UPDATE 6: Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd
LAMARICUS DAVIDSON GUILTY, ELIGIBLE FOR DEATH PENALTY IN CHRISTIAN-NEWSOM MURDERS
by Yvette Martinez – WBIR-TV, Knoxville TN
The very first part of the verdict by a Knox County jury made Lemaricus Davidson eligible for the death penalty.
Davidson has been found guilty on each of the most serious of the subsequent charges, with the exception of the charges accusing him of directly raping Chris Newsom.
Instead, he has been convicted of facilitating the rape of Chris Newsom.
Hugh and Mary Newsom, parents to Chris Newsom; and Gary and Deena Christian, parents to Channon Christian; said today that their children finally had the justice they deserved.
The four said unanimously that the death penalty was the only acceptable punishment for Davidson.
They expressed outrage at the defense’s characterization of the murder victims.
Sentencing is set to begin Thursday morning.
Comprehensive Rundown Of Conviction
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of robbery of Newsom
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of robbery of Channon Christian
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during the perpetration of robbery of Newsom
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of robbery of Christian
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of kidnapping of Newsom
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of kidnapping of Christian
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of kidnapping of Newsom
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of kidnapping of Christian
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of rape of Newsom
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of oral rape of Christian
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of rape of Newsom
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of oral rape of Christian
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of theft from Newsom
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Chris Newsom during perpetration of theft from Christian
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of theft from Newsom
* GUILTY: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian during perpetration of theft from Christian
* GUILTY: Premeditated first degree murder of Chris Newsom
* GUILTY: Premeditated first degree murder of Channon Christian
* GUILTY: Especially aggravated robbery of Chris Newsom
* GUILTY: Especially aggravated robbery of Channon Christian
* GUILTY: Especially aggravated kidnapping of Chris Newsom, accomplished with deadly weapon
* GUILTY: Especially aggravated kidnapping of Chris Newsom with serious bodily injury
* GUILTY: Especially aggravated kidnapping of Channon Christian, accomplished with deadly weapon
* GUILTY: Especially aggravated kidnapping of Channon Christian with serious bodily injury
* GUILTY: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Chris Newsom by coercive anal penetration while armed with a weapon (NOT GUILTY of aggravated rape of Chris Newsom while armed with weapon)
* GUILTY: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Chris Newsom by anal penetration with bodily injury (NOT GUILTY of aggravated rape of Chris Newsom by anal penetration with bodily injury)
* GUILTY: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Chris Newsom by coercive anal penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons (NOT GUILTY of aggravated rape of Chris Newsom by coercive anal penetration while aided and abetted)
* GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive anal penetration while armed with weapon
* GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive anal penetration while armed with a weapon
* GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive vaginal penetration while armed with a weapon
* GUILTY: Aggravated arpe of Channon Christian by anal penetration with bodily injury
* GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by oral penetration with bodily injury
* GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by vaginal penetration with bodily injury
* GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive anal penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons
* GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive oral penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons
* GUILTY: Aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive vaginal penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons
* GUILTY: Theft of property from Chris Newsom, valued at $500 or less.
* GUILTY: Theft of property from Channon Christian, valued at $10,000 or more but less than $60,000.Previous: Verdict In
After a night’s rest, jurors were ready to continue their deliberations by hearing from an accused killer.
At around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, the Knox County jury asked to listen to Lemaricus Davidson talk to officers the day he was arrested on January 11, 2007.
During the interrogation, Davidson changed his story several times about how much he knew about the crimes that led to the murders of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom.
Judge Richard Baumgartner announced the jury would watch the 2 hour tape in the open courtroom, but that would still be part of deliberations.
He warned court spectators not to make remarks or show emotion during the time the tape would be played for the jury.
The judge’s decision to show the interrogation in open court did not come without an objection from the defense.
David Eldridge said because the jury is still deliberating, the courtroom should be closed to spectators, to include the victims’ families.
However, the judge disagreed and proceeded to bring the jury in to listen to the tape.
The video and sound quality on the tape make it difficult to get a good look at the defendant or understand what he said.
