GUILTY SC - Samantha Josephson, 21, Columbia, thought she was getting into Uber, 29 Mar 2019 *Arrest* #2

[Niner]

Nice to see GUILTY on the title this morning! I'll go back & watch the video posted above!
Thanks you all for the comments, twitter, and tagging me!

 

[Niner]

Update!

Tuesday, July 27th:
*Trial continues (Day 6)-VERDICT REACHED! (@ 9:30am ET) - SC - Samantha "Sami" Josephson (21) (last seen on video March 29, 2019 @ ~1:30am, Columbia, found Friday (3/29/21) afternoon in a rural area by turkey hunters in a field near a wooded area about 40 feet off a dirt road along Black Bottom Road close to the town of New Zion in Clarendon County) - *Nathaniel David Rowland (24/now 27) arrested & charged (3/30/19) & indicted (4/18/19) with murder, kidnapping, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, refusal to stop for police command, & possession of 28g or less of marijuana. Plead not guilty. Bond denied.
Trial began 7/19/21 with jury selection & ended 7/20/21. Trial started on 7/20/21 & ended 7/26/21. Jury is 7 women & 5 men & Alternates: 3 women & 1 man. 10 women & 6 men (8 people are Black, 2 people are Hispanic, 1 person is Indian & 5 people are white).
Case & court info from 3/30/19 thru 4/20/21 & Jury selection (Day 1-2) 7/19-7/20/21 & Trial (Day 1-5) 7/20/21-7/26/21 reference post #866 here:
GUILTY - SC - Samantha Josephson, 21, Columbia, thought she was getting into Uber, 29 Mar 2019 *Arrest* #2
7/27/21 Tuesday, Trial Day 6: The jury panel without alternates will have 7 women & 5 men (6 Caucasian & 6 AA). They can work as late as they want, even to midnight, up to them. Closings will be about 1 hour each followed by jury instructions.
Prosecutor Daniel Goldberg did closing for State. Tracy Pinnock gave closing for defense. Judge Clifton Newman read jury instructions. Jury started deliberations at 12:45pm & ended at ~2pm. Total deliberations: 1 hour, 16 minutes. Verdict: Guilty of murder, kidnapping & weapons charge. Defense immediately renewed their motion for a new trial based on the initial traffic stop and they also cited how fast the verdict came back as reason for new trial. Denied. Victim impact statements: by her Mom, Marci. Samantha’s father, Seymour, gives Judge Clifton Newman a book he says contains 90 statements from family & friends. Her sister. The Judge just stopped the convicted killer's mother from talking about his innocence. Judge just tells her again that he is guilty & will not listen to her telling him of his innocence. His father. Defense is arguing with judge about his family support. Rowland told the judge that he knows he is innocent, blaming LE for not investigating more. Judge telling him that this investigation was incredible & all roads ^ trails lead to you. Judge is calling him emotionless & a depraved heart. Sentence: Murder - life in prison, any other sentence to run concurrent.

 

[loreet]

I am surprised that sentencing was carried out immediately after the verdict was read, instead of waiting for months. A fairly long wait for sentencing seems to be the norm in many other states and after the verdict is read in so many trials I have watched through Websleuths. Does anyone know if this is unique to South Carolina? The waiting must be torture for the families of victims.

Judge Clifton Newman was completely impressive throughout this trial. His compassion was clear for Samantha’s family today. And during his sentencing he also spoke to NR’s family with understanding, even though earlier he did tell Mrs Rowland and the entire court that her son had been found guilty and he wouldn’t allow her to testify otherwise. I was extremely moved by the Judge’s sentencing speech.

 

[Seattle1]

I am surprised that sentencing was carried out immediately after the verdict was read, instead of waiting for months. A fairly long wait for sentencing seems to be the norm in many other states and after the verdict is read in so many trials I have watched through Websleuths. Does anyone know if this is unique to South Carolina? The waiting must be torture for the families of victims.

