Vanessa Coleman Receives 53 Years for The Murders of Christian and Newsom

[heidi salazar]

Death penalty off the table for Vanessa Coleman

The jury has reached a verdict in the Vanessa Coleman murder trial, and that verdict means Vanessa Coleman will not face the death penalty.

The jury has found Vanessa Coleman guilty on multiple parts of the facilitation of the murder of Channon Christian. Facililtation is not a death penalty eligible offense.

The jury has found Coleman not guilty in the murder of Chris Newsom.

As a result of that finding, the family's victim impact statements will not be read in court.

Coleman is the only one of four defendants charged with murder in this case to not be convicted of murder. Lemaricus Davidson and George Thomas were convicted of both murders; Letalvis Cobbins was convicted of Christian's murder and facilitation of Newsom's murder.

The jury has similarly found Coleman guilty of facilitation of various offenses against Christian, but not of directly committing any of those offenses.

In all, the jury found Coleman guilty of 17 offenses. The Davidson County jury's work is now concluded; sentencing will take place at a later date.

Judge Richard Baumgartner thanked the citizens serving on the jury and told them the system works because citizens are willing to serve their community taking on difficult cases.

The rundown: What the jury found

    * Not guilty: First degree felony murder of Hugh Christopher Newsom during the perpetration of kidnapping of Hugh Christopher Newsom. Not guilty of any lesser included charges in Count Five.
    * Not guilty: First degree felony murder of Hugh Christopher Newsom during the perpetration of kidnapping of Channon Christian. Not guilty of any lesser included charges in Count Six.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of first degree felony murder of Channon Christian during the perpetration of kidnapping of Hugh Christopher Newsom. Not guilty of first degree felony murder of Channon Christian, the basis for Count Seven.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of first degree felony murder of Channon Christian, during the perpetration of kidnapping of Channon Christian. Not guilty of first degree felony murder of Channon Christian, the basis for Count Eight.
    * Not guilty: First degree felony murder of Hugh Christopher Newsom during the perpetration of rape of Hugh Christopher Newsom. Not guilty of any lesser included charges in Count Nine.
    * Not guilty: First degree felony murder of Hugh Christopher Newsom during the perpetration of rape by oral penetration of Channon Christian. Not guilty of any lesser included charges in Count Ten.
    * Not guilty: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian, during the perpetration of rape of Hugh Christopher Newsom. Not guilty of any lesser included charges in Count Eleven.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of first degree felony murder of Channon Christian, during the perpetration of rape by oral penetration of Channon Christian. Not guilty of first degree felony murder, the basis for Count Twelve.
    * Not guilty: First degree felony murder of Hugh Christopher Newsom during the perpetration of theft of Hugh Christopher Newsom. Not guilty of any lesser included charges in Count Thirteen.
    * Not guilty: First degree felony murder of Hugh Christopher Newsom, during the perpetration of theft of Channon Christian. Not guilty of any lesser included charges in Count Fourteen.
    * Not guilty: First degree felony murder of Channon Christian, during the perpetration of theft of Hugh Christopher Newsom. Not guilty of any lesser included charges in Count Fifteen.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of first degree felony murder of Channon Christian, during the perpetration of theft of Channon Christian. Not guilty of first degree felony murder of Channon Christian, the basis of Count Sixteen.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of premeditated first degree murder of Channon Christian. Not guilty of premeditated first degree murder of Channon Christian, the basis of Count Eighteen.
    * Not guilty: Especially aggravated robbery of Hugh Christopher Newsom. Not guilty of any lesser included charges of Count Nineteen.
    * Not guilty: Especially aggravated kidnapping of Hugh Christopher Newsom, accomplished with a deadly weapon. Not guilty of any lesser included charges of Count Twenty-one.
    * Not guilty: Especially aggravated kidnapping of Hugh Christopher Newsom, with serious bodily injury. Not guilty of any lesser included charges of Count Twenty-two.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of especially aggravated kidnapping of Channon Christian accomplished with a deadly weapon. Not guilty of especially aggravated kidnapping of Channon Christian, accomplished with a deadly weapon, the basis of Count Twenty-three.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of especially aggravated kidnapping of Channon Christian accomplished with serious bodily injury. Not guilty of especially aggravated kidnapping of Channon Christian, with serious bodily injury, the basis of Count Twenty-four.
    * Not guilty: Aggravated rape of Hugh Christopher Newsom, by coercive anal penetration while armed with a weapon. Not guilty of any lesser included charges on Count Twenty-six.
    * Not guilty: Aggravated rape of Hugh Christopher Newsom, by anal penetration with bodily injury. Not guilty of any lesser included charges on Count Twenty-seven.
    * Not guilty: Aggravated rape of Hugh Christopher Newsom, by coercive anal penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons. Not guilty of any lesser included charges of Count Twenty-nine.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Channon Christian, by coercive anal penetration while armed with a weapon. Not guilty of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive anal penetration while armed with a weapon, the basis of Count Thirty-three.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Channon Christian, by coercive oral penetration while armed with a weapon. Not guilty of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive oral penetration while armed with a weapon, the basis of Count Thirty-four.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Channon Christian, by coercive vaginal penetration while armed with a weapon. Not guilty of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive vaginal penetration while armed with a weapon, the basis of Count Thirty-five.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Channon Christian, by anal penetration with bodily injury. Not guilty of aggravated rape of Channon Christian, the basis of Count Thirty-six.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by oral penetration with bodily injury. Not guilty of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by oral penetration with bodily injury, the basis of Count Thirty-seven.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by vaginal penetration with bodily injury. Not guilty of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by vaginal penetration with bodily injury, the basis of Count Thirty-eight.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive anal penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons. Not guilty of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive anal penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive oral penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons. Not guilty of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive oral penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons, the basis of Count Forty-three.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive vaginal penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons. Not guilty of aggravated rape of Channon Christian by coercive vaginal penetration while aided and abetted by one or more persons, the basis of Count Forty-four.
    * Not guilty: Theft of property of Hugh Christopher Newsom, valued at $500 or less.
    * Guilty: Facilitation of theft of property of Channon Christian, valued at $10,000 or more but less than $60,000. Not guilty of Theft of property of Channon Christian, valued at $10,000 or more but less than $60,000, the basis of Count Forty-six.

