UPDATE 4: Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd
CHRISTINE, NEWSOME FAMILIES GET GUILTY VERDICT, AWAIT COBBIN’S SENTENCING
by Mike McCarthy, WVLT Television
The families of Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23, have waited more than two-and-a-half years for Tuesday — the day they got to hear the jury say Letalvis Cobbins is guilty of crimes against the young couple.
Both families say the wait has been long, but it was worth it.
Gary Christian, Channon’s Christian’s father, pumped his fist, partly fulfilling the promise he made to fight for his daughter years ago.
Gary Christian says, “I’m getting there slowly but surely, honey.”
“One down, three to go,” Deena Christian, Channon’s mother, says.
That one is Letalvis Cobbins. The other three are Lemaricas Davidson, George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman. Testimony during Cobbins’ trial suggest Eric Boyd, a convicted accessory after the fact, may have had a roll in the killings, too.
“Cobbins ain’t no innocent little chicken,” Gary Christian says.
Jurors agreed. (view verdict forms)
Cobbins seemed to roll his eyes as the jury ruled on his role in the deaths of Christian and Newsom. They were carjacked, raped, and murdered in 2007.
“Our children paid a terrible price in pain, anguish,” Chris Newsom’s father, Hugh Newsom, says.
The jury found Cobbins guilty on 33 of 38 counts, including the first degree murder of Channon Christian and seven counts of felony murder in her death.
Jurors also said Cobbins facilitated Chris Newsom’s death.
“This happened while they were together,” Deena Christian says. “A guilty for one was a guilty for both.”
He was found guilty of numerous offenses,” Hugh Newsom says. “I guess I can’t complain about that.”
After years of waiting and dozens of trips to court, the Christians no longer call the district attorneys just prosecutors. They’re the family’s heroes.
“We’ve had our ups and downs with the District Attorney’s Office,” Gary Christian says, “but they did their job and they did it diligently.”
Cobbins was the first of four suspects to stand trial. The other three are still waiting for their turn to stand before the jury.
“As long as they’re alive. I’m going to hate them,” Gary Christian says. “That’s a fact.”
Cobbins could die for Christian’s death. It’s a punishment both families want.
Gary Christian seems confident, saying, “He’s gonna get death.”
“I am hoping he’ll get the death penalty,” Chris Newsom’s mother, Mary Newsom, says, “but if not, life without parole.”
It’s up to the jury whether Cobbins will get the death penalty, but their decision must be unanimous. One person opposed to seeing Cobbins killed for his crimes can keep him alive behind bars.
The sentencing hearing is set to start first thing Wednesday morning. You’ll be able to watch it live on Volunteer TV News and on our Web channel at VolunteerTV.com.
Here’s a rundown of the convictions:
1. GUILTY: Facilitation of first degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of robbery of Chris Newsom
2. GUILTY: Facilitation of first degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of robbery of Channon Christian
3. GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of robbery of Chris Newsom
4. GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of robbery of Channon Christian
5. GUILTY: Facilitation of first degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of kidnapping of Chris Newsom
6. GUILTY: Facilitation of first degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of kidnapping of Channon Christian
7. GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of kidnapping of Chris Newsom
8. GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of kidnapping of Channon Christian
9. NOT GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during the perpetration of rape of Chris Newsom; not guilty of lesser included charges
10. GUILTY: Facilitation of first degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of rape by oral penetration of Channon Christian
11. NOT GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during the perpetration of rape of Chris Newsom; not guilty of lesser included charges
12. GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during the perpetration of rape by oral penetration of Channon Christian
13. GUILTY: Facilitation of first degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during the perpetration of theft from Chris Newsom
14. GUILTY: Facilitation of first degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during the perpetration of theft from Channon Christian
15. GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of theft from Chris Newsom
16. GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of theft from Channon Christian
17. GUILTY: Facilitation of premeditated first degree murder of Chris Newsom
18. GUILTY: Premeditated first degree murder of Channon Christian
19. GUILTY: Especially aggravated robbery of Chris Newsom
20. GUILTY: Especially aggravated robbery of Channon Christian
21. GUILTY: Facilitation of especially aggravated kidnapping of Chris Newsom accomplished with deadly weapon (as pleaded to by defendant)
22. GUILTY: Facilitation of especially aggravated kidnapping of Chris Newsom accomplished with serious bodily injury (as pleaded to by defendant)
23. GUILTY: Especially aggravated kidnapping of Channon Christian, accomplished with a deadly weapon
24. GUILTY: Especially aggravated kidnapping of Channon Christian with serious bodily injury
25. NOT GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Chris Newsom by coercive anal penetration while armed with a weapon; not guilty of lesser included charges
26. NOT GUILTY: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Chris Newsom by anal penetration with bodily injury; not guilty of lesser included charges
27. NOT GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Chris Newsom by coercive anal penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons; not guilty of lesser included charges
28. GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive anal penetration while armed with a weapon.
29. GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive oral penetration while armed with a weapon.
30. GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive vaginal penetration while armed with a weapon
31. GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by anal penetration with bodily injury
32. GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by oral penetration with bodily injury
33. GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by vaginal penetration with bodily injury
34. GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive anal penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons
35. GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive oral penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons.
36. GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive vaginal penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons.
37. GUILTY: Theft of property of Chris Newsom, valued at $500 or less.
38. GUILTY: Theft of property of Channon Christian, valued at $10,000 or more but less than $60,000.
So it’s two down, three to go. Hopefully the jury does the right thing and gives the families the justice they want and deserve by sentencing Mr. Cobbins to death. If anyone took the time to watch his testimony, it was a pathetic, last ditch attempt to save himself. He even had to nerve to say, in front of her mother and father, that at one point he was alone with Channon Christian, and that she offered to have sex with him if he let her go, but, of course, he didn’t (let her go, that is).
While Letalvis Cobbins isn’t the worst of this lot – that honor is reserved for his brother, Lemaricus Davidson – He still has earned himself a death sentence and a special place in Hell. It’s obvious to me that even now he fails to comprehend the heinousness of his actions. Sadly, I don’t think he ever will.
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Rot. In. Hell.
HAPPY DANCE!!
I’m currently suppressing my happy dance until the death penalty is reached. And if it is, stand back y’all because I’m gonna be busting me a move like no ones bizness, yo.
Yes indeedy. True dat.
Me too. No happy dance for me until the needle starts pumping that death cocktail into these monsters. If some inhuman THING dared to ever touch my child, it would take a lot more than some courtroom security to keep me from ripping their balls off and breaking their necks. God, this story really sickened me.
I enjoy multiple Happy Dances for the various phases of a persons come-uppance. The final, penultimate HE’S GONNA DIE Happy Dance involves beer, fire eating, very loud Metal and ecstatic dwarfs in loincloths. It’s quite complicated and fulfilling. I recommend it highly.
Lol…you had me there until the dwarves in loincloths bit. Midgets aka dwarves; the pc term nowadays, literally scare the shit out of me.
I know I know…it sounds rather amusing, but seriously, I am not fond of dwarves.
Hi All… Long time lurker, first time commenting… As much as some of the things I read on this site TURN MY FRIGGIN’ GULLET, I’m addicted, and have been following this case since my introduction to it here… That said,
I hope each of them (even Eric Boyd) gets the death penalty. Even though I’m not necessarily pro-capital punishment, there are some cases where the perpetrators of these crimes simply have no use to humanity, and completely wiping their miserable lives from the earth is the closest we can get to salvation, despite the fact that it won’t undo the wrong they’ve done. This is one of those times. Plug these animals in and let electricity “do what it do” (as we kids say).
Hoo-rah to the Christian and Newsom families for this SMALL victory. I hate the fact that these d-bags even get to remain alive for the remainder of their trials and sentencings, but hopefully we’ll get past all that soon… Burn, baby, burn.
(Aside: My apologies to the animal kingdom for referring to said d-bags as part of their number.)
(Another Aside: Does anybody know if we can call over to the prison and REQUEST the rape of an inmate? Or four?)
YAY!!!!!!
Good.
Thats exactly what I said aloud!
I agree with someone in an earlier article who said that the death penalty is the easy way out. Life spent without freedom is a far worse punishment.
I know that if I were convicted of a heinous crime, I’d much rather be executed than forced to live the rest of my life in boredom and misery. I’d even plead not guilty if I thought it would bring me death instead of life in prison.
Here’s hoping for life in prison, death would be a mercy.
I understand your logic, but if they remain alive, there is a small chance that they remain a threat to other people. If they are dead, there is no chance.
Wow. This is such a fucked up story. Watch the video and see the father of one of the victims shaking.If that doesn’t touch your heart i don’t know what will.Poor guy I truly feel for him.
Like Channon’s mom said, one down, three to go. I cannot wait until we get to hear those words “FRY THAT MOTHERFUCKER”. Or, you know, something to that effect.
The father looks like he wants to tear him apart with his bare hands. Let’s hope someone does.
Imagine having to have to sit there in a court room and listen to what this father had to hear. – I don’t think I could do it.