^^rsbm

For a felony conviction, I believe this is unique to SC.

For misdemeanor convictions, I'm aware of many states that impose sentences immediately after conviction but I don't recall too many states where sentencing for felony convictions is immediate.

IMO, rules similar to CA law cited below are more typical for sentencing:

Misdemeanor sentences must be pronounced not less than six hours nor more than five days after a guilty plea, no contest plea, or conviction unless the defendant waives that timeframe (California Penal Code 1449 PC).

These times may also be extended due to special circumstances which include

• consideration of a motion for a new trial,
• awaiting a probation recommendation from the local department of probation, and/or
• determining whether the defendant is insane

Felony sentences must be scheduled within 20 days of the guilty verdict or plea. The court may extend that timeframe by up to ten days for the same reasons listed above.

Sentencing Hearings In California Criminal Law

 

[scmom]

Looks like sentencing is normally decided on the same day as the verdict.
SC Judicial Department (sccourts.org)
B. Trial Verdicts - Following a jury or nonjury trial, a verdict of guilty, not guilty, not guilty by reason of insanity, or guilty but mentally ill may be rendered by the jury or the court. If found guilty, a sentence will be entered on the verdict. If found not guilty, the charges will be dismissed and the case closed. If found not guilty by reason of insanity, the charges will be dismissed and the case closed, and the judge should simultaneously issue an order committing the defendant to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health for up to 120 days for development of a care and treatment plan [SCCA Form Order 222(a)]. If found guilty but mentally ill, a sentence will be entered on the verdict just as if a guilty verdict was rendered; however, if sentenced to incarceration, the Defendant must be first taken to a facility within SCDC for treatment before being transferred to the general prison population. To insure that this is done, the Clerk should clearly write on the sentencing sheet, in bold letters, that the Defendant was found GUILTY BUT MENTALLY ILL.

 

[Gardenista]

IIRC, both Moorers were sentenced immediately after the verdict.

 

[mickey2942]

South Carolina man sentenced to life in the murder of 21-year-old college student | CNN

This is unbelievable. No remorse. Still states he is wrongly convicted.

 

[Gardenista]

I wish the judge on the Josephson case was on this case. He would have shot down the husband and wife clowns so fast their heads would spin.

 

[JoeFromLB]

Hadn't heard about this horrific crime until yesterday, and still getting up to date on the details. I did read this morning on another site that the pathologist testified she had at least 120 stab wounds and there was hardly any blood remaining in her body.

There is real evil in the world. It walks among us. I'm as careful as the next person, but every time I leave my house I'm aware it may be the last time. I do what I can to protect myself and give everything else to the Lord.

 

[LotusPawprint]

A few jurors comment.


"Though the jury would quickly come back with a verdict, one juror did not initially want to convict Nathaniel Rowland in the 2019 killing of University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson, a pair of jurors told The Post and Courier.

But after talking through some of the evidence in the weeklong trial, the jury was unanimous the next time they voted and found Rowland guilty of murder, the jurors said July 29.


[...]

Ocampo said he was convinced of Rowland’s guilt in part by seeing surveillance video of the Impala in Five Points, where light illuminated the front windows and appeared to show only one person driving the car in a reclined position. He said he was initially open to the possibility a second person had been in the car with Rowland the night Josephson disappeared.

“In cumulation with all the other evidence and that video, I didn’t think that was a reasonable theory anymore,” Ocampo said. "


Jurors had little doubt of Rowland's guilt in murder trial: 'No disputing anything'

 

[BUF]

The final hours leading to the deadly meeting of Samantha Josephson and Nathaniel Rowland

 

[Seattle1]

The final hours leading to the deadly meeting of Samantha Josephson and Nathaniel Rowland

Thanks for posting this well-written summary.

NR was so brazen to return to Five Points 24 hours after abducting SJ. I shudder at recalling his denial and arrogance displayed during the entire trial!

