GUILTY TN - Chris Newsom, 23, & Channon Christian, 21, murdered, Knoxville, 6 Jan 2007 #20

Welcome to Websleuths!
Click to learn how to make a missing person's thread

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

New Posts

If I was Gary & Deena, I would want to know who the other two suspects were.
I hope LE will track them down.
 
Hi, This news makes me smile, at the CGC Foundation (www.cgcfoundation.net)
There is a project going on called Letter to Channon & Chris.

Anyone and Everyone can write a letter, they are doing this for a very special project.

more Info at Link: www.cgcfoundation.net/News.html

Everyone who has heard about this case, Let's Let our voices be heard.
 
Sorry to have missed the sentencing of Coleman and relieved to hear that she got 53 years and I hope she serves every one of those years.

Thought people might like to read this article written about the prosecutors in this case and the overwhelming task they had been asked to perform. Leland Price and Takisha Fitzgerald are heroic in my eyes.
______


The job description read something like this:

Seek justice for two innocents kidnapped, tortured, raped and slain. Build four separate capital murder cases involving eight lawyers and four distinct defense strategies with physical evidence ranging from mounds to none. Satisfy two large, outspoken families with huge circles of friends and supporters.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/jul/31/a-conviction-to-see-justice/
 
William N said:
As I promised in a previous thread, I was in the courtroom today. All the above posts are excellent. When the hearing was over and VC was being led away, she turned toward her family and smiled and winked.

Something that is forgotten at the moment is that sperm from two males was found on Channon's undergarments in a final test just before the trials started in 2009. The DNA didn't belong to any of the suspects and their known friends. Nor did it match Chris Newsom's DNA.

This means there may well be more trials in the future. I have wondered why no suspect named these other two individuals as part of the "blame the others" defense already being used. We won't know for sure until DNA matches are made, but I wonder if they even knew the names. They might have just wandered into the Chipman St. house and taken part.

George Thomas, for example, supposedly didn't have a record and was identified because he hung around with Cobbins. They may even have been juveniles. Just some theories I'm throwing out.

David From TN
Click to expand...

I'm was quite shocked to hear that.

I feel that the truth will come out. Eventually, the gang will start to leak more information.

From what I've seen, I'd think that Latalvis Cobbins would be the one to pressure. He's the only one I've seen that has expressed some feeling - not to the victims, but to his own family as to what he caused them.

He could be the one to break. If he isn't totally under the spell of his brother.
 
Ugggh! Spent the last few days and read all 20 threads from start to finish. Something definitely is not right that a horrendous, random crime and the four ensuing capital trials were not worthy of national attention. I don't know how these poor families have survived this.

It seemed like with the Slim & 'G' verdicts, the state was just gonna roll along, then come that poor little girl, Nessa. I guess that jury was so excited to hear Pizza Hut was hiring they didn't want to waste time reviewing all that evidence-n-stuf, nomasayn?

Well, I really must thank everyone for the updates, and even in a case that had so little opportunity for humor to come in, you guys managed to get me chuckling from time to time. I hope those poor kids can rest in peace, and anyone else who had a hand in their deaths be brought to justice. Au-ight!
 
Hi, everyone. I had followed these trials closely, and just checked back to see if there was anything new. I see that Vanessa got a good sentence. I'm sure she will be out in 15-20 years, but at least the prime of her life is taken from her. I do actually feel sorry for her parents though.

As for the unidentified DNA found on channon's clothing, I guess that still remains a mystery. Sure seems that if someone else had been there, the others would have thrown them under the bus. I recall that some of Channon's clothing had been given to Daphne and she said something about being with some guys that weekend. I wonder if somehow their DNA got on those clothes and those clothes found their way back to the house. I don't recall where exactly that DNA was found (item of clothing) and where that clothing was discovered by the police? Any idea?

I do wish a good author would write a book about this crime. There are still a lot of unanswered questions, but the cases were so complicated with the lies everyone was telling that its hard to keep track of what gaps there were. Certainly Boyd was far more involved in chris's killing and has gotten off light so far. I would sort of be interested in seeing some of the evidence admitted at trial (so hard to see on webcasts). But maybe the families dont want a book written which is understandable
 
PrairieWind said:
Hi, everyone. I had followed these trials closely, and just checked back to see if there was anything new. I see that Vanessa got a good sentence. I'm sure she will be out in 15-20 years, but at least the prime of her life is taken from her. I do actually feel sorry for her parents though.

As for the unidentified DNA found on channon's clothing, I guess that still remains a mystery. Sure seems that if someone else had been there, the others would have thrown them under the bus. I recall that some of Channon's clothing had been given to Daphne and she said something about being with some guys that weekend. I wonder if somehow their DNA got on those clothes and those clothes found their way back to the house. I don't recall where exactly that DNA was found (item of clothing) and where that clothing was discovered by the police? Any idea?

