GUILTY AR - Sydney Sutherland, 25, found deceased, Jackson Co., went for a jog, 19 Aug 2020 *ARREST* #2

[mickey2942]

As a fellow runner, this story, along with Mollie Tibbets and so many others, makes me so sad and angry. WHY, WHY can women still not be safe from these depraved monsters??!

I pray for peace for the family during the upcoming judicial process. I can't imagine how painful it will be.

I have been reading a lot lately about the mentality of "Rape Culture", and the ongoing escalation of violent rapes in the United States. It is scary to me, that I have been participating in "Take Back the Night" rallies, marches, awareness, 5K, for over 30 years, and it hasn't changed at all.

No longer running. Just too many of these stories.

 

[JudgeJoe]

I have been reading a lot lately about the mentality of "Rape Culture", and the ongoing escalation of violent rapes in the United States. It is scary to me, that I have been participating in "Take Back the Night" rallies, marches, awareness, 5K, for over 30 years, and it hasn't changed at all.

No longer running. Just too many of these stories.

ITA- rape culture is real, terrifying & widespread imo. I will never understand how such violent entitlement can be so prevalent. Not only is it not getting better, it seems to be getting worse, imho.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

ITA- rape culture is real, terrifying & widespread imo. I will never understand how such violent entitlement can be so prevalent. Not only is it not getting better, it seems to be getting worse, imho.

Rape culture (against adults) and child exploitation both seem to be getting worse despite counter measures, from grass roots efforts to federal task forces. I'm sure the reasons why are many, but it's infuriating and heartbreaking to watch the innocent lives cut short and the wasted lives of the perpetrators.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

I hate that they say that he "had sexual intercourse" with Sydney. I don't like that. I get that technically that's what he did but HE RAPED HER!

MOO

Yes, everytime they refer to it as intercourse and not what it was, rape, they victimize her memory and her family and friends who remain.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Lewellyn has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, capital murder, abuse of a corpse and rape.
With it taking place here in AR, the death penalty wouldn’t surprise me. JMO

Are those the only charges or are there lesser included offenses? TIA

 

[GoBuckeyes]

I don’t know if I can share the link but search warrant affidavits were released today and they tell that QL’s mom turned in video footage from their house that shows a dent in QL’s truck.

also Life360 App confirms his location near where they found SS body

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=463808557920728

Good for his Mom. That had to be unimaginably difficult on her to turn over that video evidence, even though it was absolutely the right thing to do. MOO

 

[GoBuckeyes]

The police were on him quick because his wife and mother reported the dent in his truck the next day.

I wonder how long he's been married and how he's treated his wife during that time? The fact that the wife and mother quickly submitted the vid to LE, to me, says that he likely has a history of in some manner terrorizing them too. AMOO

 

[mlhenn]

Quake Lewellyn’s lawyers prep death penalty defense, file motion to change venue in Sydney Sutherland kidnapping, murder case | KARK

May 24
The defense team representing the man charged in the kidnapping, rape and murder of an Arkansas jogger filed nearly 50 motions Thursday in a move that will set the stage for a death penalty defense.

The motions were filed after prosecutor Ryan Cooper did not waive the death penalty in the case.

In a phone conversation Friday, Cooper confirmed he was “absolutely” pursuing the death penalty against Lewellyn.

Lewellyn’s defense team is requesting the death penalty be excluded as a sentencing option and that their client’s trial be held in a different venue.

Lewellyn’s team has requested a “death-qualified jury.” They also filed a motion to prevent victim impact evidence or have the statement available to them in pretrial review. The attorneys have asked the court no more than one person be allowed to offer a victim impact statement.

 

[mlhenn]

Are those the only charges or are there lesser included offenses? TIA

American Crimes And Beyond

I believe those are the only charges. The link above provides a copy of the affidavit.

 

[Seattle1]

May 21, 2021

The court will have a hearing on July 6.

Jury selections are scheduled to begin September 28.

Quake Lewellyn’s lawyers prep death penalty defense, file motion to change venue in Sydney Sutherland kidnapping, murder case | KARK

 

[Seattle1]

Sydney's family wants this and I'm sure their community supports them. Hope justice is swift and the trial date not pushed back over and over.

Mollie Tibbetts (Iowa runner) trial is finally underway and the two-year delay for her killer's no-death penalty conviction has been difficult.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

May 21, 2021

The court will have a hearing on July 6.

Jury selections are scheduled to begin September 28.

Quake Lewellyn’s lawyers prep death penalty defense, file motion to change venue in Sydney Sutherland kidnapping, murder case | KARK

What is a "death-qualified jury?" I've never heard of a motion to limit victim impact statements to 1 or for the defense to have a copy before the trial starts. Is those unusual motions?

The lawyer may want to zero in on any mitigating factors and focus on them, lest he irritate the judge, pre-trial, and the jury during the trial. I realize it's his job to save the man's life. I'm just not sure he's going about it in the best way. MOO Obviously, IANAL. Just seems he's being particularly adversarial from the get.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Sydney's family wants this and I'm sure their community supports them. Hope justice is swift and the trial date not pushed back over and over.