I’d either have to be locked up in a loony bin, or I’d have to be restrained from killing these animals with my bare hands.
Maelstrom– I couldn’t have said it better. This father showed incredible restraint.
I wish they could execute him now, so that he can ride the same bus with Senator Kennedy…….
I actually have some free time to watch the penalty phase live through streaming video.
And as predicted…it is such a sob story concerning this morons childhood. Well BOO HOO asshole, many of us had a shitty childhood, myself included, but I never killed anyone.
Absolutely amazing what people try to mitigate these days.
Hi again Maelstrom -
I’m stuck at work where they have us blocked from streaming video, and there is absolutely no news coverage of this in the local media where I live, so keep us posted… I have to see how this turns out… If these “creatures” (ALL OF THEM) get anything less than execution, I just may lose a bit of faith in the system…
Hi again ABL,
I will do what I can….trying to watch and listen, packing up to move into a new home, and simultaneously trying to entertain my 15-month old who thinks it is an absolute hoot to remove everything mom just packed into a box. Oi.
Same crap though…his sisters are lamenting about his sad childhood, and he is sat there emotionless.
Channon’s father made an impact statement that was quite powerful, along with her mother. That was tough to listen to.
Anyways, have an excellent day at work ! :)
PS: I think the majority of us here are hoping for a death sentence in this one. Nothing else will do as far as I’m concerned.
My father was quite quick to hit, esp when I was younger.
I can also name of a list of other things that my father did….
My mother was far from perfect and now can be quite annoying, BUT this does not give me an excuse to abuse other people……
It does give me an excuse to have caller ID and if I really want to be a resentful prick, maybe a reason to dance at the cemetery.
But with all their faults, my parents did and still ove me… although sometimes I now wonder how……
There is no excuse for this crime – even a bunch of monkeys would have treated them better….. and been better lovers!
Who is breeding these monster? Seriously how fucked up are you to be able to do these types of things. And then to find 4 people willing to go along with it. How could you physically make your body do such evil acts? What caused your mind do be so disturbed? Is it pure serlfishness of your own pleasure? I dont get it!!!!
EDeath does seem like the easy way out, but give those poor parents some closure and kill them so that they arent continually fighting the system to keep them locked away. Plus what will theyy do to other inmates? Reminds me of that poor guy locked up with that one raping murderer. He was in a holding cell (i think he only had some theft charges) with him and got the crap beat out of him for no reason.
I just read an article regarding about the Jury and problems facing them over deciding the death penalty.
One woman was replaced because she doesn’t feel its her place to decide death, its gods.
A man was replaced because he was on a strict diet regimen; and had lost 20 lbs which would prevent him from being a good juror.
There are four alternate jurors in the case; all men, 3 white and one black.
Hopefully we hear something soon, but from the looks of it we may be waiting for awhile on this one.
OOPS—That was from me not Omar.
My bad.
It’s been a long trial so far, so I’m hoping the jury is itching to leave for good.
And though I am hoping for death, I’m not so sure anymore. You get one bleeding heart on that jury who feels that this asshole was treated “unfairly” during his childhood and that could be that.
Awww… poor widdle baby… Him had him a sad childhood. Big damn deal. Maybe you could’ve killed yourself instead of these two innocent people. If that were my sibling, I’d go to court alright… to sit on the side of the victim’s family. I have a brother with bi-polar disorder. He acts out and has “episodes” from time to time, and was even fairly abusive towards me as a child (and I don’t mean normal brother-sister bullying, I mean as in, he slapped me with a ceramic plate once), and I completely understand that he’s mentally ill – but if he were to kill someone (God forbid), I’d expect him to have to pay the price. I don’t care if it’s post-partum depression, PTSD, schizho, socio, psycho – whatever. The victims weren’t protected by the state, so why should these assmunchers be?
It KILLS me that this is dragging on. Since it’s not moving swiftly enough, and we’re all on an environmental kick these days, can we just go ahead clean these skidmarks from the face of the earth and chalk it up to “going green”?? We’d certainly be doing Mother Earth (and all of humanity) a favor…
P.S. Good luck with the move, Maelstrom, and thanks for the insight. I’m sure that 15-month old is a good helper, too (read: getting into EVERYTHING…LOL)!
Absolutely dead on ABL…dang, I agree totally with everything you said. I have nothing to add, which is quite rare. :)
Oi…the move is becoming nothing more than a major pain in my ass. I swear to god. It’s a nightmare. But it’s slowly coming to an end, and we will have our own home with a shit ton of privacy. No matter the hassle it’s worth it tenfold.