I do wish a good author would write a book about this crime. There are still a lot of unanswered questions, but the cases were so complicated with the lies everyone was telling that its hard to keep track of what gaps there were. Certainly Boyd was far more involved in chris's killing and has gotten off light so far. I would sort of be interested in seeing some of the evidence admitted at trial (so hard to see on webcasts). But maybe the families dont want a book written which is understandable
Click to expand...

As previously stated, I wrote several pieces about these trials for Trials & Tribulations. I attended 3 days of the Coleman trial and the sentencing hearings for Davidson and Coleman.

We won't know what the two DNA specimens mean until an ID takes place. They were both male. It is very possible others took part. They may have been juveniles (which could be why they haven't caused a DNA database hit) unknown by name to Cobbins, Thomas, and Coleman, who were strangers in Knoxville. My recollection is the unknown DNA was found on Channon's underwear.

I have learned that someone is going to write a book on the case. Since I found out from the author by a private email, I won't say who until that individual says something publicly. From the same source, I was told that Jupiter Films has made a program on the case and is trying to sell it to one of the networks.

David In TN
 
David, thanks for the info. Very interesting. I do think you're right that that unknown DNA was found on Channon's underwear, but for the life of me I can't remember where her underwear was found. Do you recall?
 
PrairieWind said:
David, thanks for the info. Very interesting. I do think you're right that that unknown DNA was found on Channon's underwear, but for the life of me I can't remember where her underwear was found. Do you recall?
Click to expand...

My recollection is that it was found in the Chipman St. house. The DNA was from male sperm.

David In TN
 
Ok, I see from an article about how the semen was found on her panties found in a trashbag inside the Chipman house. Doesnt indicate where in teh house. So many unanswered questions about this case. That unknown DNA is strange. Davidson's defense team knew to have it tested right before trial, so they suspected something was there. So I'm guessing Davidson told them something; he knew there was semen there to be found that wouldnt match the defendants. Strange
 
PrairieWind said:
Ok, I see from an article about how the semen was found on her panties found in a trashbag inside the Chipman house. Doesnt indicate where in teh house. So many unanswered questions about this case. That unknown DNA is strange. Davidson's defense team knew to have it tested right before trial, so they suspected something was there. So I'm guessing Davidson told them something; he knew there was semen there to be found that wouldnt match the defendants. Strange
Click to expand...

Davidson's defense at his trial was "I wasn't there. I left on my drug-selling run after having consensual sex with the girl who came to my house voluntarily. My brother and his Kentucky friends did it while I was gone. "

Davidson would be well aware of others taking part. It fit his defense.

David In TN
 
It will be interesting to see if a match is ever made on that DNA. Its just odd that there could have been other men that assualted Channon, but that the four tried never mentioned them. But again, there is so much that is unknown and missing about that weekend. I also found it odd that the DNA was found on channon's underwear. You would have thought once the rape of her began, she would never have had them back on again. Or did they maybe take her somewhere. Just thinking outloud
 
I know i'm a little late. I knew about this horrible case when it happened. But it was too upsetting to read about for me then.
I spent all weekend catching up on all the trials and stuff.
Is there where everything ends? :( :(
I'm so upset about Vanessa getting found not guilty for so many things and her smiling and laughing in court. I wish there was something someone could do.
I wish someone would torture her! :( I know that wasn't very nice.
Anyway, is the end of the story? :(
 
soyesterday said:
I know i'm a little late. I knew about this horrible case when it happened. But it was too upsetting to read about for me then.
I spent all weekend catching up on all the trials and stuff.
Is there where everything ends? :( :(
I'm so upset about Vanessa getting found not guilty for so many things and her smiling and laughing in court. I wish there was something someone could do.
I wish someone would torture her! :( I know that wasn't very nice.
Anyway, is the end of the story? :(
Click to expand...

The story won't be over for a long time. There will be hearings on appeals for a new trial for each defendant early next year. Cobbins comes first in January, Davidson in February. I plan to attend the Davidson hearing.

Since Davidson received a death sentence, it will be appealed to kingdom come for decades. There is almost zero chance of him ever being executed. Two Tennessee death row inmates scheduled to die in the next few days for brutal murders of which there is no doubt, have just had their executions put off for 3-4 months.

As for the other defendants, as long as they are breathing, they can walk out of prison (even the two sentenced to "life without parole"). Vanessa Coleman comes up for parole in about 10 years.

