GUILTY VA - Aveion Lewis, 2, Roanoke, 14 January 2010 #3

[MBLover]

http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/301740

Judge denies stepdad's request to withdraw plea in death of toddler
By Neil Harvey | The Roanoke Times

Brandon Lockett, 25, was found guilty after he entered his plea on Aug. 30, but in October he filed a motion to take back his plea and proceed to trial, either with new counsel or representing himself.

“I have been indecisive at times … but I’m fully competent and able to conduct defense on my own behalf with the assistance of counsel,” he told Judge Clifford Weckstein from the stand.

After a hearing that lasted about an hour, Weckstein ruled Tuesday that Lockett had been made fully aware of the ramifications of his initial plea, that he had been competently represented by his defense team, that there was a factual basis to support a conviction and that Lockett would have expressed concerns if, as Lockett had claimed, he’d been coerced into the agreement.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-man...ke-courtroom-tuesday-20111129,0,3724256.story

He said his lawyers coerced him into the deal and that he didn't know the rights he was giving up.

A judge referred to a court date in August when he made the deal to drop his first degree murder charge to second degree.

I wish they had the video up with this story (maybe they will later)...BL actually speaks and comes off sounding like...well...

 

[MorenoI]

I will never understand how such normal looking people can be sooooooo rotten in the inside! Little Aveion I am glad that you have your real parents standing behind you...I am happy that he got to know love in his short time here on earth! RIP Aveion.....

 

[MBLover]

WSLS - Local NBC station advertised tonight that they will have a very in depth story on Aveion on Thursday evening at 6 PM. If I'm not mistaken the story will deal with some CPS issues and how Aveion seemed to fall through the cracks.

 

[Cubby]

MBL' The thank you button just isn't enough.


:gthanks::yourock:



For those of us not local, and those of us who have no working computer speakers, would it be too much to ask if you could transcribe the 'in detail' coverage you mentioned above?

I don't want to see this end with just the conviction and sentencing of ML and BL. I need to follow this through until the end, and all the mistakes made are corrected so no other child suffers the fate our precious little Aveion suffered.

Thanks! :blowkiss:

 

[Donjeta]

I was hoping there was going to be video with this story - as was shown on the local newscast... However, it's apparently basically just the transcript.

http://www2.wsls.com/news/2011/nov/21/aveion-lewiss-foster-mother-speaks-ar-1475442/

Aveion Lewis's foster mother speaks

There is a video now.

What a heartbreaking story

http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-man-...,3724256.story

He said his lawyers coerced him into the deal and that he didn't know the rights he was giving up.

A judge referred to a court date in August when he made the deal to drop his first degree murder charge to second degree.

I wish they had the video up with this story (maybe they will later)...BL actually speaks and comes off sounding like...well...

This story has a video now also.

 

[MBLover]

Unfortunately the story regarding Aveion did not play on local news tonight. We had another shooting at VA Tech...and basically that was all the news cast was about. (local news was non-stop from basically 1:30 - 6:30 today).

Hopefully this new Aveion story will air tomorrow evening.

 

[MBLover]

FINALLY!!! News Channel 10 (WSLS) Local NBC affiliate aired their story about Aveion - CHIP & the DSS. Very interesting, very informative. The newscast isn't over yet so there is no video with this story on their web-site. But after the Aveion segment the anchor made mention that there would be what was aired on their web-site.

So for now... Here's the link to the story. DSS failed miserably - despite many attempts by the caseworker of CHIP making several calls to DSS to express her issues regarding Aveion being back in the home of his mother and step-father.

http://www2.wsls.com/news/2011/dec/15/aveion-file-tells-different-story-one-dss-ar-1547296/

Aveion file tells different story than one from DSS
By: SCOTT LEAMON | WSLS
Published: December 15, 2011

During the trial placement, Roanoke Department of Social Services director, Jane Conlin, said the Locketts did everything they needed to do in order to get Aveion back; that no one ever contacted DSS with any concerns about Aveion’s well being.

Aveion’s Child Health Investment Partnership (CHIP) records, obtained by 10 On Your Side, tell a different story. We obtained the file through anonymous sources.

The file contains records of multiple contacts the agency had with the boy and the Department of Social Services for a time period including more than one before Aveion’s death.


Even after repeated monthly attempts by the CHIP caseworker nothing was ever done. I think it's very telling that Jane Conlin of DSS refused to go on camera for this interview with the reporter and that she also refused the recording of her voice for this story.

WSLS Reporter Scott Leamon says that he will stay on top of this case and continue to report. Kudos to him - I hope his reporting will "force" something in a legal way with DSS.