It appears that we will never know the identity of the woman the defense referred to as NR's girlfriend that is still supporting NR but was reportedly not in court at sentencing and did not testify (i.e., as stated to the Judge during impact statements).

IMO, the girlfriend the defense referenced above was probably the woman riding with NR when he returned to Five Points, and fled from police on foot but was ultimately apprehended. MOO

From the link:

[..]

But Howard needed the car to drive to her mother’s house to pick up rent money. While she was driving the Impala, Rowland sat in the passenger seat with blue gloves and cleaned the car with the wipes and at one point scrubbed a multitool.

That night, Rowland left Howard’s apartment with friends. They were headed to Five Points.

[I wonder if the defenses or second girlfriend was one of the "friends" NR left Howard's house with? This article describes Howard as NR's new girlfriend].

Columbia Police officer Jeffrey Kraft was patrolling the Five Points and Rosewood area, on the lookout for a black Impala. He saw the car on Harden Street not far from Bird Dog at 2:30 a.m. on March 30, 24 hours after Josephson disappeared. He turned on his blue lights, pulled over the Impala after Rowland turned the wrong way on Saluda Avenue.

 

[Gardenista]

https://public.doc.state.sc.us/scdc-public/inmateDetails.do?id= 00386010

Rowland is now in his new home--Kirkland Correctional Facility

 

[girlhasnoname]

https://public.doc.state.sc.us/scdc-public/inmateDetails.do?id= 00386010

Rowland is now in his new home--Kirkland Correctional Facility

View attachment 307579

Does my heart good to see this, thanks Gardenista.

 

[Gardenista]

Father of murdered SC college student speaks out after man receives life sentence

 

[dotr]

Aug 5 2021

''Killer receives life in prison for college student's death''

 

[wasnt_me]

Goes to a question I've asked but not had answered: Who was the female passenger in the car with NR when he was stopped by police?

She was named. If you go back to the video where she was, and the officer is taking the phone and stuff out of the car, somewhere around there, the prosecutor asked who the woman was. The officer named her. But I can't remember what name he gave. But he said a name.

A few jurors comment.

Ocampo said he was convinced of Rowland’s guilt in part by seeing surveillance video of the Impala in Five Points, where light illuminated the front windows and appeared to show only one person driving the car in a reclined position. He said he was initially open to the possibility a second person had been in the car with Rowland the night Josephson disappeared.

“In cumulation with all the other evidence and that video, I didn’t think that was a reasonable theory anymore,” Ocampo said. "

I would agree because I wouldn't think Samantha would readily get into the car if it had more than one passenger, would she have? That's not typical, is it?

 

[wasnt_me]

I've been watching this case on youtube and came here because I had some questions. Some things didn't make sense. Maybe some of you have some insight.

A lot of people found Maria Howard credible, but I had some issues with her testimony.

1. If she had NR wash her work shirt, when did she think he'd done that if he'd gone to bed with her or was in her house at or about 1:30am? You'd think she'd already know if she had a shirt two wear in about 5 hours, right? I also would love to know why the prosecution did not ask her if she asked him what the world he and her hat and blood were doing "in the country" in the middle of the night.

2. NR goes somewhere for 10 minutes and produces a wet shirt? Where did he take it? Had it been in the car during the murder? Where had it been before it actually got wet? If she gave it to him Thursday, then it was in his car if he was only gone 10 minutes, right? Cause she said it takes longer to get to his sister's house. In the texts, her mom asked why they didn't just go to the laundromat. She said NR didn't want to. Well, what did he do? Wash it with the hose outside?

3. Where did the sheet come from? I missed testimony on this, but I thought I saw it written somewhere that it matched a pillow case in the closet that had a bloodstain? If that is true, he must have entered the house that morning to retrieve the sheet. She had to know he was putting the sheet over the back seat, didn't she?