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=121458&provider=rss

[Michael]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                

Michael

[Anne]

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/may/14/coleman-acquitted-first-degree-murder/

(with video)

Coleman acquitted of first-degree murder
Woman cleared of blame in 1 slaying, found guilty of facilitation in another

* By Jamie Satterfield
* Posted May 14, 2010 at midnight

As the words “not guilty” reverberated against the walls of a Knox County courtroom Thursday, the faces of those gathered told the tale behind the otherwise silent reaction.

Slaying victim Christopher Newsom’s loved ones looked on with shocked grief; Channon Christian’s family with disgust; and suspect Vanessa Coleman’s parents with bittersweet disappointment.

The judge looked exhausted; the jurors stoic. Prosecutors appeared subdued; the defense team relieved.

Coleman simply grinned as a panel of Davidson County residents declared her legally blameless in the murder and related crimes committed against Newsom. The same jury deemed her a legal understudy to the principal actors in the same offenses committed against Christian.

This nine-woman, three-man jury spent nearly a dozen hours deliberating and another half hour reciting their findings. There were 32 counts, ranging from first-degree murder to theft, and more than 300 choices within those primary charges.

On every possible crime involving Newsom, the panel deemed Coleman not guilty. On every count directly involving Christian, the panel opted for the lesser crime of facilitation.

The verdicts show the group rejected the prosecution’s theory that Coleman, 22, was either a direct participant in the January 2007 torture slayings or criminally responsible for the trio already convicted as the chief architects of the criminal enterprise — Lemaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins and George Thomas.

But the decisions did not reflect acceptance of the defense’s contention that Coleman was an innocent surrounded by armed thugs who essentially held her captive in the same Chipman Street house where Christian, 21, was held hostage hours before her death and hours after Newsom was executed and his body set on fire at nearby railroad tracks.

So, while Coleman beamed at the announcement, no one else involved in the nine-day trial walked away from Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner’s courtroom happy Thursday.

“There will never be peace,” Newsom’s mother, Mary Newsom, said. “There will never be closure.”

Her husband, Hugh, declared, “We’ve been cheated.”

Christian’s mother, Deena Christian, held up photographs of the slain couple, saying, “They let our kids down.”

Coleman’s father, Greg Coleman, said the verdicts left him “speechless.” He has testified that federal authorities led him and his wife to believe their daughter was a key witness worthy of immunity, all the while sowing the seeds for a state murder case against her.

“I think the system failed her from the beginning,” he said. “I was hoping they would find her not guilty. … You can’t convict everyone just because of their mere presence.”

