UPDATE 8: Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd
GEORGE THOMAS SENTENCED TO LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE FOR CHRISTIAN-NEWSOM MURDERS
excerpts of a story by Jamie Satterfield – The Knoxville News-Sentinel
There were no celebrations Thursday as a Hamilton County jury announced the fate of convicted killer George Thomas.
Instead, an air of resignation and regret-tinged relief hung in Knox County Criminal Court as the jury foreman declared the panel’s decision to spare the life of Thomas, 26, but order him to stay forever behind bars.
“There are no winners in this case,” Thomas’ defense team of Tom Dillard and Steve Johnson said in a statement.
On that, the families of slain couple Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23, agreed.
“It’s acceptable,” Newsom’s father, Hugh Newsom, said of the sentence of life without parole, meted out less than two hours after the panel began deliberations. “The main objective is putting them off the street so they can never do this
again.”
“We can’t help but be greedy,” Christian’s mother, Deena Christian, said of the families’ disappointment that, so far, only convicted ringleader Lemaricus Davidson has rated a death sentence for a fatal January 2007 crime spree.
After the verdict, authorities transported Thomas to the Charles Bass Correctional Complex in Nashville, said Dorinda Carter, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Department of Correction. Bass is an intake center for new inmates, where Thomas will be evaluated perhaps over 30 to 60 days to decide where he should serve out his life sentence, Carter said.
Like Thomas, Davidson’s brother, Letalvis Cobbins, also has been sentenced to life without parole.
A fourth defendant, Vanessa Coleman, faces trial in May. A fifth suspect, Eric Boyd, is serving an 18-year prison term for hiding out Davidson after the slayings, but he remains uncharged in the couple’s deaths.
Prosecutors Takisha Fitzgerald and Leland Price faced a daunting task in Thomas’ case. Unlike in the August and October trials, respectively, of Cobbins and Davidson, they were unable to produce any direct proof of Thomas’ guilt. He conceded he was inside the Chipman Street house when the couple was kidnapped, raped and slain but denied he had a hand in any of those crimes.
Chris Newsom’s mother noted Thursday that Cobbins, who has remained close friends with Thomas while the pair were jailed pending trial, claimed Thomas accompanied Davidson and Boyd when her son was being led to his execution, and Coleman also implicated Thomas. Jurors, however, are not allowed under the rules of criminal procedure to hear one suspect’s statement against another.
“We know there’s more things that he did that the jury was not allowed to hear … so I’m a little disappointed,” she said of the sentencing decision.
I really don’t like George Thomas, and I’ll tell you why. Because even though there was no evidence showing that he was a direct participant in the rape and murder of Christopher Newsom and Channon Christian, he was well aware of what was going on, and he knew that Channon Christian was being held hostage and being raped regularly by Letalvis Cobbins, Lamaricus Davidson and Eric Boyd, and he chose to do nothing.
Not only did he choose to do nothing, according to a memorandum written by Knox County Sheriff’s Office Detective Nevil Norman, George Thomas made certain statements showing that his choice was based on a certain amount of racism (View Memo Here). Also, Two of his co-defendants, Lamaricus Davidson and Letalvis Cobbins, made statements that showed George Thomas was much more involved in this crime than prosecutors were allowed to let on during trial, due to the rules of evidence.
Anyway, that makes three assholes down, two more to go in this horrible example of man’s inhumanity to man. Next up is Vanessa Coleman, then Eric Boyd.
How Garry and Deena Christian, the parents of Channon, and Hugh and Mary Newsom, the parents of Christopher, have kept their sanity throughout this process is beyond me. Every time I write about this case, my heart bleeds for them, especially for Gary Christian, who appears to be the rock that the others have anchored themselves on.
You don’t have to be a genius to see that he loved his daughter Channon very much, and that his heart has been broken into a million pieces. Yet he stays strong for the others, and for Channon, as he listens to her get violated over and over again every time one of these animals comes up for trial. I can only hope to be half the man he is.
61 Comments »
Similar Posts:
- UPDATE 2: Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd
- UPDATE 4: Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd
- UPDATE: Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd
- UPDATE 5: Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd
- UPDATE 7: Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd
- UPDATE 6: Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd
- UPDATE 3: Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd
- Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd
Max, those folks are a stronger breed than me…I think I would have ended up in a grave right next to my child! Unfortunately that ass wipe did not get the death penalty..I believe that ALL the scum involved should be executed! Very anti climactic unfortunately…I wanted so much more for the parents. Thanks for the update!!!