4. None of her texts are about NR once he's arrested. If you read her texts they put on the screen, harldy any of them are about NR except when she told her mom about the shirt. Surely someone knew she was dating him and he'd been arrested? No? The texts were hard to read, so I could be mistaken.

5. She told "Brother Baby" in the texts that the baby's shoes had blood on them from being in the car the other night, but it was only on the bottom, so "you" don't have to buy more. Who is Baby Brother to be buying her baby shoes? And why are they so calm sounding about blood on the bottom of the baby's shoes? It sounds like she was texting this person while she was in the doctor's office, lying about her child being sick to get a note for work.

6. Her rent was due and she didn't have all the money to pay because she'd thrown her cousin out. According to those texts, she was upset about not getting the cousin's money for the time period she'd been there. I can't figure out if she got the other half of the rent money from her mom before or AFTER NR was arrested.

7. Where did he sleep? I followed her on that, and apparently, that night, he was in the bed, watching something on the tablet with her. Then he put his pants on and went downstairs. What's weird is that she says she'd wake up and he wouldn't be there on most nights. When he wasn't there July 29th at 530am, she texted "WYA," but I wonder if she woke up during the night and didn't see him like she normally wouldn't. And if she hadn't, seems like she would have texted him when she became aware of that while going to the bathroom. Now, that's just a supposition based on her testimony. Maybe she slept through the night that time, but I doubt it because she said she didn't like to be in the house alone, and it sounds like that was after she'd thrown the cousin out and the daughter wasn't there. Can't imagine sleeping well in that situation with the rent due also and no way to pay it yet.

8. Do we happen to know when SJ was first reported missing locally? Because I'm trying to figure out when MH knew about it and knew about the car from news reports. Didn't the police know about his car right away? I'm asking because she testified that she asked him why he was going out and driving with blood in the car. She said they went out after midnight, so had the footage of SJ getting in the car been broadcast by then?

Other questions:

Is it true that NR's Iphone wasn't on because he didn't pay the bill? He had three iphones in his possession and that one android phone the ex-girlfriend gave him? Which phone wound up tracking him the whole murder? The one the ex gave him? If so, that's karma.

What time did SJ call the Uber? Do we see footage of the Uber trying to find her? Do we know what time the Uber canceled? I know someone who drove for Uber around that time and he said you don't have to cancel. You can wait if you want, so.............

Did NR have all these people in his car: Marie, her daughter, his two friends to go to Five Points, the woman he had with him upon arrest, and Denesha Wilson (sounds like). Maybe others while partying that night?

We can't hear sound on those videos of her getting in his car. Do you think he honked at her or something? I find it weird that she turned and looked right at his car before he made the right turn to park by her. I also noticed, the other Ubers put on blinkers and did not park. He did the opposite, but I'm not sure if Uber tells you that their driver will have on blinkers.

 

[Gardenista]

Their 21-Year-Old Daughter Was Murdered by a Fake Uber Driver. Here’s What the Grieving Parents Are Doing to Help Keep Others Safe.

But the Josephsons’ campaign ran into politics when they took it to Washington, in support of legislation that would require rideshare companies to “implement an enhanced digital system to verify passengers with their authorized ride-hailing vehicles and drivers.”

The Josephsons said they later found out that Uber was working against the legislation, even though the company initially supported the bill.

“That is 100 percent true. They said yes, now they say no,” Seymour told Ross.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

Their 21-Year-Old Daughter Was Murdered by a Fake Uber Driver. Here’s What the Grieving Parents Are Doing to Help Keep Others Safe.

But the Josephsons’ campaign ran into politics when they took it to Washington, in support of legislation that would require rideshare companies to “implement an enhanced digital system to verify passengers with their authorized ride-hailing vehicles and drivers.”

The Josephsons said they later found out that Uber was working against the legislation, even though the company initially supported the bill.

“That is 100 percent true. They said yes, now they say no,” Seymour told Ross.

That is a shame the company would do that. Very dishonest.