Prosecutors Leland Price and Takisha Fitzgerald refused to lash out at a jury ferried to Knoxville to handle a case that so inflamed residents here that Baumgartner sought a panel from outside East Tennessee.

“I’m personally disappointed in the verdict, but I respect it,” Price said. “This was a very good jury. They took a lot of notes and asked a lot of good questions.”

Defense attorneys Ted Lavit and Russell Greene said they were relieved the verdicts meant that Coleman one day could win her freedom, but stopped short of declaring victory.

“The fact of the matter is she was present, and the jury may have felt the need to compromise in their verdict,” Lavit said. “(Coleman) thanked us. She was pleased, but she knew she was going to do some time. They didn’t find her innocent. The state just didn’t meet their burden of proof of actual participation in these crimes.”

Facilitation of Christian’s slaying comes with a possible penalty range of 15 to 25 years. Lesser crimes, including facilitation of her kidnapping and rape, carry penalty ranges of eight to 12 years. It will be up to Baumgartner to decide the sentences she should face in each of the facilitation convictions and whether those punishments should be served one after another or at the same time. He set a July 30 sentencing hearing.

“We’re going to do the very best we can for her every step of the way,” Lavit said. “She doesn’t have any criminal record, and she’s already (served) 3 1⁄2 years (awaiting trial).”

Davidson, who opted for a Knox County jury last year, is on death row for the killings. A Hamilton County jury sentenced Thomas to life without parole. A different jury from Davidson County ordered Cobbins to also die behind bars.








 No comment...  





Anne

[Michael]

State: Coleman deserves 77 years
Prosecutors want judge to stack sentences in slayings

State prosecutors want the sole female convicted as an accomplice in two January 2007 torture slayings to be sentenced to the maximum possible punishment.

That would total 77 years in prison for Vanessa Coleman, now 22, of Lebanon, Ky. Coleman was convicted earlier this year as a facilitator in the kidnapping, rape and murder of Channon Christian, 21, but acquitted of charges related to the same crimes committed against Christian's boyfriend, Christopher Newsom, 23.

In her role in the crimes, Coleman went along with the "exceptional cruelty" employed by her co-defendants and "allowed Channon Christian to suffer cruelty in the extreme prior to her death," Assistant District Attorney General Leland Price wrote in a sentencing memorandum filed Friday in Knox County Criminal Court.

Coleman is the fourth defendant tried in the killings. Ringleader Lemaricus Davidson has been sentenced to death. Coleman's boyfriend, Letalvis Cobbins, and his friend, George Thomas, are serving life terms with no chance of parole.

Coleman was originally charged with murder and faced a possible death penalty. She was acquitted of murder and other crimes against Newsom, but convicted of lesser charges of facilitation of the murder of Christian and other offenses related to Christian.

Police say the crimes against the couple began as a carjacking of Christian's Toyota 4-Runner. The couple was taken to a house on Chipman Street. Newsom was raped and fatally shot and his body set on fire alongside nearby railroad tracks. Christian was held captive in the house for several hours more, repeatedly raped, beaten and left to die inside a trash can. Testimony showed Coleman was inside the house during Christian's captivity.

"Any claim that (Coleman) tried to distance against herself from the crimes is belied by the many opportunities she had to leave and/or report the crimes but did not," Price wrote. "Any claim that she is not a dangerous offender with little or no regard for human life is belied by the callous indifference to human suffering exhibited in her journal, and the fact that she kept so many of Channon Christian's items after witnessing the murder."

Two days after the murders, Coleman wrote in her journal, "I've had one hell of an adventure since I been in the big TN!"

To reach the maximum allowable sentence of 77 years for Coleman, Judge Richard Baumgartner would have to order each sentence to be served consecutively. That is what Price wants.

"The fact that she willfully participated in these horrifying crimes with little or no hesitation justifies consecutive sentencing," Price wrote.

Sentencing is set for July 30. Coleman's defenders have not yet filed a sentencing memorandum.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/jul/09/state-coleman-deserves-77-years/

[v1976ra]

It's TN so the DP is a joke to begin with. At the very least, She should have a sentence which ensures that she will never walk the streets again!   

[Michael]

Are there female Aryan Brotherhoods in the prisons too?

Michael

[heidi salazar]

Are there female Aryan Brotherhoods in the prisons too?

Michael

Why yes Michael there are!!!