Great update as usual Max. You right on in the end paragraph. I just see Gary’s face and I shutter before I even read a word. I wonder if he will unravel after all is said and done? I sure hope not he deserves so much more.
I hate this case to my core. It haunts me and I am positive it always will.
I am a believer in the death penalty however people sitting on the row usually have 20 yrs of appeals and visits from lawyers and yadda yadda, their own cell and other special privileges they other wise wouldn’t receive if they are sentenced to life and thrown in the general populace.
So in my opinion this is better than a death sentence, they can get ass raped for the rest of their lives and think about their crime every time some one drops the soap.
Smith, you have a good point…
A very good point indeed, but sadly (IMO) justice wasn’t served. In cases like these the perps she be handed over to the parents, to do with what THEY see fit. It anyone ever hurt my babies, God forgive me, but I’d go to prison and then Hell, avenging mine…with a smile on my face.
I agree. These bastards would never make it to prison if they had hurt my child or I would pay to make sure they never made it out alive.
I am from Knoxville. For what these animals did to Channon and Christopher, HELL is not enough. May they rot in jail forever! Perverse sick bastards!!
Kyle,
In reading the memo included in the story this asshole stated “fuck that white girl, she don’t mean nothing to me.”
Do you know if the prosecution brought in the new hate crime legislation during the trial?
You may have a little more insight than I, being from Knoxville.
Vanessa Bitch Coleman is the one I am waiting for. I have watched all of the trials via wbir.com and I can’t wait for May for them to nail that little shit!
As always, thanks for the update, Max!
The other one that needs to stand trial for this hasn’t and will never do so apparently. The worthless cum dumpster Daphne Sutton still walks the streets of shit hole Knoxville. My buddy spotted her at O’ Charleys restaurant on Central Ave the other night with a lovely ‘LD’ (Lemaricus Davidson) tattoo on her arm. Classy piece of shit, right?
She gets a tattoo on her arm to commemorate the fact that the scumbag that she was fucking for the week brutally murdered two other human beings and left one on a railroad track after raping him, and stuffed another into a garbage can after brutally raping her. Nice one Daphne; let me catch you out one night. I’ll pick up the tab for you and everything.
That’s disgusting. I live in NY, so i don’t get insider info like this. That bitch should be ashamed of herself. All in all though, shes just a nasty hoodbooger who will end up with yet another dudes name on her arm, ass, leg etc.
Good thing it wasn’t me who spotted her…Just to think that skank is able to live a normal life and the parents of those kids will never be the same!!!
Yeah, E Diddy, it must’ve made the prosecutors a little nuts to even have to look at that truly disgusting, foolish POS Sutton and have to deal with her on a serious basis, just to get her testimony. At least the other little cheap drug-addled whore who’s been on the stand had the decency to cry! Maybe some day she might redeem herself somehow- but Sutton is irredeemable human scum.
I will help to start her redeeming now someone hold her down while I take a sander to that tat the bitch has on her arm!
I could never be a cop…these idiots would have never made it to trial if i arrested them. Another great write up Max
agreed. they wouldn’t have went quick and easy with me either.
This case still breaks my heart. For me, to read that memo where this piece of shit says “fuck that white girl….” well that makes me HOPE and PRAY they put him in a cell with a vindictive aryan brotherhood member who knows just how much George Thomas hates white girls. In a way, I’m glad he didnt’ get death… This group deserves to suffer.
My prayers to the families, I know this must be extremely hard.
I agree Lil Miss sunshine, they need to suffer and death is just too easy! I want them to get the exact treatment that they gave Channon and Christopher by all of the criminals in there that do know that raping and torturing innocent people is wrong. I hope they suffer every minute of every day while they live out the rest of there lives in a high security prison!!! God Bless the Newsom and the Christian families, my heart aches for you!
Someone needs to Dexter these assholes.
Buahaha!
http://www.datafilehost.com/download-31c69392.html Here is her transcript. Hope its ok to post here.
FYI, This is a transcript of Daphne Sutton’s January 10th, 2007, interview with investigators from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
-editor
Sure, why not – I thought about putting it into the update, but decided against it for some reason I can’t recall now. But if you think it’s worth reading E Diddy, then it should be available.
