posted September 29, 2009

KNOXVILLE - A Knox County judge this morning delayed the trial of torture-slaying alleged ringleader Lemaricus Davidson for a week to make way for new DNA testing.

Judge Richard Baumgartner set a new trial date of Oct. 12. The trial was originally scheduled to begin Oct. 5.

Davidson and three others are charged with carjacking, kidnapping, raping, torturing and killing University of Tennessee student Channon Christian, 21, and her boyfriend, Christopher Newsom, 23, in January 2007.

Jury selection, however, will continue.

The judge blocked the public from hearing arguments over funding for new DNA testing...

The law allows defendants to seek funding in private hearings in order not to reveal trial strategy to the prosecution. The News Sentinel objected to no avail.

...the cost of the DNA testing will become public when the defense files its bill with the state...At question is the mystery of whose sperm is on Christian's panties, how quickly the testing could occur and how much it will cost.

Pressed for a price tag on a sophisticated DNA test sought by Davidson's defense team, attorney David Eldridge hesitated Monday long enough for Baumgartner to make that conclusion.
"It's a shocking amount," he said, with a laugh.

Eldridge said he isn't sure of the figure yet. Prosecutor Takisha Fitzgerald said the lab would probably charge a fee for each suspect whose DNA is tested. And, there is what Eldridge called a "maximum rush fee" charged for speedy service.

It has been two years since police seized Christian's underwear from Davidson's Chipman Street house, where she and Newsom were held captive in January 2007 before they were killed.
But it was only last month that prosecutors sought DNA testing from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. That test showed the presence of sperm, but the TBI was unable to isolate a DNA profile. Because they couldn't separate the profiles, because she was raped by every man in the house...so pay the bill and get on with it.

Eldridge and co-counsel Doug Trant, who already were seeking a trial delay to have the new DNA testing examined by a defense expert, filed a motion Monday asking Baumgartner to approve funding for specialized testing that could isolate a profile, Eldridge said.

It appears only two labs in the United States can do that type of testing.

The judge, for the second time since the new DNA testing was disclosed, questioned why the state waited two years to test the panties.

"We can't send all evidence confiscated to the TBI and say 'test everything,' " prosecutor Leland Price said. "It's just overwhelming what we collected in this case."

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It seems irrelevant at this point whether his sperm was on her panties. He certainly ejaculated everywhere else on her body. This person is a piece of shit--his own family said as much during the trial of his half-brother Letalvis Cobbins last month.

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The simple fact that he wants to dispute the charges at all is ridiculous. There was no monetary gain for these attacks, no retaliation for past wrongs. He just wanted to do something mean and evil. And he wanted to involve Cobbins and Thomas so they would be under his control--so he would "have something on them."

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In my opinion, Davidson wanted to stay in Knox County for the trial because of all of the racial accusations that were thrown around after the deaths of Christian and Newsom. In his little world, a Knoxville slum, he became a misguided cause for many black people in the area, who tried to blame the victims for a barrage of stupid theories. Little did he know that those idiots would not be sitting on his jury. So far in jury selection, his peers appear to be mostly white, educated and gainfully employed Knoxvillians.

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DNA test in torture slayings may be costly

Potential juror in Lemaricus Davidson case draws reaction

Right: Channon Christian and Chris Newsom

Panelist's answers upset defendant in torture slayings trial
By Jamie Satterfield

Knoxnews.cox
Posted September 23, 2009

When his attorneys failed to challenge a law-and-order-minded potential juror Tuesday, the reaction of the alleged ringleader in a pair of torture slayings was immediate.

Lemaricus Davidson threw up his hands in a questioning gesture and whispered feverishly to defenders David Eldridge and Doug Trant.

His reaction might have seemed expected. Davidson is on trial for his life in the January 2007 slayings of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. But this particular jury candidate was black, one of only a few to turn up so far among this predominantly white pool of potential Knox County jurors...

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Davidson, who is black, seems more concerned about saving his own skin than the skin color of the people who will determine his fate...

On Tuesday, three black jurors made the cut to be included in that pool. A fourth nonwhite juror also was approved. Nineteen whites have passed muster.

The juror who appeared to upset Davidson Tuesday was a black woman who said she understood the ire over the rejection of the death penalty in Cobbins' case, believes some crimes deserve death as punishment and discounts a bad childhood as cause to spare a killer's life...

"If it was your child, you would want him to die," she said.

"Would it make any difference if the background was no father, a crack addict mother who abandoned her kids?" Eldridge asked.

"No," she answered. "It's (more about) the decision a person makes."

That attitude could have automatically excluded her from the pool, but prosecutor Takisha Fitzgerald quickly set out to rehabilitate her as a potential juror. Fitzgerald explained that the law would require her to consider Davidson's background when weighing his fate.

"I could consider it," the woman then said. "I'd have to hear all the facts."

That answer put her back on the path to potential juror, which drew Davidson's animated response. His defense team announced Tuesday evening that they would file a formal challenge to the woman's inclusion in the jury pool today. It would be up to the judge to decide. For now, she remains a jury candidate...

Once a pool of fair-minded potential jurors are chosen, lawyers on both sides can then kick out 18 each for reasons they don't have to reveal. Baumgartner has set an Oct. 2 hearing for that final round of jury selection.