Prosecutors added highlighted subtitles to the video, but the foreman asked the judge Wednesday morning if there was any way to increase the volume or zoom in on the video.
The judge said nothing more could be done to the tape.
Jurors will have to sort through 41 pages of a verdict form make decisions about Davidson’s guilt on 38 charges. There are 46 counts, but earlier this year some of the rape charges were merged.
Victims Families Outraged
On Wednesday morning, the Christian and Newsom’s gathered in a corner of the court house to take aim at a Knox County judge, the media and the defense for an accused killer.
Gary Christian had to take several deep breaths as he explained his frustration with the legal system and how his family and his murdered daughter have been treated.
“I can not fathom when we screwed up so bad our system, that it allows what happened in that court in the last week, you saw it you know what they did,” Gary
Christian said. “And my wife can’t say in a victims impact statement that they should have not been put on trial. What is up with that?”
Then Channon Christian’s father criticized the defense strategy used by David Eldridge and Doug Trant. “Can attempt to drag our children through the mud, make them into dope dealers and hookers,” Gary Christian added. “There are two trials here. I didn’t do this i didn’t start this but i am my daughter’s attorney.”
Chris Newsom’s older sisters stood by Deena Christian’s side as she began to explain her frustration about the defense’s allegations that her daughter used drugs.
Christian said her daughter worked for a clinic called Specialty Select for 2 years or more. Channon Christian was drug tested for the job and her mother held up the results for the cameras to see.
Deena Christian also dissected her daughter’s drug test that showed she had oxymorphone in her system. She said her daughter was on a prescription called Roxicet for a tonsilectomy as she also revealed that to the cameras.
During the proof portion of the trial, Deena Christian testified Channon Christian could not take hydrocodone because it made her extremely ill.
But defense attorneys continued to focus on an empty hydrocodone bottle found in Christian’s SUV.
“We’re all Channon has,” Deena Christian said. “She’s not here to tell you the truth herself we are her voice.”
Davidson’s attorneys have also alleged during the trial that Christian had consensual sex with the defendant.
“If it was consensual, look at the pictures that you can’t even show on TV, do you think consensual sex looks like that when you get through,” Deena Christian said. “She would roll over in her grave today if she thought anybody thought that of her either using drugs or being promiscuous because she was a young lady that cared about herself and she would not do that.”
David Eldridge and Doug Trant, the lawyers who represented Lamaricus Davidson, should both burn in hell for what they put the the the parents of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom during this trial. The diabolical strategy they used to defend their client was almost as bad, from the point of view of Gary and Deanna Christian and Hugh and Mary Newsom, as the crimes perpetrated against their children by this animal Lamaricus Davidson.
First they suggested that Channon and Chris were both drug addicts, and that they were at the murder scene voluntarily looking for drugs. They made these claims in spite of 
evidence they had in their possession that proved beyond a doubt that Channon was drug free at the time of her death and, although he tested positive for marijuana, Chris had no cocaine in his system (Davidson was a crack dealer).
That was bad enough, but then they crossed the line completely. With absolutely no evidence, they told the jury that Lemaricus Davidson and Channon Christian were lovers, and that the sex that occurred between the two was consensual. It’s a common mantra of the rapist, but to use it in a case where the victim suffered the types of injuries to her vagina and anus that Channon Christian did is despicable.
As I watched Gary and Deanna Christian give their statement in the video I posted for this article, I was moved to tears. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what they’ve gone through the last couple of years, but I could certainly feel their pain as they was forced to defend the honor of their daughter, who’s only crime was being in the wrong place at a time when Lemaricus Davidson and his pals forgot their humanity and destroyed her body and life and the body and life of of Chris Newsome.
Final arguments for the Penalty Phase are supposed to take place today (Friday), and Davidson’s fate should be in the hands of the Jury by Monday. I will let you all know as soon as there is a decision.
The pictures are, from top to bottom:
1. Lamaricus Davidson
2. Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom
3. from left to right – Cathy St. John (Channon’s Aunt), Deena Christian and Gary Christian
4. Hugh and Mary Newsom, after Mary’s Victim’s Impact Statement
5. Lemaricus Davidson and his Lawyers, David Eldridge and Doug Trant, having a good ol’ time in court.
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The death penalty is a proven deterrent. No one has ever re-offended that was given the death penalty.
