After convicting George Thomas in connection with the murder of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, the jury in the George Thomas re-trial meted out two life sentences with the possibility of parole.
On June 4, Judge Walter Kurtz stacked those two life sentences and added on another 25 years for the rape conviction, leaving Thomas to serve approximately 120 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.
[Thomas' first conviction in the Christian-Newsom case was thrown out and a re-trial granted when the presiding Judge, Richard Baumgartner, was charged in connection with a pill scandal. Baumgartner made a plea deal in state court and resigned but was later convicted in federal court of lying to investigators.]
During Tuesday's sentencing, Kurtz expressed dismay at the extreme violence and "gratuitous depravity" shown in commission of the crimes. He also noted the unimaginable suffering that the victims endured in the last hours of their life.
Kurtz then "stacked" the two life sentences with parole that the jury had meted out and tacked on another 25 years for the rapes of both victims, effectively ensuring that Thomas will never live to apply for "parole."
Showing posts with label George Thomas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label George Thomas. Show all posts
Friday, June 07, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
May 30, 2013 Former Knox Judge Richard Baumgartner Reports to Federal Prison
Disgraced Knox County Judge Criminal Judge Richard Baumgartner has reported to a minimum security federal prison in West Virginia to serve a six-month sentence following his conviction in federal court for lying to investigators to cover up pill-buys from his mistress.
The News-Sentinel story is here.
Baumgartner presided over a series of trials in connection with the carjacking, torture, rape, and murder of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom. State charges were brought when the TBI came in and investigated his pill-usage and purchases from his mistress Deena Castleman who was a "graduate" of the Drug Court established by Baumgartner.
Baumgartner negotiated a plea deal on the state charges where he pled guilty to official misconduct, resigned from the bench, and received diversion.
Federal charges were then brought and Baumgartner was convicted in federal court of misprision. He is appealing that conviction but elected to go on and serve his sentence while the appeals process moves forward.
In a related story, former DA Al Schmutzer expressed relief over the recent conviction of George Thomas following his re-trial in the Christian-Newsom case. Schmutzer was not involved in the Christian-Newsom trials but acted as the special prosecutor in the state case against Baumgartner and negotiated a plea deal where Baumgartner would resign from the bench, plea guilty to official misconduct, and receive diversion which would allow his record to be wiped clean if his record remained out of trouble for two years. The interview with Schmutzer is here.
Previous blog posts and links to stories about Baumgartner are here.
The News-Sentinel story is here.
Baumgartner presided over a series of trials in connection with the carjacking, torture, rape, and murder of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom. State charges were brought when the TBI came in and investigated his pill-usage and purchases from his mistress Deena Castleman who was a "graduate" of the Drug Court established by Baumgartner.
Baumgartner negotiated a plea deal on the state charges where he pled guilty to official misconduct, resigned from the bench, and received diversion.
Federal charges were then brought and Baumgartner was convicted in federal court of misprision. He is appealing that conviction but elected to go on and serve his sentence while the appeals process moves forward.
In a related story, former DA Al Schmutzer expressed relief over the recent conviction of George Thomas following his re-trial in the Christian-Newsom case. Schmutzer was not involved in the Christian-Newsom trials but acted as the special prosecutor in the state case against Baumgartner and negotiated a plea deal where Baumgartner would resign from the bench, plea guilty to official misconduct, and receive diversion which would allow his record to be wiped clean if his record remained out of trouble for two years. The interview with Schmutzer is here.
Previous blog posts and links to stories about Baumgartner are here.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
May 21, 2013 George Thomas Convicted in Christian-Newsom Re-trial
George Thomas got a re-trial in the Christian-Newsom carjacking, kidnapping, torture, rape, and murder case.
And he was convicted again on multiple counts and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
The NS story is here.
There is also an article in yesterday's NS providing a re-cap of this six-year saga with the unbelievable horror of the crimes, the trials, the pill-popping Judge, and the re-trials. Click here.
.
And he was convicted again on multiple counts and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
The NS story is here.
There is also an article in yesterday's NS providing a re-cap of this six-year saga with the unbelievable horror of the crimes, the trials, the pill-popping Judge, and the re-trials. Click here.
.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
January 19, 2013 No New Trials for Lemaricus Davidson and Letalvis Cobbins in the Christian-Newsom Murders
Convicted murderers Lemaricus Davidson and Letalvis Cobbins wanted new trials following their convictions in the brutal murders of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom in 2007. Judge Walter Kurtz said "no." Witnesses and DNA evidence linked Davidson and Cobbins to the crimes. Kurtz affirmed the Davidson and Cobbins convictions acting as Tennessee's "thirteenth juror."
