GUILTY TX - Six family members killed in campsite attack, Anderson Co., 14 Nov 2015

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Prosecution requests its own mental health exam in Hudson hearing

Prosecutors on Monday requested their own mental health exam for alleged murderer, William Mitchell Hudson, to rebut the exams conducted by the defense.

In a pre-trial hearing in Palestine, Hudson's defense attorneys, Steven Evans and Jeff Herrington, agreed to the request, if Hudson could have breaks during the exam to rest, and to consult with his attorneys.

 

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Hudson murder trial could face lengthy delay

http://www.palestineherald.com/news/hudson-murder-trial-could-face-lengthy-delay/article_d79949ca-98e4-11e7-a32a-f7df16495bff.html

Health problems suffered by William Mitchell Hudson's attorney could delay the trial of the accused murderer for weeks. Hudson's lawyer, Stephen Evans, was hospitalized on Tuesday for an undisclosed health matter and remained under medical care on Wednesday.

The trial, set for Sept. 25, will take place in Bryan College Station. The final pre-trial hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 21. That hearing is still on the docket, said Judge Mark Calhoon, who will preside over the trial.

 

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Hudson murder trial to go forward

http://www.palestineherald.com/news/hudson-murder-trial-to-go-forward/article_1ae95c90-9f1d-11e7-ba81-bbbc9a9068cc.html

At Thursday's final pre-trial hearing for accused murderer William Mitchell Hudson, Judge Mark Calhoon ruled that Hudson's trial will go on without delay. Jury selection begins Monday at 8:25 a.m., in Bryan.

 

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Jury selection begins in capital murder trial for man accused of killing 6 at campsite

Jury selection began this morning in the Capital Murder case of William Hudson.

Hudson, 35, is accused in the mass killing of six people at a campsite in Anderson County near Tennessee Colony back in 2015.

180 people were summoned and arrived at the Brazos County Expo Center at 8:25 a.m. today.

 

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http://www.palestineherald.com/news/hudson-trial-to-start-wednesday/article_ddf55a40-bb6f-11e7-8475-cb0da8f6fccf.html

The murder trial for William Mitchell Hudson is set to start Wednesday in the Brazos County Courthouse. Jury selection finished this past week.

 

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William Hudson capital murder trial is under way in Bryan

Prosecutors say Hudson was upset after his family sold 15 acres of property to the Kamp family. It's land they say he wanted to buy and keep but didn't have the means. They said he continued to be upset over the sale and attacked the two families who had gone out to the new property to camp.

After part of the group got a camper stuck in the mud, prosecutors said Hudson heard the noise from his nearby home and came out there offering to help.

Prosecutors said he acted strangely around the group and then went with four of the members on an ATV into the woods. While the rest of the camp was making dinner shots were fired. The rest of the group wasn't concerned yet, according to prosecutors. Those back at the camp were eating dinner when Hudson returned alone on the ATV. That's when prosecutors said he attacked Hannah and Carl Johnson.

http://www.theeagle.com/news/crime/testimony-begins-in-capital-murder-trial-of-man-accused-of/article_fdba6cf2-bf30-11e7-884e-a347a880af3b.html

Jurors heard from law enforcement and listened to Cynthia’s 911 call. Emily Parker, who had been a patrol deputy with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the murders, said Cynthia had appeared in shock when authorities located her, and she kept repeating the phrase, “they’re all dead, they’re all dead” while they questioned her. Parker said Cynthia’s face appeared swollen from what appeared to be ant bites, and she kept spilling the water bottle the deputies had given her because she was shaking.

 

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Campsite murder suspect claims ignorance of killings on video

On Friday, prosecutors played the recording of Hudson's initial interview with an investigator with the district attorney's office. Throughout the video, the Herald-Press reports, Hudson can be heard pleading ignorance of the deaths of Carl Johnson, 77, and his daughter, Hannah Johnson, 40.

"In the last several minutes of the recording, Hudson continually denied any knowledge of the murders, or having heard gunshots, or of how Johnson’s car appeared in his driveway. He reiterated that, though he could not remember Carl Johnson, or his wife Cindy Johnson’s names, he liked them both," the Herald-Press reports.

LIVE BLOG: William Hudson Murder Trial

 

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Jury hears from lone survivor of attacks in capital murder trial

Later, Cindy said Thomas Kamp, Nathan and Austin Kamp as well as 6-year-old Kade went to gather. Hannah, Carl and Cindy Johnson stayed at the campsite and worked on dinner. Johnson said they heard gunshots at some point after dark and though it might be target shooting or squirrel hunting. They noticed how it was taking so long for the group to get back. They'd been gone at least an hour Johnson said.

Cindy said eventually Tom Kamp's ATV returned but only William Hudson was on it. They were alarmed and wondered where everyone else was. Hannah became very upset too.

Cindy testified after Hudson and her husband were talking about what had happend, Hudson shot at Carl and attacked both her and Hannah. Carl fell into the Airstream Trailer. Hannah was also attacked inside. Cindy said she hid near a lawn chair and laid on the ground until after sunrise. She was able to call 9-1-1 the next morning. Despite being bitten by fire ants, Johnson said she tried to stay awake but fell asleep.

http://www.palestineherald.com/news/sole-survivor-recounts-night-of-terror/article_e263783c-c34e-11e7-867e-7703aa20f961.html

On Monday afternoon, video surveillance entered into evidence by Mitchell and Lisa Tanner of the State Attorney General’s office appears to contradict Hudson's alibi.

In video played earlier of Hudson's initial interview with investigators, Hudson acknowledged helping pull Carl and Cindy Johnson out of the mud where their truck and trailer had stuck. He denied, however, any further contact with the couple, after having a beer with them.