The Role of Women in the Aryan Circle
• Unlike most major prison gangs, the Aryan Circle admits women
as full members and has a significant female membership.
• Some women have achieved positions of considerable importance and responsibility
within the group, but sexism prevents them from rising to the highest ranks.

One aspect of Aryan Circle demographics is particularly important: the role played in the group by women. Women are important for most prison gangs; they can act as couriers, can smuggle drugs or other contraband, and can provide support in various ways to incarcerated members. However, many prison gangs deny formal membership to women. The only patch-wearing members in many prison gangs are male.
The Aryan Circle, however, is different. From early in its history, the Aryan Circle has formally had a women’s branch. Women can go through a prospect period and be accepted as full members just as men can. This fact distinguishes the Aryan Circle from a number of other prison gangs. Moreover, it has an important effect on the group: the presence of a significant number of women in the Aryan Circle strengthens the feeling of a clan or extended family among the membership — which in turn creates greater loyalty to and cohesion within the group.
In addition to formal female Aryan Circle members, there are a number of wives and girlfriends of male Aryan Circle members who, while not being patched Circle members, nevertheless actively socialize with and assist the Aryan Circle, to varying degrees, in a manner similar to other prison gangs.
Most women who get involved in the Aryan Circle tend to do so originally through a relationship with a male Aryan Circle member. There are a number of Aryan Circle husband and wife couples. Maria Vaught, a recently patched member, was originally involved with one male Circle member, who died. She later married Dustin Vaught, another Circle member. “I had always said,” she wrote in a newsletter in early 2008, “I didn’t need a Diamond on my finger, I needed one by my side! I have that diamond now and am about to have one on my finger as well.”
Although many women became involved with male Aryan Circle members while the latter were not incarcerated, some seem to have met their partner while the man was an inmate. One female member of the Circle, who has said she had been a Texas corrections officer for a number of years, may have become acquainted with the Circle while on the job.
Women associated with the Aryan Circle tend to identify themselves as “featherwoods,” the female equivalent of a peckerwood. Featherwoods are expected to support or be “down for” her man and her race. “I am a proud white woman with 3 beautiful children,” wrote one Circle member. Another, identifying herself as “113% [code for “100% Aryan Circle”] Featherwood till I die,” advertised on-line for a “fine ass white man” who wanted a “down fine ass featherwood.”
Female members often express support for the Circle in the same breath they mention their own immediate family. One prominent female Circle member, Danna Powell, said in one on-line forum that her interests include “spending time with my 3 boys and husband…and being with my big circle of family.” On another forum, she listed her hobbies as “starting a pagan newsletter for my prison brothers and sisters, reading, spending time with my kids and my large circle of Aryan friends.” Another female member described herself as a “strong featherwood that is part of a loving family, Aryan Circle. I would kill or be killed for any one of my brothers
or sisters, as they would for me.”

Well anyway here is the link!!

http://www.adl.org/extremism/Aryan-Circle-Report.pdf

[v1976ra]

Are there female Aryan Brotherhoods in the prisons too?

Michael

As for retribution, these scumbags aren't likely to be frowned upon or cast out by other black inmates. In fact, they might even be celebrated or protected to some degree, as the victims of their crimes were comparably "rich" white kids. Many minority groups in prison don't care what the person has done, if the victim was white.

An example of how minority groups support their own in and out of prison - regardless of their crimes - can easily be found in the O.J. Simpson case, where everyone knew he was guilty, yet the black community threatened to burn the city if he were actually convicted.

[heidi salazar]

OJ has nothing to do with this. In a nut shell Michael was asking if females segregate. They do...statistically speaking white females are less likely to to time, but they are in prison..and they do congregate. They form gangs. They live prison life as the males do. There is an Aryn sect amongst them. Even in Tennessee. TN being a southern state that is not surprising.....

[Michael]

Thanks Heidi! 

Now I have an idea for Tennessee to earn some money f.e. to improve streets, support crime victims, modernize prisons, .. . 

The have to open a website like Place-your-inmate. Every prison who joines the program provides a map of the cell and the territories of the gangs (or the gang-background of the inmates).

After donating some bucks you can choose an inmate (I would choose Coleman)= and move it for one or two days into another cell.

I think most of you know where I would palce Coleman.... 