 

[MBLover]

http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/303088

Mother sentenced to 40 years in death of toddler Aveion Lewis
By Neil Harvey | The Roanoke Times

Morgan Lockett was sentenced to 40 years in prison this afternoon for the death of her toddler son, Aveion Lewis.

The sentence includes 30 years on the second-degree murder charge and 10 years on the child abuse charge.

She could have faced a total of 50 years behind bars.

 

[MBLover]

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/303123

Aveion Lewis' mother gets 40 years for boy's abuse, death

Morgan Lockett insisted "I did not kill my son" during her sentencing.
By Neil Harvey

Was Morgan Lockett the tragically submissive victim of a domineering husband or a willing participant in the slow, cruel killing of her 2-year-old son, Aveion Lewis?

Defense lawyers and prosecutors presented both possibilities at her pre-sentencing hearing Wednesday in Roanoke Circuit Court. But Judge Clifford Weckstein's ruling supported the latter portrayal: Lockett drew 40 years in prison, just 10 shy of the maximum allowable penalty.

(More at link)

On the news (hope the video is up in the above post)...she "cried"...during questioning by the Judge. It appeared to be crocodile tears to me. She didn't appear to look at the Judge, but seemed to keep her head and eyes averted downward, or else she was closing her eyes as she would talk. To me she didn't seem one bit remorseful and tried to distance herself from anything that went on with Aveion. From what I heard from her mouth she took no responsibility for what happened to him and blamed it all on Brandon (Aveion's step-father). I was quite surprised that she didn't get the full 50 years....because she deserved it.

 

[MorenoI]

I read that she was given 40 years last night before I went to bed. I know it may not seem alot, but I think this is better than most sentences that I have seen lately. I feel so much anger towards this lady, how could she not care for Little Aveion?

"For the rest of her life, she's going to be branded a monster. And yet, Morgan Lockett isn't a monster," he said. "Her crime is a crime of omission."

She isn't a monster? Really? Then what is she? A kind loving protecting mother, who fed her child?

JMO

One monster down, one more to go on Jan. 20!!!

 

[MountainLover]

ITA with you, MorenoI-such a heartbreaking situation to read about how badly little Aveion was treated. At last there's some semblance of justice being done for him, and hopefully Brandon Lockett's day of judgment will come and come swiftly. RIP, sweet boy.

 

[Cubby]

FINALLY!!! News Channel 10 (WSLS) Local NBC affiliate aired their story about Aveion - CHIP & the DSS. Very interesting, very informative. The newscast isn't over yet so there is no video with this story on their web-site. But after the Aveion segment the anchor made mention that there would be what was aired on their web-site.

So for now... Here's the link to the story. DSS failed miserably - despite many attempts by the caseworker of CHIP making several calls to DSS to express her issues regarding Aveion being back in the home of his mother and step-father.

http://www2.wsls.com/news/2011/dec/15/aveion-file-tells-different-story-one-dss-ar-1547296/

Aveion file tells different story than one from DSS
By: SCOTT LEAMON | WSLS
Published: December 15, 2011

During the trial placement, Roanoke Department of Social Services director, Jane Conlin, said the Locketts did everything they needed to do in order to get Aveion back; that no one ever contacted DSS with any concerns about Aveion’s well being.

Aveion’s Child Health Investment Partnership (CHIP) records, obtained by 10 On Your Side, tell a different story. We obtained the file through anonymous sources.

The file contains records of multiple contacts the agency had with the boy and the Department of Social Services for a time period including more than one before Aveion’s death.


Even after repeated monthly attempts by the CHIP caseworker nothing was ever done. I think it's very telling that Jane Conlin of DSS refused to go on camera for this interview with the reporter and that she also refused the recording of her voice for this story.

WSLS Reporter Scott Leamon says that he will stay on top of this case and continue to report. Kudos to him - I hope his reporting will "force" something in a legal way with DSS.

Thank you MBLover. I'm just seeing this now. I need to remind myself to get down to this area of the forum more frequently. Thank you so much for posting this.

I'm amazed that Jane Conlin's excuse is there was a 'personality conflict' so to speak between the Lockett's and CHIP. That might be excusable if Aveion was not on the brink of death from starvation when he was first placed into foster care. To ignore what appears to be at least a half dozen calls to DSS expressing concerns about Aveions safety during the period in which the state still had legal custody of Aveion is inexcusable. It's sad the state of Virgina can't be held criminally responsible for Aveions murder. They should be, imo.

I hope Ms. Conlin can either PROVE what she stated about the Locketts 'cooperating' with every agency involved outside of CHIP, or she is fired.