In video played for jurors on Monday, taken from Hudson's security cameras, a person identified as Hudson entered the Hudson home at about 9 p.m. He left shortly after with what appeared to be a shotgun in his hand, in the direction of the campsite where Carl and Hannah Johnson were found murdered.

http://www.theeagle.com/news/local/lone-survivor-of-anderson-county-slayings-describes-ordeal-to-brazos/article_0c70898f-b665-55e6-bda4-fe23531fc7fd.html

Earlier Monday morning, jurors heard recordings of phone calls Hudson made from jail to his mother, Crystal, after the deaths of the Kamp and Johnson family members. Hudson can be heard telling his mother to buy property and stand up to certain distant family members trying to stay in Hudson's grandmother's home.

"That's my [expletive] last name," Hudson said of protecting his family's land, which, according to testimony from last week, the Hudsons had owned since the 1800s.

On a June 19, 2016 phone call to his mother, Hudson could be heard saying, "It needs to remain in the family," referring to land Tom Kamp had purchased. On a May 10, 2017 phone call made from jail, Hudson told an ex-girlfriend, "that land is mine."

 

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Brazos County jurors take less than 20 minutes to find Tennessee Colony man guilty of capital murder in slaying of 6

http://www.theeagle.com/news/crime/brazos-county-jurors-take-less-than-minutes-to-find-tennessee/article_4eba878a-c3dd-11e7-8203-332e13f80e2f.html

Brazos County jurors took 17 minutes Tuesday to convict William Mitchell Hudson of capital murder for the brutal slayings of six acquaintances two years ago this month in East Texas.

The jury now is hearing punishment testimony in the case against Hudson, who faces life in prison without the chance for parole or death by lethal injection.

 

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Witnesses describe a life of trouble, violence for convicted killer

The former wife of William Hudson took the stand Wednesday.

She described nightmare situations when she was his wife and when they fought for custody of their daughter.

Johnston testified Hudson pointed a loaded shotgun at her head on two separate occasions threatening to kill her. She finally got out of that situation and eventually her daughter didn't have to have visitations with her dad.

Other witnesses, including two convenience store clerks, testified about Hudson following a man into a gas station in East Texas and threatening him. Then the man pushed Hudson and a gun fell out of Hudson's pocket, according to the witnesses.

Former partners, jailers give testimony during punishment phase in Hudson capital murder trial

Reed said Hudson had threatened to shoot himself, but had never threatened to shoot her, when he brought his guns out to demonstrate his commitment to suicide. Reed said Hudson hadn't drank much when they were dating, but started drinking heavily once they tied the knot. When Hudson got mad, Reed said, she could see "a rage" in his eyes.

Hyden said Hudson has put guns to her head and once put her in a headlock after she told him she wanted to leave him. She was able to escape after putting her keys between her fingers and punching him in the groin. Altogether, Hyden estimated Hudson threatened her life 10 to 15 times over the course of their relationship.

Multiple jailers from the Anderson County Jail testified Thursday that Hudson had threatened or verbally abused them, though they could not recount an instance where he had physically harmed another inmate or member of the jail staff.

Mother of man convicted of killing six people says her son changed after a car wreck, seizure

Crystal Hudson, William’s mother, testified Friday morning that William’s late father, Mac, exhibited strict control over the family’s finances, the kind of man who "counted the wattage on the bulbs that were burning."

Crystal said her relationship with Mac became strained over the years, when Mac would physically and verbally abuse her. She said William would step in when the arguments became physical.

William changed follow a car accident in 2015, Crystal said, adding that he later experienced a seizure that left him hospitalized. She detailed how he became delusional, saying that his girlfriend was trying to poison him and that people were watching him from outside the house.

 

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Tennessee Colony man sentenced to death in case where 6 killed

Jurors deliberated for about 45 minutes before delivering the punishment verdict on the 2-year anniversary of Hudson's arrest; District Judge Mark Calhoon sentenced the 35-year-old man.

Mental health experts called by prosecutors, meanwhile, said Hudson had a personality disorder, not a mental illness, and was not likely to be helped by the treatment options available to him.

"This is just who he is," said Special Prosecutor Lisa Tanner. "This is a man who is not gonna change. That ought to scare you."

"This case is exactly why our state has the death penalty," said Anderson County District Attorney Allyson Mitchell.

Family of murder victims at peace after judge sentenced convicted killer to death

"It was hard to celebrate the fact that another human being it's going to die. Although I'm happy that he is not going to have the opportunity to hurt another person," Lujambio said.

Lujambio who wears a pendant with the picture of Austin and Nathan said she knows they were satisfied with the outcome of the trial.

"I think they are smiling," Lujambio said. "They are feeling they've had their justice now."

 

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the state called Tim Proctor, Ph.D. He is a Forensic Psychologist. He told the jury Hudson is a psychopath based on a psychopathy test he conducted to determine that. Proctor says he believes Hudson's personality problems and behavior issues have been well established since Hudson's teenage years. Hudson's sister had also told investigators her brother harmed animals in several instances when he was growing up.

A neurologist, Dr. Erin Phillips testified Hudson has some atrophying in his brain. She says that atrophy is normal starting around the age of 40. The defense argues his brain's abilities have gotten worse in recent years after several car accidents and substance abuse.

We heard more testimony on William Hudson's treatments for mental issues. Dennis Steelman with ACCESS, Anderson Cherokee Community Enrichment Services testified about a welfare call they received from family in August 2015. He says Hudson's family was worried about Hudson's volatility and access to firearms. He met with Hudson outside his mom's house for about 15 to 20 minutes. He wasn't able to have Hudson committed or taken into custody because there was not an eminent threat.

At the trial we also heard from several Brazos County Jail staff taking about Hudson's outbursts in jail, hoarding medications and threatening staff.

http://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Ps...th-during-capital-murder-trial-457536003.html