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Old August 26th, 2009 #53
Anchorage Activist
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Default Jury wusses out, gives Cobbins life without parole

Story from WATE Channel 6:

Quote:
Cobbins gets life without the possibility of parole
Posted: Aug 26, 2009 3:31 AM ADT
Updated: Aug 26, 2009 6:36 PM ADT

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- In a surprise decision Wednesday night, the jury sentenced Letalvis D. Cobbins to life without the possibility of parole. He was found guilty Tuesday in the slayings of Channon Christian and her boyfriend, Christopher Newsom, in 2007.

Cobbins could also have been sentenced to death or to life in prison. He chose not to testify on his behalf Wednesday. The jurors gave weight to mitigating factors when they deliberated, finding for the lesser sentence.

Judge Richard Baumgartner said the jurors' names and the sentence will be sealed, but he will unseal them some time in the future. At that time, the media can contact them for interviews, but only once. The judge set a separate date of November 20 to sentence Cobbins in other crimes in this case.

Other three defendants

Cobbins' half-brother, Lemaricus, Davidson, along with Cobbins' friend, George Thomas, and his then girlfriend, Vanessa Coleman, are also charged in the case and awaiting their trials.

Newsoms: jury let us down

Chris' mother, Mary, said after the sentence, "It wasn't the way we wanted it. The jury let us down. They let Channon and Chris down. He won't be on the street again and he won't be able to hurt anybody again."

"He will always be locked up. That's the only thing we gained today," said Chris' father, Hugh.

When asked if he thought the jurors gave weight to Davidson's role in the crimes, Hugh said, "Cobbins was the one on trial. They (the jurors) said yes during the selection process, they could consider the death penalty, but in the sentencing, they finked out."

"Channon and Chris were not given justice today," Mary said.

Christians: We didn't get justice

Channon's father, Gary, said, "We are very, very pleased that the families in this community today got justice. Everybody that lives in this community got justice. We didn't."

"The jury let us down," Deena said. "They lied to us when they said they could consider the death penalty.

"Prison ain't what you think it is. It is a girls school," Gary said, referring to a visit he made to Riverbend Prison related to this case. "He can go to a lifetime in Disney land. He can have all the sex he wants. He can have all the drugs he wants."

"Their standard of living went up. He's got a roof over his head," Deena said. "He didn't have a home. Now, he does."

"They didn't give Channon and Chris a choice," Deena said.

"They (Channon and Chris) didn't do anything wrong. These animals just came up and took what they wanted, Channon's car," Deena said.

"His family won't visit him in prison. Where have they been the last eight years?" Deena said.

"What do you have to do to get a death penalty in this state?" Gary asked. "What did someone do? They must've driven a Sherman tank up their butt and pulled the trigger."

{snip}

The jury was made up of six women and six men. Six were black, five were white and one was Asian.
The remainder of the story consists of impact statements from the Christians, the Newsoms, and Cobbins' relatives. Available HERE.

Last edited by Anchorage Activist; August 26th, 2009 at 11:29 PM. Reason: typo