Expedite his trip to the inferno. Save taxpayers money. And for you enviro-freaks his death will result in a smaller carbon footprint unless of course he is cremated. Hah ha! There is no real justice however. Real justice is an eye for an eye. He should be raped, tortured, beaten and then killed. That would be justice. YOU MF! F U! U POS! What you and your boys did to these two is heinous. There will be a finite number of humans. You and your buddies rank at the very bottom of our human family. You don’t deserve to live and breath the air we breathe.
Dude are we a little “angry?”
No probs. Yer not alone. Death? Yep but after days filled with beatings, skinnings, rusty nails being driven through the knee caps, baths in urine, ect. Then death.
Wow. Wow. Wow. This site has really overwhelmed me. I read about baby p about 6 months ago, and the story has haunted me ever since. Not a day goes by when I don’t think about him. I’m in school to brcome a social worker because of his story. It was really great to find pysih. It gives me all the more drive to continue my path to help suffering kids.
This lamaricus bastard and his gang make me more then sick. I find myself staring at the pictures, into thier eyes just trying to figure out WHY? Why is there so much evil in the world? How do these sick and cowardly scums even find each other? It’s so heartbreaking.
He won’t get the death penalty. If he does, it will be overturned. His buddy Letalvis got life. Media blackout.
he did receive the death penalty. And Cobbins is his half brother. Living here ive followed from day 1 && other lawyers attending the hearings have noted that 9 times out of 10 when a jury finds the ringleader and listened to an iterrogation tape in which the defendant changed his story repeatedly, in such a heinous crime as this they gave the death penalty.
While I’ve been a long time reader of this site this is my first comment. I have been following this case since I’ve first heard news of it, and I cannot say how happy and relieved I am over this verdict. That said, the information that has come out of this case has made me absolutely sick to my stomach. It is unfathomable what the two victims suffered at the hands of these disgusting individuals. Honestly, I cannot believe that some people (and in this case I use the term very loosely) have so little disregard for human life and dignity. It boggles the mind! How people can be so degenerate and disgusting and sick is hard to understand, and I’ve given up trying to understand how someone could be like that. Anyway, I pray to God that he gets the death penalty, and I pray that the families and friends of the two victims can manage to find at least a little bit of peace in their lives.
Gah! this is one of the more horrifying crimes I have heard of, and my blood just boils seeing this degenerate animal laughing it up with his lawyers & trying to pass off as a normal respectable human in his court “attire” of glasses, button up shirts & v neck sweater. This goddamn animal deserves nothing less than being made to suffer unimaginably, and killed slowly, over days. How is garbage like this even created? the human dumpster of a mother that spawned this insect has gotta be patting herself on the back right about now.
Honestly, I weep for humanity.
He was advised by his lawyers to cut his hair, keep it neat and wear sweater vests and his glasses at all time. I believe one said that if he looked respectable theyd have more pity on him.
There are no words for this disgusting piece of shit. Hope you enjoy your life in lockdown, fuckhead. Was it worth it?
At 3:00 pm eastern time the jury FINALLY gave the family some justice and gave Lemaricus Davidson the death penatly. Which is too light of a sentence if you ask me. They should have given him the death penalty and then handed the needle to Gary Christain and let him inject it right there in the courtroom.
Hurray!!!!
“With absolutely no evidence, they told the jury that Lemaricus Davidson and Channon Christian were lovers, and that the sex that occurred between the two was consensual. It’s a common mantra of the rapist, but to use it in a case where the victim suffered the types of injuries to her vagina and anus that Channon Christian did is despicable.”
Not to mention that, you know, consensual sex rarely ends in DEATH.
I have to say that I am as pissed off at the Lawyers as I am with the perps. the attorney’s who defend people like this are scum of the earth…IMO
Well, I think defense attorneys are very important and don’t think anyone should have to go without one.
But here is a note for lawyers: if your defense involves slut-shaming a dead rape victim? You can shove that right up your asshole.