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read article here

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Read more here:

'Joke' not so funny to judge in torture-slaying trial

Judge on alert for any liars during jury selection in Christian, Newsom torture slaying

Transcript of KPD's interrogation on Lemaricus "Slim" Davidson

The Murders of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom

Limits set if alleged ringleader testifies in Christian, Newsom torture-slaying case
knoxnews.com
By Matt Lakin
September 8, 2009

KNOXVILLE - If Lemaricus Davidson takes the stand at his trial for carjacking and murder, jurors won't hear about his previous carjacking conviction.

The families of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom left court angry today after a judge ruled prosecutors can't challenge Davidson, charged in both their deaths, with a 2001 carjacking conviction if he chooses to testify - although an armed robbery conviction in the same case remains fair game...

Prosecutors say Davidson and three others - including his half-brother Letalvis Cobbins, sentenced to life in prison last month for murder - kidnapped, raped, tortured and killed Christian, 21, and Newsom, 23, after carjacking them outside a North Knoxville apartment complex in January 2007 while the couple was on a date.

...Knox Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner ruled prosecutors can bring up the conviction for robbery but not for carjacking. "The crime that concerns me most in terms of the jury being prejudiced in this case is the crime of carjacking," he said. "That's what starts the whole round of events in this case."

Plans call for jury selection in Davidson's trial to begin Sept. 21.

Vanessa Coleman, has been taken out of the trial lineup so she can appeal whether she should be immune from prosecution because of an agreement inked by federal prosecutors in a related carjacking probe.

read article here


Prior carjack conviction out in Davidson case
knoxnews.com
By Matt Lakin
Posted September 9, 2009 at midnight

...Davidson had just left prison for aggravated robbery and carjacking in Madison County in West Tennessee when the carjacking happened. Knox County prosecutors Takisha Fitzgerald and Leland Price had indicated they planned to bring up both convictions if he testified.

Defense lawyer David Eldridge said his client's criminal record might prejudice jurors in a case that's already received wide publicity.

"It invites the jury to convict Mr. Davidson for the wrong reason," Eldridge said.
Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner ruled prosecutors can bring up the conviction for robbery but not for carjacking.

read article here

See Videos/Stories/Photos/background here

The Murders of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, Knoxville, Tennessee

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I've become totally immersed in the case of the rape, torture and murder of two young college students, Channon Christian and Chris Newsom on January 6/7, 2007. This is probably the most heinous, hate-filled, deviant crime I have ever heard of. My heart goes out to the families of Chris and Channon.

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Unbelievably, I don't recall ever hearing about the crimes at the time, even though it sparked racial tensions in Knoxville, Tennessee because the victims where white, middle-class students and the alleged perpetrators are black. Certain groups in that vicinity challenged the idea of Channon and Chris as victims, claiming it was a just crime, part of reparations of past slavery, yadda yadda, racist garbage.

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There seems to have been a lot of pressure to keep the extent of the crime out of the scope of the national media, from both law enforcement and the victims' families, who were trying to keep media coverage at a minimum to salvage what dignity they could for their children in death. The attacks against Channon and Chris were savage, despicable and worse than cruel.
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Captured within a few days, all of the suspects turned on each other pointing fingers. The group seemed to take sides: Davidson and Boyd backing each other accusing Cobbins, Thomas, and Coleman and vice versa--Cobbins, Thomas and Coleman left for Kentucky and claimed to have been victims themselves--held there against their will. While Davidson and Cobbins are half-brothers, in this case blood is apparently not thicker than water.
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In 2008, Eric "E" Dewayne Boyd, asked for a speedy trial, was charged and convicted of 'accessory to carjacking' and 'aiding and abetting' in federal court and sentenced to 18 years in federal prison. It is mind boggling that he was not charged with AT LEAST accessory to rape, kidnap and murder as well. His DNA was not found on either bodies. When stopped on the streets he led the police right to Davidson. Although he looks quite stupid, he was smart enough to know that first to talk gets the best deal--guess it's true. I think his involvement is MUCH more than his charges. There is no statute of limitations on murder, I don't know what they are on the other charges. They know where he is for at least the next 17 years.
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The four people charged with the murders are now being tried by the state of Tennessee. They are as follows:
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Latalvis Cobbins: sentenced on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 to life in prison with out parole, being found guilty of 30 some counts. Boyfriend of Vanessa Coleman, buddy to Geo Thomas. Half brother of Lemaricus Davidson.

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Lemaricus Davidson: tomorrow, August 31, court will continue trying to seat a jury. Charged with 40 some counts (numbers may be off, but I'm tired, sorry), car-jacking, kidnapping, rape, murder, numerous counts of each. Buddy to Eric Boyd. Half-brother to Cobbins.

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next up: George Thomas due for trial in October,

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Vanessa Coleman trial set for November.

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Here are a bunch of links. I hope you will read the story and join me to pray for the victims families. Once the trial in underway this week I'm hoping to cover Davidson's trial closely now that I know what happened.

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Murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom

Four men charged in Knoxville double murder investigation

Double homicide in Tennessee-Christian/Newsom Murders

GUILTY: Eric Boyd's Christian-Newsom murder accessory trial over

Life without parole: Jury rejects death penalty for Letalvis Cobbins

KNOXNEWS.com has incredible coverage and archives here

and daily coverage here.