George Thomas, another defendant in the horrific crimes against Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, also sought a new trial. Judge Walter Kurtz said "yes." While there was witness testimony linking Thomas to the crimes, there was no DNA evidence.
Witness credibility was the overriding issue in Thomas' case. Kurtz, who did not preside over the original trials, did not see the witnesses and thus could not rule on witness credibility and ruled that he could not act as Tennessee's "thirteenth juror" and affirm Thomas' conviction.
The NS article is here.
Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner presided over the original trials. Baumgartner was found to have been popping pills during the trials and using a graduate of the Drug Court that Baumgartner himself founded to supply him with pills.
The Baumgartner saga that precipitated the post-conviction chaos is here with links to blog entries and newspaper articles.
George Thomas, another defendant in the horrific crimes against Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, also sought a new trial. Judge Walter Kurtz said "yes." While there was witness testimony linking Thomas to the crimes, there was no DNA evidence.
Witness credibility was the overriding issue in Thomas' case. Kurtz, who did not preside over the original trials, did not see the witnesses and thus could not rule on witness credibility and ruled that he could not act as Tennessee's "thirteenth juror" and affirm Thomas' conviction.
The NS article is here.
Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner presided over the original trials. Baumgartner was found to have been popping pills during the trials and using a graduate of the Drug Court that Baumgartner himself founded to supply him with pills.
The Baumgartner saga that precipitated the post-conviction chaos is here with links to blog entries and newspaper articles.
Monday, December 17, 2012
December 17, 2012 Remaining Defendants in Christian-Newsom Murders Make Case for New Trials
Vanessa Coleman was re-tried and re-convicted in Knox County Crominal Court. Click here.
The remaining three defendants in the horrific kinapping, torture, rape, and mirder of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom are seeking new trials.
Attorneys for Lemaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, and George Thomas have made their case for new trials to Judge Walter Kurtz. Kurtz will rule on the requests in January. Click here.
The remaining three defendants in the horrific kinapping, torture, rape, and mirder of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom are seeking new trials.
Attorneys for Lemaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, and George Thomas have made their case for new trials to Judge Walter Kurtz. Kurtz will rule on the requests in January. Click here.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
November 21, 2012 Coleman Guilty of Most Charges in a Compromise Verdict
The retrial of Vanessa Coleman ended yesterday with what is being termed a compromise verdict. Coleman was charged with 17 counts of facilitation of crimes against Channon Christian during the kidnapping, rape, and murder of Christian in 2007.
In the verdict, Coleman was convicted on some of the counts, such as facilitation of the felony murder of Christian, while the jury returned guilty verdicts on "lesser charges" in connection with other counts and found Coleman not guilty on four counts.
Due to the extensive publicity surrounding the case, Coleman was tried in Knox County before a jury brought in from Jackson TN (Madison County).
Christian and her boyfriend Chris Newsom were kidnapped, raped, and murdered in 2007. Lemaricus Davidson, George Thomas, and Coleman's boyfriend Letalvis Cobbins have previously been convicted on various counts in connection with what started as a carjacking and quickly turned into a brutal and gruesome chain of events culminating in the execution-style shooting of Newsom and the murder of Christian by suffocation when she was tied and stuffed into a garbage can.
The New-Sentinel report is here.
Davidson, Thomas, and Cobbins are seeking retrials. Recently, Cobbins' request for a new lawyer and complaints about his treatment in prison were rebuffed by Judge Walter Kurtz during a hearing in Knox Criminal Court. The News-Sentinel report is here.
In the verdict, Coleman was convicted on some of the counts, such as facilitation of the felony murder of Christian, while the jury returned guilty verdicts on "lesser charges" in connection with other counts and found Coleman not guilty on four counts.
Due to the extensive publicity surrounding the case, Coleman was tried in Knox County before a jury brought in from Jackson TN (Madison County).
Christian and her boyfriend Chris Newsom were kidnapped, raped, and murdered in 2007. Lemaricus Davidson, George Thomas, and Coleman's boyfriend Letalvis Cobbins have previously been convicted on various counts in connection with what started as a carjacking and quickly turned into a brutal and gruesome chain of events culminating in the execution-style shooting of Newsom and the murder of Christian by suffocation when she was tied and stuffed into a garbage can.
The New-Sentinel report is here.
Davidson, Thomas, and Cobbins are seeking retrials. Recently, Cobbins' request for a new lawyer and complaints about his treatment in prison were rebuffed by Judge Walter Kurtz during a hearing in Knox Criminal Court. The News-Sentinel report is here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)