David In TN
 
William N said:
The story won't be over for a long time. There will be hearings on appeals for a new trial for each defendant early next year. Cobbins comes first in January, Davidson in February. I plan to attend the Davidson hearing.

Since Davidson received a death sentence, it will be appealed to kingdom come for decades. There is almost zero chance of him ever being executed. Two Tennessee death row inmates scheduled to die in the next few days for brutal murders of which there is no doubt, have just had their executions put off for 3-4 months.

As for the other defendants, as long as they are breathing, they can walk out of prison (even the two sentenced to "life without parole"). Vanessa Coleman comes up for parole in about 10 years.

David In TN
Click to expand...
William N said:
The story won't be over for a long time. There will be hearings on appeals for a new trial for each defendant early next year. Cobbins comes first in January, Davidson in February. I plan to attend the Davidson hearing.

Since Davidson received a death sentence, it will be appealed to kingdom come for decades. There is almost zero chance of him ever being executed. Two Tennessee death row inmates scheduled to die in the next few days for brutal murders of which there is no doubt, have just had their executions put off for 3-4 months.

As for the other defendants, as long as they are breathing, they can walk out of prison (even the two sentenced to "life without parole"). Vanessa Coleman comes up for parole in about 10 years.

David In TN
Click to expand...

Ugh
It's so not fair!
They should all be put to death for what they did!
And Vanessa.....i hate her most of all w/ her laughing and smiling at the trial! (What was up w/ her jury? Did they not see and hear the same things we did? Did they not see her journal either????? I mean....come on!)
I think she should be tortured to death!
I'm so angry about this story.
I guess all we can do now is pray for Chris and Channon's familes that they can somehow find peace through all this.
Their lives will never be the same.
All because these monsters were able to breathe the same air as the rest of us.
I wish they would all die.
Ok i better stop.
 
soyesterday said:
Ugh
It's so not fair!
They should all be put to death for what they did!
And Vanessa.....i hate her most of all w/ her laughing and smiling at the trial! (What was up w/ her jury? Did they not see and hear the same things we did? Did they not see her journal either????? I mean....come on!)
I think she should be tortured to death!
I'm so angry about this story.
I guess all we can do now is pray for Chris and Channon's familes that they can somehow find peace through all this.
Their lives will never be the same.
All because these monsters were able to breathe the same air as the rest of us.
I wish they would all die.
Ok i better stop.
Click to expand...

I attended three days of Vanessa Coleman's trial. I was able to watch the jury. In Tennessee, the jurors are allowed to ask questions if the judge approves of the question.

The questions showed that several jurors were obsessed with the idea that Davidson's ex-girl friend, Daphne Sutton, was getting away with something.

Coleman's attorney, Theodore Lavitt, attacked the cops who interviewed Coleman on cross-examination for "tricking Vanessa." I saw some female jurors hurriedly scribbling questions and practically throw them at the judge.

On the third day I attended, the diary was introduced, the most dramatic moment of the trial. It negated what the defense had been claiming to that point. Lavitt could do nothing on cross and looked beaten.

The jury asked no questions about the diary.

David In TN
 
William; those are some interesting observations there. The defenses all tried to make Daphne out to be more than she was i think. And that is understandable. But the jury's reaction is really disturbing. There was nothing that connected Daphne to anything other than perhaps somehow helping after the fact. But the jury just wanted her to be involved in it I think. Daphne was certainly stupid, and a bad mother, but i dont see any evidence that linked her to the crime itself. But by making themselves believe she was involved and "getting away with it" it allowed the jurors to justify not holding Vanessa fully responsible. I'll tell you this, Daphe is VEEEEEERY lucky that the police didnt find her in that trash can. I have no doubt that Cobbins would have eventually killed her somewhere down the road.
 
I'm so very shocked and saddened that this case has gotten very little media attention.

I'm glad that someone is going to write a true crime about this horrible, horrible case. I'll look forward to reading it.

Channon & Chris's voices deserve to be heard.

If these were my kids, I'd WANT everyone to know what my child had to endure.

I, along with many many other people will NEVER forget about what happened to Channon & Chris.

This is probably (imo) the worst crime I've ever heard of. (all murders/crimes are bad, but this one you can't ever forget).

*RIP Channon & Chris*
 
The lack of coverage for Channon and Chris is very unfair, and not hard to figure out. It breaks my heart to think about them and their families.

Who is going to write a book about this? I hadn't heard about a book.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is DeKalb County John Doe (2022)?

Staff online

Members online

... and 142 more.
Total: 1,965 (members: 143, guests: 1,822)

Online statistics

Members online
143
Guests online
1,822
Total visitors
1,965
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
604,843
Messages
18,177,998
Members
232,929
Latest member
Mydermarie26
Back
Top