What do you guys think of the retrial they are all granted bc of the judges RX issue? I personally think it is a LOAD of BS! The lawyers & jury are completely separate! All the judge did was sentence them, so why do they ALL get a whole new trial!!! It really pisses me off especially since they can’t get a stricter sentence!! Why is that fair? If they are redoing the trial bc judge is considered incompetent then a stricter sentence should be available just as we’ll as a lesser one! I really don’t get that bc they are using the judges sentence as a maximum, yet If his work isn’t allowed then that shouldn’t be either!! It really is unfair bc now those A holes are repeatedly torturing the families after they tortured their children & they do NOT deserve any ‘rights’ by they are far from humane
This case cuts me deep, it is maybe the best example of depravity on the whole site. These guys may not ALL get the death penalty, but that MAY be the easy way out for them anyways….hope they are abused and traumatized every single day in prison. My heart hurts for these parents..i cannot even imagine the anger and sorrow that must be trying to consume them whole.
These scumbags would be the kind of people who be henchmen of Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Saddam Hussein, and Idi Amin.
This collection of fucktards need to die inthe same manner that they killed or let die Newsom and Christain.
Some bleeding hearts with their head up their asses will say that such is “creul and unusual” – um then why shoud we allow the fucktard club to do such? DOn’t the victims count???
Given the members of the fucktard club have determined that doing such os not cruel and inhumane by performing such acts, then what is wrong woth makingthem the stars of the next execution?
I am sure that there are some good ol’ boys in prison that will be happy to play the roles of the fucktards while the fucktards star in the “reenactment” as the victims…..
George Thomas needs to die by having a torch shoved deep up his ass – pretty much the same way that Newsom died…..
I hate bleeding hearts.
The problem I have with the bleeding hearts is tha they are not there to witness the crime. They live in the moment – forgetting the past, the crime, and not caring about the future, the possibility of reoffending.
One can be truely sorry for a sudden act of rage, but there is no sorry for a crime that was extended over such a long period of time consisting of so many acts.
At almost anytime anyone of these POS could have stopped what was happening, but each act was a choice to continue.
I always question their motives, myself. I flat out don’t trust them.
Cruel and unusual? Two words that I generally hear attached to my name on drill weekends.
Exactly like you said Max. “three assholes down, two more to go”. This case has dragged out long enough and is still not over. I cant believe it has been over two years, I look at those families and feel so terrible for them for what they continue to go through and will have to live with for the rest of their lives. Yet, both families have demonstrated a tremendous amount of strength throughout the trial process so far. I have a great deal of respect for those two families, needless to say.
I just hope those two scumbags, Vile Vanessa and that jerk off Eric Boyd get the book not just “thrown at them”, but I hope the book knocks their bitch asses out. Cold cocks them right in the jaw, you know….that’s the justice I’m talking about.
I bet there are a lot of Aryan Brotherhood members behind bars that can’t wait to disembowel these fucks and feed their livers to them….
One can only hope for this.
Normally I can’t stand the brotherhood, but on this I will back them!!
f**k the so-call “brotherhood”! f**k you.f**k the criminals who committed the crime,and f**k all racist cretins.if the shoe fits,wear it.you know who you are.
get the fuck over ur self,i know plenty of african american bros who would love to put those shitstains 12 foot under.its not bout race asshole,its bout all these kind of punk killers,cowards that have to show how BIG THEY R by killing so called smaller people. so FUCK U
They should execute this fuckin’ crackhead and his cohorts! Fuck this guy!
Victims’ families angry over Vanessa Coleman’s trial verdict:
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=121458&catid=2
Can you believe she was smiling throughout the verdict?
I was following this trial this week but couldn’t see any update on here so thought I’d share.
Im white,im disguisted by this crime,however it gauls me to see people commenting on the colour of the evil scum who did this.Would that girl and boy have not felt so bad being raped,stabbed,shot and whatever else if it was whites doing it to them? I think not,wouldnt matter if they were orange,blue or any other colour in the rainbow,so leave out the colour of the criminals eh? All that does is make it look like you had a problem with that race to start with and you think its now justified because of this,utter rubbish,plenty white people commit crimes too.Whoever done it,its one of the most shocking storys ive read in a while.
Well why did they pick a white couple? They opened that door themselves.
Honestly if this case didn’t remind me so much of the Hi-Fi Shop murders in Ogden, Utah, where the NAACP campaigned to commute the death sentences of the criminals, I myself might not have thought of what color’s what and if it were racially motivated.