I agree completely. Defense attorneys are critical, especially against overzealous DAs (see Duke LAX), but what was the point of slandering the victims? First, the evidence all points to the contrary. Both kids were proven clean and the SUV was left in the middle of the road two blocks away. Second, even if these kids were drug addicts and the sex was consensual (which of course it definitely wasn’t), the murder isn’t any less excusable.
The only thing these idiot defense attorneys accomplished was making the jury hate them as much as we do. Accordingly, the jury will feel less compassion or understanding for their client.
Letalvis Cobbins’ attorney did it right. He admitted that his client was scum, that Channon and Chris were helpless victims, and that his client raped and tortured them. He probably saved his client’s life.
I predicted that Cobbins would not get the death penalty (see my post). However, I would be shocked if Davidson doesn’t get death.
Oh, I’m late! Didn’t see he was already sentenced to death. Hurray! Honestly, I think we have the defense attorneys to thank at least in part…
Thanks, Max. Maybe I jumped the gun on asking for the update but I sat in court via the computer all week and I do not want this crime to continue to be swept under the rug. Therefore, on my favorite crime site, (which is on my facebook along with a video about this crime), I sure wanted to see this! All, please pray for these families and their next battle. Again, a mighty big thank you, Max!
No, you didn’t jump the gun – I wanted to cover this case like I did Latalvis Cobbins, since the major news networks aren’t doing anything with it. Not that we’re that important, but someone has to do it.
These despicable defense attorneys need to be run out of town on a rail. I get that the POS perp is evil- what is their excuse? The whole community needs to shun them and refuse to do business with them until they get down on their knees and beg the victim’s families’ forgiveness. The pain they have further inflicted on those poor people- they are a type of rapist themselves. When faced with the choice to provide a decent defense, as best as possible under the circumstances, for their POS client OR attempt to further destroy the victims posthumously by defaming them, even claiming that Channon WANTED to be raped half-to-death- they chose the side of pure evil. Looking at the pics of them chuckling merrily away with him is a slap in the face to human decency. BOYCOTT THIS LAW FIRM, Knox County!
Trust me Karen we have shun them! These defense lawyers continued to try and slander the victims reputations,make light of their deaths by saying it was a drug deal gone wrong…really?! GONE WRONG?! They are honestly ignorant. Then when Ms Fitzgerald made the comment that they were trying to make them into “bad Kids” They tried to say they were not doing that they were just trying to get everyone to see the truth… Which THEY thought was that it was a drug deal gone horribly wrong…but yet they still tried to say he didnt do it… Id be a better attorney! Although Id never defend ANYONE of this caliber… but yes as a community we are all outraged at these lawyers…granted they have a job to do but NOT to ruin the reputations of the deceased.
Living 30 min away from Knoxville this story hit me hard && ive followed from day 1 .. being in the places they mentioned going, driving the same streets they drove the night this happened..its just weird. and to think that his lawyers were saying that the reason he did all of this was because of his horrible upbringing.. and he was hit on his head… wtf.
The AMAZING D.A. Takisha Fitzgerald has been so wonderful to the families of the victims. always checking on them and asking if they need anything. etc.. She made her point this morning when she said that just cause your momma smoked crack doesnt excuse you from killing two innocent people, his sister had the same upbringing and she chose to turn her life around….and for anyone that is wondering you can go to wbir.com that is our local station and watch videos as well as live feed when it is on. Thats where i seen that he was sentenced to DEATH today at 2:50pm.
These kids werent murdered they were tortured..and for the one that left the comment that “his buddy Cobbins only got life without parole..” has to understand first that cobbins is his half brother and second Lemaricus did get the death penalty TODAY and he was considered the ring leader, it was his house, his DNA all over miss channon and her belongings , they couldnt prove that he raped mr chris because when his body was burned the dr stated that semen cant withstand high temperatures. Also, he wasn’t only raped with a penis but with what they think is a chair leg or table leg etc. But wbir.com and knoxnews.com has all of the information as well. But this site has done a great job covering it. I am really suprised the media doesnt get a hold of it. Its sad.