Mollie Tibbetts (Iowa runner) trial is finally underway and the two-year delay for her killer's no-death penalty conviction has been difficult.

I'm not suggesting that the family or community should want anything less. It seems to me that usually they offer one or two lesser offenses/charges just to make sure no one walks. JMOO

 

[Seattle1]

I'm not suggesting that the family or community should want anything less. It seems to me that usually they offer one or two lesser offenses/charges just to make sure no one walks. JMOO

I'm not familiar with the AR statute but I just learned in Iowa that although a defendant is indicted and charged only with 1st-degree murder, IA legislature provides that the defendant can be sentenced to a lesser charge than indicted or charged in the information and complaint. Since the State is seeking the death penalty here - I don't think a lesser charge can apply.

 

[Seattle1]

What is a "death-qualified jury?" I've never heard of a motion to limit victim impact statements to 1 or for the defense to have a copy before the trial starts. Is those unusual motions?

The lawyer may want to zero in on any mitigating factors and focus on them, lest he irritate the judge, pre-trial, and the jury during the trial. I realize it's his job to save the man's life. I'm just not sure he's going about it in the best way. MOO Obviously, IANAL. Just seems he's being particularly adversarial from the get.

A “death-qualified jury” is a jury pronounced fit to decide a capital case. Death-qualified juries are composed of jurors who are not strictly opposed to capital punishment but who also do not believe that the death penalty should be imposed in all cases of capital murder. While the death qualification process is designed to produce a fair and impartial jury, social science research suggests that it instead produces a jury that is biased against a capital defendant.

Death-Qualified Juries

 

[mlhenn]

Defense asks for continuance in Quake Lewellyn case

July 2 2021

The attorneys for a man accused of capital murder in the death of a Jackson County woman last year have asked a circuit judge to continue the case until at least spring 2022, according to court records.

In the three-page filing, the attorneys cited the prosecution’s seeking of the death penalty, as well as constitutional concerns, as reasons for their request.

As of Friday afternoon, a judge had not ruled on the motion.

A pre-trial date is set for July 6 in the case.

 

[mlhenn]

Defense asks for continuance in Quake Lewellyn case

The attorneys for a man accused of capital murder in the death of Jackson County woman last year have asked a circuit judge to continue the case until at least spring 2022, according to online court records filed Friday.

In the three-page filing, the attorneys cited the prosecution’s seeking of the death penalty, as well as constitutional concerns, as reasons for their request.

“Due both to volume of work and the retardation of various defense-related actions due to COVID-19 closures, the case cannot be fully and properly prepared for the September 2021 trial date. The conduct of a trial in September 2021 would imperil Lewellyn’s federal and state constitutional rights to due process, effective assistance of counsel and protection against cruel and unusual punishment. Because of the trial concerns and the chaos in defense counsels’ calendars caused by lengthy jury trial moratoriums over the past 15 months, the defense suggests sometime in the spring of 2022 as an appropriate trial date.”

As of Friday afternoon, a judge had not ruled on the motion.

 

[girlhasnoname]

Defense asks for continuance in Quake Lewellyn case

The attorneys for a man accused of capital murder in the death of Jackson County woman last year have asked a circuit judge to continue the case until at least spring 2022, according to online court records filed Friday.

In the three-page filing, the attorneys cited the prosecution’s seeking of the death penalty, as well as constitutional concerns, as reasons for their request.

“Due both to volume of work and the retardation of various defense-related actions due to COVID-19 closures, the case cannot be fully and properly prepared for the September 2021 trial date. The conduct of a trial in September 2021 would imperil Lewellyn’s federal and state constitutional rights to due process, effective assistance of counsel and protection against cruel and unusual punishment. Because of the trial concerns and the chaos in defense counsels’ calendars caused by lengthy jury trial moratoriums over the past 15 months, the defense suggests sometime in the spring of 2022 as an appropriate trial date.”

As of Friday afternoon, a judge had not ruled on the motion.

I'm not surprised, most of the court systems across the country are back logged due to Covid. If the DA is seeking the death penalty, it's important to do everything by the book. <one bite at the apple>

I guess that's easier for me to say and absolutely heart breaking for Sydney's family and loved ones.

 

[JerseyGirl]

There was a pre-trial hearing today?

Man charged in Arkansas jogger’s slaying seeks trial delay | ArkLaTexHomepage

 

[mlhenn]

There was a pre-trial hearing today?

Man charged in Arkansas jogger’s slaying seeks trial delay | ArkLaTexHomepage

A pre-trial hearing was set for today, July 6.
His lawyers requested a trial delay and as of last Friday the judge had not ruled on a decision. I’ve not found anything stating whether the pre-trial hearing happened today or not and whether the judge ruled to push the Sept trial date back.