Had DSS and the state of Virginia heeded warnings Aveion might still be alive and well in the care of the foster family who wished to adopt him.

I'm so sorry you were failed by DSS and the state of Virginia Aveion. We must ensure your murder was not in vain and this never happens to another child again.

 

[Cubby]

I read that she was given 40 years last night before I went to bed. I know it may not seem alot, but I think this is better than most sentences that I have seen lately. I feel so much anger towards this lady, how could she not care for Little Aveion?

"For the rest of her life, she's going to be branded a monster. And yet, Morgan Lockett isn't a monster," he said. "Her crime is a crime of omission."

She isn't a monster? Really? Then what is she? A kind loving protecting mother, who fed her child?

JMO

One monster down, one more to go on Jan. 20!!!

I agree MorenoI. 40 years is a lot more than we have seen in other cases.

Not a monster and she grew a backbone over the last two years? GMAB.

From the article linked previously:

She said that when she complained about Brandon Lockett's treatment of her children, he threatened to return home to Georgia if he couldn't enforce his discipline.

So, in other words a warm body in her bed meant more to her than her children. I'm afraid if I wrote how I really wanted to express that I'd get a TO. She should have showed him the door and said good riddance, instead she sacrificed Aveion.

I'm extremely pleased to also have read she will not be allowed contact with children after serving her sentence. WTG judge!

One down one to go! I pray Brandon gets a longer sentence.


Justice is on it's way Aveion, your mom and step dad, now DSS next!

 

[CarolinaMoon]

Hopefully, she will serve enough time that, when she gets out, she will be beyond child-bearing age.

 

[MorenoI]

Yesterday I thought alot about Aveion, I remember in an interview from some post back she said she would let him cry to sleep everynight. This breaks my heart and makes me more angry...All that precious child wanted was someone to hold and maybe stroke his head and just tell him that he was soooooo loved, just like I do to my toddler. Why couldnt she do that? I mean really does that sound so hard to do? JMO

 

[MBLover]

She was too busy for Aveion...he was the "weakest"...and idiot Brandon wasn't his father...so he really didn't "matter"...what mattered to Morgan was taking care of her man... You know...she had one of those "good" men who didn't work and stayed home and abused at least one child since he didn't have anything better to do with his time. Morgan preferred an abusive loser who was a warm body than her own flesh and blood... IMHO of course...

 

[Donjeta]

She denied knowledge of how Aveion had been burned and admitted she could have done more to help him. She said that when she complained about Brandon Lockett's treatment of her children, he threatened to return home to Georgia if he couldn't enforce his discipline.

Goodness, she oughta have packed his bags and opened the door for him.

 

[MBLover]

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/303762


Aveion Lewis left lasting mark on 3 men who served as his father
Three men played key roles in the short life of Aveion Lewis. Each has been indelibly affected by the young boy's life - and death.
By Neil Harvey

In the short, sad life of Aveion Lewis, three very different men played very different roles:

James Lewis, the boy's father, who says he was shut out of his son's life early on.

Jeff Yopp, a Roanoke County firefighter and a foster parent to Aveion for 11 months.

And Brandon Lockett, the toddler's stepfather, who last year was found guilty of child abuse and second-degree murder in the 2-year-old's death.

Each man had a profound effect on the life of Aveion, and each in turn was profoundly affected by Aveion's life.


It came out later, in court, that Morgan Ward, now Morgan Lockett, was never fond of her son's name, and that she found Aveion sickly and difficult to deal with.

She also wasn't pleased with her boyfriend's roaming eye, and their relationship ended in mid-2007, after she caught him cheating, a point that now makes him wince.

There ya go...what I had wondered all along - Morgan's indifference to her son Aveion was due to who was his father... All those "tears" and almost wailing she did when convicted...none of that was for Aveion (IMHO)...just herself. I knew when she couldn't look at the Judge that she was FOS...

More of the story at link

 

[joe jones]

http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-bra...rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

50 year sentence for Brandon Lockett

 

[MBLover]

http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/303781

Aveion's stepdad draws 50-year prison term in death of toddler
By Neil Harvey | The Roanoke Times

Roanoke Circuit Court Judge Clifford Weckstein this afternoon sentenced Lockett to 50 years in prison, the maximum he could have received.

During a hearing that lasted only 10 minutes, Lockett read a statement apologizing for his actions.

“My actions aren’t excusable and were very wrong,” Lockett said. “I want to apologize for my mistakes. I messed up.”

He later admitted that the kidnapping had been a ruse – he said the toddler had choked while eating and the body had been disposed of by a friend.

Okay...how many of you believe this is what happened...that Aveion choked...and friend disposed of body?