The similarities were so glaring how could I not?
The NAACP lost it’s way a long time ago. Their leaders need a serious history lesson. It seems they are more interested in creating controversy than doing anything to “advance” the cause of black people.
Deedeebug95 do you realize what you just said and how it sounds???? I don’t care WHAT the issue is I WOULD NEVER back the Brotherhood or even joke that I would. I GET that you were joking but nevertheless that comment allowed you to make an ass of yourself. Same goes to the rest of you commenting on “the brotherhood” or making racial comments!!! When you speak that way you portray yourselves as NO BETTER than those you are accusing of being racists. How you could not see this point as boldly as I am seeing it here IS BEYOND me. Hypocrites are always followers, not leaders. SharrieFromScotland and Bo just made the point perfectly. Thank you both for standing up for what’s right in respecting others. How ignorant you white supremist supporters are!!! Makes me sick. These evil sicko criminals will get their Karma in the end and honestly I could give a flying f+ck who gives it to them. As long as they pay….that’s all that matters. So there again….the “brotherhood” comment was INCREDIBLY ignorant and undeniably uncalled for. Come on people! Don’t stoop to the stupidity of those that are featured on this site. Have a little more respect and dignity.
Are you nuts? you must be the only person who feels this way cause anyone can see all everyone is really agreeing upon is the murderers getting their come-up ins in prison. if the brotherhood is responsible for putting them to sleep so fucking be it.
seriously what you have said is ridiculous and I don’t see it your way at all
Smith…can you read and comprehend? I have no problem if the brotherhood takes these POS out! No problem! Like I said before and let me REPEAT through my trusty copy/paste (rolling eyes).
*These evil sicko criminals will get their Karma in the end and honestly I could give a flying f+ck who gives it to them. As long as they pay thats all that matters.*
See?
WHAT I SAID WAS the comment about “Backing” the brotherhood was ridiculous and ignorant. While I don’t care who gets a hold of these fucks as long as they are FUCKED I don’t see any point in making the comment that you would specifically back a group such as “the brotherhood”. Why not say “these POS deserve to be FUCKED in prison by whatever group, gang, individual who has the FIRST opportunity. Whether it be Mexican Mafia, Black Guerilla Family, The Camorra, Aryan Brotherhood, Nuestra Family, etc…etc..I could go on and on, I think we all get the point that these punks have it coming. THAT is all that needs to be said. Only someone who already has racist tendencies would say they would back “the brotherhood”. Uncalled for….PERIOD.
Smith…can you read and comprehend? I have no problem if the brotherhood takes these POS out! No problem! Like I said before and let me REPEAT through my trusty copy/paste (rolling eyes).
*These evil sicko criminals will get their Karma in the end and honestly I could give a flying f+ck who gives it to them. As long as they pay thats all that matters.*
See?
WHAT I SAID WAS the comment about “Backing” the brotherhood was ridiculous and ignorant. While I don’t care who gets a hold of these fucks as long as they are FUCKED I don’t see any point in making the comment that you would specifically back a group such as “the brotherhood”. Why not say “these POS deserve to be FUCKED in prison by whatever group, gang, individual who has the FIRST opportunity. Whether it be Mexican Mafia, Black Guerilla Family, The Camorra, Aryan Brotherhood, Nuestra Family, etc…etc..I could go on and on, I think we all get the point that these punks have it coming. THAT is all that needs to be said. Only someone who already has racist tendencies would say they would back “the brotherhood”. Uncalled for….PERIOD.
All that shit is stupid.. The mafias and whatnot, i mean. I hope they ALL have bloody fuckin orgies and fuck eachother to death. THESE guys included=)
Yes Frozen…I agree completely. Give them a script of Cialis to top it all off. ;-P
sorry that you got marked as spam – cialis is one of the words our filter looks for.
I apologize to all for all the double posts!!! My blackberry happens to be a POS, maybe we’ll see it in hell as well!
Shit like this is why I am racist. Blacks always crying about the white man keeping them down. Seems to me there is a lot more black on white crime now days than white on black crime. I prefer black on black crime, just keep killing eachother off. It’s fine with me
No.
Don;t go there, please. Those bullshit crime statistics you’re talking about just don’t hold up to any kind of scrutiny, as we’ve proved here more than once. Just take a look at the FBI crime statistics for any given year and you’ll see what I’m talking about. It’s not your fault. You got lied to, and you believed the lie. Because times are tough and it’s got to be somebody’s fault.
