NC - Laura Ackerson, 27, Kinston, 13 July 2011 #9

[MissSallyAnnie]

So 13 yrs to 16.5 yrs. is her sentence. I guess she'll be eligible for parole at some point as well.

Not nearly enough for what she did, but better than nothing and she'll always be a convicted murderer. She'll be in her 50's when she gets out. No money, no future, her looks will have faded.

Hopefully! I hope she misbehaves in prison, so the parole board will turn her down. I can see her now, sweet talking her way to special favors in prison. Yuck.

Any hard core women in the NC prison system that we can hope she rooms with? Sorry, I don't see justice here, she will meditate her way through this sentence, and then be on her way. She was a major player in this crime, she's just as guilty as Grant. :banghead::banghead:

 

[geevee]

She never should have said 'in any form, fashion' and whatever, that was not going to move the judge to give her less time when he already believes she helped and could have saved Laura had she wanted to.

I'm not disappointed at the M2, maybe it was a compromise between M1 and accessory, with as long as it took the jurors, that seems possible. The sentence seems rather short, less than 20 years, hopefully she'll never qualify for parole and have to stay the max time allowed.

You have gotten justice sweet Laura, those who did this are going to pay for it with many years of their lives, and your children won't be raised by people who could ever fathom to do such to a lovely lady as you always will be. Rest in peace and grace, gentle lady.

 

[Veracity]

LIFE in NC is not as valuable as in some other states. Amanda was convicted of 2nd degree murder. Her sentence will only be 13 - 16 years with time served immediately lobbed off. There are other factors that will determine how much less time she will actually get lobbed off her sentence.

The average time a murderer in NC is less than 8 years.

I immediately thought of Shae and Lilly. Amanda will be free most likely before or just as Lilly is a teen.

I think the JURY got it wrong.

 

[jmt707]

AH proved her guilt right there. If you didn't kill someone, I imagine you would be so distraught over any conviction that we'd all have to question what we've thought. No tears - no anything. You have kids AH - at least show them that you are upset that you will be out of their lives. If I had been wrongly convicted, I imagine I would have flipped out hearing that I'm being put away because some creep killed his ex.

 

[CUCKOOHEAD]

What about other charges like mutilating a corpse? transporting a corpse across State lines?

Does anyone know how hard Texas would slam her for dumping hazardous waste? Maybe more than this m2 gave her?

 

[MissSallyAnnie]

& that's all she said. Weird.

She just kept saying she was sorry. WTH.


Sit down, AH.

Like the kids say today: "sorry, not sorry" :tantrum::tantrum:

 

[mollynjack]

IMO Amanda Hayes got off light and I blame it on the State and how BH dropped the ball in questioning the defendant. And then the State forgets to put aggravating factor/s so that the verdcit of murder2 could have a longer sentence. Who drops the ball in a murder/dismemberment case? This isn't jaywalking.

Did I hear that correctly? The state forgot to include mitigating factors?....
Are you kidding me?

 

[NCEast]

From the Raleigh News and Observer:

Wake jury finds Amanda Hayes guilty of murder

By Anne Blythe

Amanda Hayes testifies in her defense Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at the Wake County Justice Center. Hayes, 41, a former actress and art-supply store owner, is accused of working in concert with her husband Grant Hayes to kill Laura Jean Ackerson in July 2011.

Wake jury finds Amanda Hayes guilty of murder 18 minutes ago
Rex announces plans for Holly Springs hospital 45 minutes ago
Raleigh police investigate South Saunders Street shooting 2 hours ago
One man charged in Garner holdup, second charged in theft of propane tanks
Charge against Wake driver raised after victim in November crash dies


RALEIGH — Amanda Hayes, the woman accused of acting in concert with her husband to kill the mother of his stepsons, has been convicted of second-degree murder.

The verdict came after the nine women and three men on the jury deliberated for about an hour on Monday, all of Tuesday and almost five hours on Wednesday

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02...-amanda-hayes-guilty.html#emlnl=Breaking_News

 

[JusticeFever]

What about other charges like mutilating a corpse? transporting a corpse across State lines?

Does anyone know how hard Texas would slam her for dumping hazardous waste? Maybe more than this m2 gave her?

I agree, and this feels like just partial justice to me.
Yes, its better than nothing, but it is not what she deserved.
She had plenty of chances to tell the cops what happened, she didn't.
She had plenty of time to come foward, and she never showed any remorse
until it was time to save herself.
So not happy, right now.

 

[MissSallyAnnie]

I had looked at the sentences for Accessory After the Fact and it seemed like it was close to that for a murder conviction. I just looked at the presumptive range for Murder 2 and it's lower than I had thought. So,......I think the defense team has to be pleased at the outcome...considering Amanda's story.

Yes, they helped her escape 1st degree murder. That just doesn't seem like enough time for any 2nd degree murderer. Just my opinion.