Michael

[v1976ra]

Yes they congregate and segregate by race. All prisoners do, as that is typically a function of survival. And yes, you're absolutely right that there are far less white females in prison than black. All the more reason they are focused on preserving their own asses, rather than paying back a black inmate who will no doubt have her sisters backing her up. That was the point, that they do segregate and look after their own.  I really don't see anyone "touching" Vanessa while she's on the inside - at least not in retaliation for her crime. Her big mouth, well that might cause her to run into problems. I could be wrong in saying their will be no retaliation against her, and honestly speaking, I hope I am. 

[Michael]

Ahm.. I was just kidding - now a serious answer.

As a regular watcher of the different US prison docs - I knew. Theonly thing I don´t knew was if the women have gangs too. If they separate the women for race it´s not likely that Coleman will be harmed. There´s more or less the danger that she becomes a "celeb" for racists. Honestly - I´m not satisfied with this. I would feel better if I read something about a prison incident with her involvement. This bit** escaped the needle.

Michael

[heidi salazar]

Vanessa Coleman sentenced to 53 years

Judge imposes more than 50-year prison sentence against Vanessa Coleman in the January 2007 carjacking, torture, rape and slayings of University of Tennessee student Channon Christian, 21, and her boyfriend, Christopher Newsom, 23.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/jul/30/vanessa-coleman-sentenced-53-years/

[mark]

Are there female Aryan Brotherhoods in the prisons too?

Michael

Why yes Michael there are!!!

The Role of Women in the Aryan Circle
• Unlike most major prison gangs, the Aryan Circle admits women
as full members and has a significant female membership.
• Some women have achieved positions of considerable importance and responsibility
within the group, but sexism prevents them from rising to the highest ranks.

One aspect of Aryan Circle demographics is particularly important: the role played in the group by women. Women are important for most prison gangs; they can act as couriers, can smuggle drugs or other contraband, and can provide support in various ways to incarcerated members. However, many prison gangs deny formal membership to women. The only patch-wearing members in many prison gangs are male.
The Aryan Circle, however, is different. From early in its history, the Aryan Circle has formally had a women’s branch. Women can go through a prospect period and be accepted as full members just as men can. This fact distinguishes the Aryan Circle from a number of other prison gangs. Moreover, it has an important effect on the group: the presence of a significant number of women in the Aryan Circle strengthens the feeling of a clan or extended family among the membership — which in turn creates greater loyalty to and cohesion within the group.
In addition to formal female Aryan Circle members, there are a number of wives and girlfriends of male Aryan Circle members who, while not being patched Circle members, nevertheless actively socialize with and assist the Aryan Circle, to varying degrees, in a manner similar to other prison gangs.
Most women who get involved in the Aryan Circle tend to do so originally through a relationship with a male Aryan Circle member. There are a number of Aryan Circle husband and wife couples. Maria Vaught, a recently patched member, was originally involved with one male Circle member, who died. She later married Dustin Vaught, another Circle member. “I had always said,” she wrote in a newsletter in early 2008, “I didn’t need a Diamond on my finger, I needed one by my side! I have that diamond now and am about to have one on my finger as well.”
Although many women became involved with male Aryan Circle members while the latter were not incarcerated, some seem to have met their partner while the man was an inmate. One female member of the Circle, who has said she had been a Texas corrections officer for a number of years, may have become acquainted with the Circle while on the job.
Women associated with the Aryan Circle tend to identify themselves as “featherwoods,” the female equivalent of a peckerwood. Featherwoods are expected to support or be “down for” her man and her race. “I am a proud white woman with 3 beautiful children,” wrote one Circle member. Another, identifying herself as “113% [code for “100% Aryan Circle”] Featherwood till I die,” advertised on-line for a “fine ass white man” who wanted a “down fine ass featherwood.”
Female members often express support for the Circle in the same breath they mention their own immediate family. One prominent female Circle member, Danna Powell, said in one on-line forum that her interests include “spending time with my 3 boys and husband…and being with my big circle of family.” On another forum, she listed her hobbies as “starting a pagan newsletter for my prison brothers and sisters, reading, spending time with my kids and my large circle of Aryan friends.” Another female member described herself as a “strong featherwood that is part of a loving family, Aryan Circle. I would kill or be killed for any one of my brothers
or sisters, as they would for me.”

Well anyway here is the link!!

http://www.adl.org/extremism/Aryan-Circle-Report.pdf

Woooooooooooooo Hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


Stop burning your  bras girls, emancipation and liberation has come to the white supremacists women, what will happen next a black man actually describing his girl as something other than a biatch, right on girls your mums dint burn there bras for nothing lol