The real problem in this country – any country – is the differences in class. Tell me there isn’t justice for regular folks, and justice for rich folks. But blaming the Black guy over there is just blaming yourself, really, cause were all the same. We all want the same things. To provide for our families, to live an honest life – we can’t help the evil ones who try to take the easy way to everything by taking from those who are weaker than they are. These things are part of HUMAN nature, not a black or white thing.
So really, don’t let someone think for you. Racism makes no sense. Hating for reasons that are purely superficial makes no sense. Scapegoating makes no sense. Think about it…
I apologize for my stupid remark, and thats what it was stupid. I am new to this site and these stories are heart wrenching. Right before I posted my comment I read the part were he said ( I don’t care about that white bitch), and took myself down to his level. I was just angry and being stupid. Sorry.
rmest, it’s o.k. We all explode sometimes. It keeps us from going insane.
When a story like this tears you down so far that you don’t care about the niceties of society or political correctness, all you want to do is find someone to blame to lend some sense to a senseless act. Crimes like these pull the blinders off of us, and set everything we call ‘civilized’ completely at odds. It leaves us in shock, flailing mentally without any solid ground. It’s very difficult to stay on the high road, and not lash out at the easiest target when a crime is so horrible it leaves you unable even to think for a while.
Part of what makes you human is your ability to feel so much for others in the first place. That’s something these monsters lack – the ability to feel the pain of others, which might have kept them from inflicting it in the first place.
Thank you for your kind words. I apologize again for my stupidity. One thing I have always been able to do is take responsibility for my actions. I have no problem being held accountable for my wrong doings. I wish the people that commit these devilish crimes could do the same.
Forget about it rmest, it’s all in the past. Everyone, including me, has a bad day every now and then and everyone says things in the heat of the moment they wished they could take back, what counts is what you do to repair whatever damage your words may have done. You earned my respect with your apology here – it’s more than most folks would have done.
I’ve been editor of this website for over a year and a half, so I know all too well the effect these stories can have on a person. When I’m writing a story or researching someone else’s article, I have to check myself all the time or I end up taking it out on my wife. So you’re not alone. You can email me at editor@pysih.com any time it get’s to be too much for you and I’ll be happy to share what I’ve gone through with you – it might help to know you’re not alone with your feelings.
Anyways, I’ll be talkin to you…
Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas, Vanessa Coleman, and Eric Boyd remind me of the Hi-Fu Murders in Utah in 1974, which was very heinous and gruesome.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi-Fi_Murders
Dale Selby Pierre, William Andrews, and Keith Roberts were the perps and everyone hated them, even in prison. Even Blacks inmates hated them. Gary Gilmore hated them as well.
I have only read a little about this story, as kidnapping/torture stories scare the hell out of me. I have too vivid an imagination.
Two questions: was this torture/murder/etc. classed as a hate crime? Does the hate crime classification, even exist anymore?
Thanks.
http://www.wbir.com/news/article/193674/2/Judge-grants-new-trials-in-the-Channon-Christian-Chris-Newsom-murders
Yeah – They were declared mistrials because the Judge was found guilty of some inappropriate conduct charge – they’re scheduled to be retried at different times in 2012.
@ KGS- Retrial? WTF? There really is no justice in this world….Now the families of these poor kids have to relive the nightmare again. So sad…
On the upside, maybe the jury will find to fry all of them this time!
They can’t get a harsher sentence!!! Only the same or less, which I find EXTREMELY MESSED UP!! How can what the judge sentenced effect what the lawyers did & the jury decided??? It is COMPLETE BS!! Also if the judges work is incompetent then the entire sentence should be thrown out as well leaving the option of a harsher one available bc if they’re saying his ruling is out then why is the ruling he gave used as a maximum penalty!!! I just think it is extremely unfair. I would give them a choice, you can have a retrial but the death penalty is a possibility OR you can keep your sentence the way it is. Bc the retrial they get means either the same or a LESSER SENTENCE & I’m sorry BUT how is that justice in ANY way! The lawyers witnesses & jury weren’t on drugs! So I find it extremely ridiculous to give FOUR ENTIRE TRIALS OVER TO THESE SCUMBAGS!! It gets under my skin & makes my blood boil