Chris Newsom was raped with a chair leg? my god. The more I read into this story the more horrified I become. I honestly cannot fathom *why* such torture, hatred & abuse was inflicted on this poor young couple. I mean they did not know these people & were simply out minding their own business. I haven’t read all of the court transcripts, but do any of the assailants ever give any kind of reason (I know logically there really isn’t any) why such extremely sadistic abuse & torture was forced on these poor two kids who did nothing to them? was it jealousy? was it for mere kicks? was it just to get back at people who have it better then them?
My god. I just cannot wrap my brain around the unimaginable abuse these two kids suffered. I just can’t understand it at all. There is a special place in hell for these monsters.
Hollywood,
Supposedly, It was a carjacking and that was supposed to be it, according to Cobbins, Davidson would not testify.. of course coward ASSHOLE. But honestly Ive never heard a reason as to why they did it all. The D.A. believes that they killed them because they would be able to identify them but as to why they had to be tortured and raped ….who knows.. Also, the Dr that took the DNA samples stated that mr newsoms anus was not just torn it was ripped.. as well as ms christian, she stated that where a “normal” (if u can call it that) rape just has minimal signs of tearing and bleeding where as ms christian had either been kicked in the vagina or also raped with an object. She was torn in both areas, and her upper lip was torn away from her gums as a result of violent oral sex. I have honestly become terrified in my own home afraid their friends are still out there and could care less to do this to anyone else. They could easily be near me, I only live 30 min away. =(
I completely know what you mean. I live in Alcoa, so I know what you mean about driving up and down those same streets and all of that. It’s very scary. And we don’t think like that…..you know? In this area, you don’t think about stuff like that happening. I mean, college parties, having a good time with your friends….you don’t think about getting carjacked, raped, tortured, and murdered. I just wish they would give a microphone to Gary Christian. That poor man needs to say something. They need to quit hushing him and telling him what he can and can’t say. Let the poor man talk. It kills me to see him just rocking back and forth. He is harboring so much anger. I feel terrible for them all. I can’t imagine going through something like that….and to think, it could have been one of us…..wrong place at the wrong time.
Hollywood, what if they did give a reason? I understand why you want one, but what if you got one? I doubt it would satisfy you, or any other sane person.
“It is hard for you to conceive of a philosophy of someone that may not think… I don’t think like you people. You people put importance on your lives. Well, my life has never been important to anyone, not even in the understanding of the way you fear the things that you fear, and the things you do.”
- Charles Manson, 1970 Court transcript
Wow. I’m really amazed at how much restraint Channon’s parents showed. Especially her father. Just looking at his face I can feel the rage coming off of him like a tidal wave. There aren’t a lot of things anymore that I’m afraid of, but being the target of that man’s fury would be something to fear.
Really sick case. This one ranks up there with Gertrude Baniszewski, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Lori Drew. Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd deserve to rot in the worst layer of Hell along side with Seung-Hui Cho, 9/11 Terrorists, Adolf Hitler, and Joseph Stalin. They would make good company with worthless scumbags like them.
This is definitely one of the more revolting cases I’ve read on this site. The savagery of the rapes really should proveto anyone with half an ounce of intelligence exhibit that rape is not about sex and all about power and degredation. And the power trip from hell these guys were on deserves a quicker trip down to hell for them, imo.
I am so sick of hearing about cases like this were the defense attornies trot out the old, “she wanted it, it was consensual” thing, or worse yet, make slurs on her sexual life. That defense makes me very ill.
My heart goes out to this man. I want to know why the jury decided to not give Letalvis Cobbins the death penalty. I also think this was a hate crime-Lemarcius’s dumb girlfriend dumped him, and she was white. I think they did this as a vengeful thing against white women.
every one of these stinking pieces of subhuman shit should be tortured just like the victims then be put into the electric chair. May they face God Almighty’s rightous judgment…I hope it will be in the pits of hell…but God’s will be done.
and people ask me why i feel the need to pack “heat”.better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
no,there is no way to understand such behavior.human beings just
being what they are,i guess.
when i view the photos of the vermin that committed this crime i get filled with lust for their blood.that cobbins looks to be really
stupid and weak minded.davidson…a vile creature beyond any form
of redemption.there are no words to describe these idiots.the girl,vanessa coleman…what a useless hag.not to worry,they will all
get what is coming to them.