Posted: Aug 25, 2009 6:50 AM EDT Updated: Aug 25, 2009 12:30 PM EDT
Letalvis Cobbins Letalvis Cobbins
KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- The jury has found Letalvis D. Cobbins guilty of the murders of Channon Christian and her boyfriend, Christopher Newsom, in 2007.
Cobbins faces the possibility of the death penalty because he was convicted of facilitation of first degree felony murder in 35 counts.
The jury found Cobbins not guilty of five counts including the murder of Newsom during his rape, the murder of Christian during Newsom's rape and three counts of aggravated rape of Newsom.
The jury will return Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. for the sentencing hearing.
The jurors worked about 10 hours Monday and on Tuesday morning before reaching a verdict. They never asked Judge Richard Baumgartner any questions during their deliberations.
About the jury and the charges
The jury is made up of six women and six men. Six are black, five are white and one is Asian.
The jurors had 18 counts of murder alone to consider in this case. They had to reach a verdict on each count. Click here to read the verdict forms.
The jury in this case is also the sentencing jury and it has the final say on the sentence.
If jurors couldn't agree on the death penalty sentence, they could discuss lesser sentences such as life without parole.
Families grateful for verdict
After the verdict was announced, Deena Christian said, "I'm very relieved and very grateful," adding "A guilty for one was a guilty for both."
Deena said she felt Channon and Chris "both got justice today." Before the first verdict was read, she said, "I don't even know if I was breathing."
She said despite her belief that the jury would find Cobbins guilty, "You never know what's in someone else's mind and heart."
Deena said no matter what sentence the jury gives Cobbins, "It won't make a difference to me." She added that the sentencing will be difficult.
"I feel sometimes that someone somewhere is holding me up because I couldn't do it on my own," Deena said.
About the crimes
The other suspects who are charged with murder in the case are: Lemaricus Duvall Davidson (Cobbins' half brother), George Giovanni Thomas and Vanessa Coleman, who was Cobbins' girlfriend.
Those three could also face the death penalty if they're convicted. They're being tried separately.
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1 comments:
I believe he should have gotten the death penalty. Justice wasn't served. He participated in this heinous crime. You should read Vanessa Colemans Interview. He was responsible for setting Christopher on Fire. And He helped tire Channon up and threw her in a garbage can. The death penalty is too good for this scum!
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