 

[SurfieTX]

Tex. Water Code Chapter 7
Subchapter E: Criminal Penalty
Citation:
Tex. Water Code § 7.145 Intentional or knowing unauthorized discharge
Penalty:
3d Degree Felony
Individual: fine of $1,000 to $100,000 and 5 years confinement
Corporation: fine of $1,000 to $250,000
Elements:
1. A person,
2. Acting, intentionally or knowingly with respect to the person's conduct,
3. Discharges or allows the discharge
4. Of a waste or pollutant [see TWC § 26.001(6) and (13)]
5. Into or adjacent to water in the state
6. That causes or threatens to cause water pollution, and
7. The waste or pollutant was not discharged in strict compliance with all required
permits or with an order issued or a rule adopted by the appropriate agency.
OR
1. A person,
2. Acting, intentionally or knowingly with respect to the person's conduct,
3. Discharges or allows the discharge
4. Of a waste or pollutant [see TWC § 26.001(6) and (13)]
5. From a point source [see TWC § 26.001(21)]
6. In violation of chapter 26 or of a rule, permit, or order of the appropriate regulatory
agency.
Note:

http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/legal/si/crime.pdf

 

[mollynjack]

Did I hear that correctly? The state forgot to include mitigating factors?....
Are you kidding me?

I meant aggravating factors!

 

[Veracity]

North Carolina doesn't have parole any more. They went to standardized sentencing quite some time ago. Folks serve their sentence and the state opens the doors and lets them out. Judge Stevens had a predetermined range he could impose. He couldn't deviate from that schedule.

Justice has died in NC imo. The fear of prison is not what it once was because the courts have standardized things to the point where it is a game.

The defense played its part well. make sure the charges include the lowest possible charge - check. Then try to fit the evidence into that definition of the least charge. In this case, they were able to get the worst possible charge to vanish.

We won't know what Grant and Amanda did to Laura that day but GOD does.

In NC, that is the only solace many of us have. Judge Stevens had it right - Amanda was there. She could have helped Laura. She didn't.

 

[MissSallyAnnie]

IMO Amanda Hayes got off light and I blame it on the State and how BH dropped the ball in questioning the defendant. And then the State forgets to put aggravating factor/s so that the verdcit of murder2 could have a longer sentence. Who drops the ball in a murder/dismemberment case? This isn't jaywalking.

Yep, I'm not lovin' on the prosecution right now. Told ya, I will turn on you in a snap :floorlaugh:

 

[east2west]

Did I hear that correctly? The state forgot to include mitigating factors?....
Are you kidding me?

aggravating factors

 

[JusticeFever]

LIFE in NC is not as valuable as in some other states. Amanda was convicted of 2nd degree murder. Her sentence will only be 13 - 16 years with time served immediately lobbed off. There are other factors that will determine how much less time she will actually get lobbed off her sentence.

The average time a murderer in NC is less than 8 years.

I immediately thought of Shae and Lilly. Amanda will be free most likely before or just as Lilly is a teen.

I think the JURY got it wrong.

Me too, a slap on the wrist for one of most horrible, gruesome murders ever.
And, not just the killing but the massive coverup and all the lies and the total disrespect for Laura after she was dead.
I need a break. :sick:

 

[CrazytownUSA]

Well I am over my initial disappointment but to be honest, I didn't think they would go for Murder 1 after watching the entire case. We got to see and hear a WHOLE lot more than the jury in watching both trials... they didn't have that benefit. While I am pleased that she at least got 2nd D, I hate that our 2nd degree sentence is so crappy here. She gets time served as well. But Lilly will be a teenager when she gets out and know who her mother is...

I pray that Laura can now rest in peace...and I pray that Rodger Ackerson can now start to get some of his life back after spending so much time in that courthouse. I pray for Grant IV, Gentle and Lilly that they can lead happy well adjusted lives. I pray for our city and surrounding area to be able to sleep at night knowing that there are monsters like this that walk among us...and I pray that both of these monsters live a living hell in prison for the time they are there.

 

[Nymeria]

Happy and NOT Happy.
She will be out in the minimum, I just know it.
And she will find some way to get the kind of life she wants back right away.
Do you know how many creeps will be contacting her in prison? She will have her pick, and I am sure a couple will have funds enough to get her started. :facepalm:

BUT, at least they did not find her NG.
That would have made me :nuts:

OK I have been up for about 36 hours now, I need a nap... fftobed:

Talk to all you good folk tomorrow!

"When you think of Laura, laugh don't cry, I know she'd want it that way".

 

[CUCKOOHEAD]

Did I hear that correctly? The state forgot to include mitigating factors?....
Are you kidding me?

That is what it sounded like to me when the Judge was admonishing for such an omission and alluded to his sentence being hamstrung because of it. :banghead:

If I was the State I would not call today a day for celebrating.

 

[mollynjack]

At least the sentence is long enough for Grant's mother to turn the kids against her !