And oh yeah, my son is a HUGE help. If you consider dragging things out of packed boxes, throwing folded clothes, ripping duct tape off boxes, tearing garbage bags, and stealing my Sharpie pen constantly while running away laughing help. LOL. Yep, he’s my little trooper. :)
woohoo!!!!! have fun rotting in prison you PIECE OF SHIT! I hope you get ass raped with a dirty steel rod every day of your pathetic lil life :)
If you beat a dog every day for ten years, the dog might go crazy and attack you. Same thing with a kid. But even if you feel sorry for the dog, it’s still now a MAD DOG, and liable to kill – so it MUST be put down. Same thing with a person. Unfortunately, they need to be executed for the safety of the rest of us – including other inmates, prison personnel and guards, and anyone transporting them.
And if you don’t have the balls to do it yourself, then STFU and get the hell out of the way while we do it.
ABeautifulLife says:
August 25, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Hi All… Long time lurker, first time commenting… As much as some of the things I read on this site TURN MY FRIGGIN’ GULLET, I’m addicted, and have been following this case since my introduction to it here… That said,
Hi all from afar…(oz) I… like ABL (well short time lurker) first time commenting…would like to say….I love living in Australia at the present…don’t get me wrong I know we have assholes ( I will refrain from swearing) out here with what happenened to (Anita Cobby) years ago and all the other assholes (especially the drink driving deaths that have happened lately) I’m Degressing..sorry back to point…not having the death penalty here, and never really thinking about it……..THESE BASTARDS DESERVE TO FRY..CHOKE…GAG..whatever…looking over some posts though, there is mention that they should get life to be raped and all that, but dont prisoners over there on death row spend 23 hours by themselves? ( excuse the aussie thinking..and yes I’ve dyed my hair again) but how would this work? Don’t get me wrong I would love to see it happen, my own personal opinion…fuck that!!! (oops swore sorry..lol..) they would be getting visit’s from family & friends while they (if they) got life….it’s bad enough that they will get visit’s while on death row…now that SUCKS!! Again I don’t know if this is correct..Im sure someone will set me straight :) Good luck with the move maelstrom …a thank you to max the cat for replying to my email didnt expext it (see I told you..I lasted till 8.00am this morning..havent even had first coffee yet!!) and to all the other writers on here well done
Janeybox
@ janeybox…
I LOVE IT. My sentiments exactly! LOL
And mind not the assholes – they’re everywhere like fleas on a dog. Hold high that Aussie pride! :-)
Yesssss!!! Death. DEATH!!! GIVE THEM DEATH!!!
If the state of Tennessee wants to save some money, I’ll come up there at my own expense, with my own tools and skin each one of these shitheaps alive, one inch at a time, tomorrow.
Doo,
If you can get the go=ahead, I will buy your plane ticket.
WM
I read all of the stories on here and for the most part when found guilty I’m so happy and when they are sentenced to death I’m even happier for the victims. In this case though I really want them to rot in hell esp. that sick son of bitch of a brother Lemaricus Davidson that fucker deserves TORTURE and then THE DEATH PENALTY. I really am saddened for the tragic and unnessacerry death of the two victims. If they just wanted to steal a car they could’ve done that by throwing the couple out of the vechile and driving off. But noooo they knew what they were doing when they got in the car with the people in it. Watching the confession of Letalvis Cobbins was really hard for me. I mean not because I felt sorry for him but because it was hard to hear!! Period. If he didn’t want to be involved in the crime why the hell didn’t he release her when his brother left the house for two hours. Why did he let her give him oral with no intention of letting her go because he was scared of his brother who kept leaving the house all the time. His ass should have dressed her and took her to the hospital and called the police on his ass. This is shocking and at one point I felt really bad for him until I composed myself and really thought out the details and the time frame he had to help her out. I understand it was his brother but if It was my brother I would disown him and save her life. Fuck this pisses me off! I dont believe he deserves the death penality but im glad he got life because if I could look him in the face and tell him how fucked up he was to not do anything about it and cry about then I would. His g.f. could have gotten the fuck out of there too but they were idiots like he said they just sat on the floor LOOKING STUPID.!!!!
LOOKING STUPID! You said it! Just as he did sitting there in court throwing excuses like a cry-baby bi*ch! This FOOL will never get what he deserves, not a one of them will! And may the people who support these maggots burn slowly in hell as well! Unbelievable how ANYONE could discount or legitimize this case.
YEAH motherfucker lol.. I wish I was there to see him roll his eyes.. They would’ve never rolled back, the disrespectful little bitch. I wanna take all these sons o’ bitches an go Hostel on their asses :( Too bad our govt. is against that shit? May these low life punks get ass raped daily by some giant motherfuckers