TN - Chris Newsom, 23, & Channon Christian, 21, murdered, Knoxville, 6 Jan 2007 #8

[PrairieWind]

Well we'll see how long the jury chews on this. My guess is that they will convict on all counts, and I think they will award a death sentence. He can't get away from his DNA in Channon, his print on the trash bag, and (most damaging) the shoes. Those shoes connect him to Chris and show his utter remorselessness.

 

[SuziQ]

Judge is back.

 

[Muffet]

Touching to watch Hugh Newsom rubbing his wife's shoulder:

...

I'm so glad Price emphasized the point about the guns. Chris and his parents desperately need to see justice assigned and delivered for his death.

 

[JulieR]

How long we thinking it is going to take the jury. I say tomorrow afternoon only because they have so many papers to sign guilty to.

 

[PrairieWind]

I wish someone could twitter to us how the jury reacted to the arguments.

 

[SuziQ]

Reading jury instructions.

IIRC, the jury took two and half days to return a verdict in Cobbins trial.

 

[PrairieWind]

How long we thinking it is going to take the jury. I say tomorrow afternoon only because they have so many papers to sign guilty to.

Yes. there is a tremendous amount of paperwork to get through for this jury. I think there will be limited deliberation, but the verdict will just take time to get to because of the paperwork.

 

[kiki the parrot]

Took my kids (and half the neighborhood lol) to school. Thank you for notes while I was away. After exposing how ludicrous defense is, tearing down all the lies, it sounds like Price pretty much wrapped it all up w a neat little bow.

arrot:

 

[kiki the parrot]

Judge reading add'l instructions to jury re oral rape, agg rape by alternative means, rape of Chris...

arrot:

 

[kiki the parrot]

Didn't judge go thru all of this yesterday? Just an abundance of caution, I guess.

arrot:

 

[SuziQ]

http://twitter.com/jamiescoop

Judge is giving last minute legal instructions. See KNS online for update. Deliberations 2 begin a/f lunch

 

[Muffet]

Yes. there is a tremendous amount of paperwork to get through for this jury. I think there will be limited deliberation, but the verdict will just take time to get to because of the paperwork.

I think the counts came in major "categories" and "sub-categories" of them, and they can skip a lot of the sub-category counts the judge read off if they find him guilty of the main category. (Please forgive my lay terms for them... ) ?

Anyway, if so, here's to hoping the jury will go in there and agree he's guilty of the big categories and not have to go into deciding all the sub-categories. rayer:

 

[kiki the parrot]

Judge honestly looks about 10 years older since Cobbins trial, for real. I was shocked.

arrot:

 

[RoseRed]

Good morning all, probably more officers because Davidson is a cocky piece of you know what...and he is intimidating this poor, poor family. I'm completely disgusted with him and our justice system. I edited my post so I wouldn't get banned!!

That is why I haven't followed this trial after the Cobbins trial I was afraid I would be banned if I commented too much while watching this one.

 

[kiki the parrot]

I think the counts came in major "categories" and "sub-categories" of them, and they can skip a lot of the sub-category counts the judge read off if they find him guilty of the main category. (Please forgive my lay terms for them... ) ?

Anyway, if so, here's to hoping the jury will go in there and agree he's guilty of the big categories and not have to go into deciding all the sub-categories. rayer:

Yes. A spectrum of possible scenarios w varying degrees, or increasing levels of culpability.

arrot:

 

[kiki the parrot]

Let's face it. The defense witnesses were pathetic--and the jury must realize it too.

arrot:

 

[PrairieWind]

Didn't judge go thru all of this yesterday? Just an abundance of caution, I guess.

arrot:

No, there is a last minute change in how the jury must decide the case. The Prosecution had wanted the instructions to allow the jury to see the oral, vaginal, anal rape as all part of the same rape. But the Judge has ruled that the jury must specify which rape (oral, vaginal, or anal) that they find Davidson commited in order to aggravate the killing to a capital offense. It causes the jury to go through extra hoops. This is not the law in all states, not even really convinced its the law in Tennessee, but the judge is being careful. So in response, the State has chosen to rely on the oral and vaginal rapes of Channon and the anal rape of Chris. Easier to prove. Also makes the defense argument about the contaminated sample/seepage issue on the anal sampe irrelevant.

 

[Muffet]

One great point made by Price today was when he said the reason for Gutters refusal to leave the area when he had friends offering to take him out of state was that he wanted to try to get back into the house to get rid of Channon's body before LE found it.

Thank heavens for that one CSI guy who took it upon himself to run the print on that envelope, or Gutter might have gotten away with it. rayer:

 

[kiki the parrot]

No, there is a last minute change in how the jury must decide the case. The Prosecution had wanted the instructions to allow the jury to see the oral, vaginal, anal rape as all part of the same rape. But the Judge has ruled that the jury must specify which rape (oral, vaginal, or anal) that they find Davidson commited in order to aggravate the killing to a capital offense. It causes the jury to go through extra hoops. This is not the law in all states, not even really convinced its the law in Tennessee, but the judge is being careful. So in response, the State has chosen to rely on the oral and vaginal rapes of Channon and the anal rape of Chris. Easier to prove. Also makes the defense argument about the contaminated sample/seepage issue on the anal sampe irrelevant.

Thank you prairie. It still irks me that LD wouldn't be held accountable for other rape of Channon but certainly don't fault judge for dotting all his I's crossing all his T's making sure no grounds for mistrial.

arrot:

 

[Muffet]

Thank you prairie. It still irks me that LD wouldn't be held accountable for other rape of Channon but certainly don't fault judge for dotting all his I's crossing all his T's making sure no grounds for mistrial.

arrot:

Yep. He made no bones about it yesterday, when he came right out and said, "I'm not going to give you any grounds for an appeal."