GUILTY FL - Felecia Williams, 9, raped & murdered, Temple Terrace, 16 May 2014
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I am always amazed at the lack of equity when it comes to who gets lots of press coverage and support when crimes like this occur. I know I am guilty of not acknowledging every thread on Websleuths. And. I know I can't but this story and its lack of traction and the inability to hold all evildoers accountable has me reeling.
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JerseyGirl
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JerseyGirl
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Murder trial takes shape in death of 9-year-old Tampa girl
June 18, 2019
[...]
It has already been five years since Ritchie, 40, was accused of killing Felecia Williams. Last month, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Michelle Sisco wouldn't budge on a July trial date, even as attorneys for the state and defense expressed concern that they might not be ready in time.
[...]
Sisco reluctantly pushed the trial back to September. But the judge warned the attorneys that she would not allow any more delays.
[...]
Jury selection will begin Sept. 3, the judge said.
The trial is slated to last through Sept. 20.
[...]
June 18, 2019
[...]
It has already been five years since Ritchie, 40, was accused of killing Felecia Williams. Last month, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Michelle Sisco wouldn't budge on a July trial date, even as attorneys for the state and defense expressed concern that they might not be ready in time.
[...]
Sisco reluctantly pushed the trial back to September. But the judge warned the attorneys that she would not allow any more delays.
[...]
Jury selection will begin Sept. 3, the judge said.
The trial is slated to last through Sept. 20.
[...]
MsFacetious
What a Kerfuffle...
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In fact, she says the police chief often visits her daughter's gravesite.
"I see the flowers he puts out there and the card that he leaves letting me know they care," said Demerson.
Trial Begins for Man Accused of Raping, Killing 9-Year-Old Girl in 2014
PUBLISHED September 9, 2019 @5:30 AM
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The trial begins Monday for the man accused of killing 9-year-old Felecia Williams in Tampa in 2014.
Police say Granville Ritchie murdered Felecia Williams and placed her body in a suitcase and then left her by the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
Felecia's family said they've waited five long years for this day, and while they realize nothing will bring Felecia back, they say justice needs to be served.
[...]
PUBLISHED September 9, 2019 @5:30 AM
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The trial begins Monday for the man accused of killing 9-year-old Felecia Williams in Tampa in 2014.
Police say Granville Ritchie murdered Felecia Williams and placed her body in a suitcase and then left her by the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
Felecia's family said they've waited five long years for this day, and while they realize nothing will bring Felecia back, they say justice needs to be served.
[...]
Five years later, murder trial begins for man accused of killing 9-year-old girl
Updated: 5:19 PM EDT September 9, 2019
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Jury selection began Monday for the trial of Granville Ritchie.
Ritchie is accused of murdering 9-year-old Felecia Williams in May of 2014.
[...]
The case has taken a long time to get to trial in part because in 2016 the U.S. Supreme Court found Florida's death penalty law to be unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court mandated that capital punishment must be a unanimous jury's decision, not the judge’s.
“We’ve had cases that have come back to us due to changes in the law over the past few years,” Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren said.
Warren inherited the Ritchie case. When he took office, Warren took the death penalty off the table in several prosecutions but decided he would continue to seek the death penalty in Ritchie’s trial.
The state attorney cited aggravating factors including sexual battery and the fact the girl was less than 12 years old.
“The reality is that the death penalty cases take a long time to go through the system - as they should,” Warren said. “We went to expedite that process as much as we can to hold the defendants accountable and to achieve justice for victims and their families. But the cases take some time to work their way through the system.”
[...]
Jury selection was expected to take a few days as lawyers deal with issues like pretrial publicity, hardship and whether, for some, it might be difficult to personally impose the death penalty.
The trial, including the penalty phase if Ritchie is convicted, is expected to take up to three weeks.
Updated: 5:19 PM EDT September 9, 2019
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Jury selection began Monday for the trial of Granville Ritchie.
Ritchie is accused of murdering 9-year-old Felecia Williams in May of 2014.
[...]
The case has taken a long time to get to trial in part because in 2016 the U.S. Supreme Court found Florida's death penalty law to be unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court mandated that capital punishment must be a unanimous jury's decision, not the judge’s.
“We’ve had cases that have come back to us due to changes in the law over the past few years,” Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren said.
Warren inherited the Ritchie case. When he took office, Warren took the death penalty off the table in several prosecutions but decided he would continue to seek the death penalty in Ritchie’s trial.
The state attorney cited aggravating factors including sexual battery and the fact the girl was less than 12 years old.
“The reality is that the death penalty cases take a long time to go through the system - as they should,” Warren said. “We went to expedite that process as much as we can to hold the defendants accountable and to achieve justice for victims and their families. But the cases take some time to work their way through the system.”
[...]
Jury selection was expected to take a few days as lawyers deal with issues like pretrial publicity, hardship and whether, for some, it might be difficult to personally impose the death penalty.
The trial, including the penalty phase if Ritchie is convicted, is expected to take up to three weeks.
Jurors in Tampa trial confront ultimate question: Could they impose the death penalty?
https://outline.com/YLgzux
September 10, 2019
TAMPA — Not long after they crammed into six rows of wooden benches this week in Hillsborough County’s largest courtroom, dozens of people were asked a question few ever have to answer: Could they sentence a man to death?
Late Monday and into Tuesday, the 93 prospective jurors who said they knew nothing about the case of Granville Ritchie and could commit to attending a three-week trial learned for the first time the gravity of what was before them.
They were told that Ritchie is accused of strangling to death a 9-year-old girl named Felecia Williams. They were told that he is also accused of raping her. And they were told that the state plans to seek capital punishment.
[...]
Harmon, the prosecutor, asked her to imagine what she would do if she was selected for the jury in the Ritchie case. He told her she would be seated steps away from Ritchie, that she would be able to see him writing notes and chatting with his attorneys.
“He’s going to be breathing and he’s going to be blinking and he’s going to be fully alive,” Harmon said. “And at some point, the state of Florida is going to ask you to sentence him to death. ... Can you do that?”
“I honestly have to say I don’t know,” the woman said.
https://outline.com/YLgzux
September 10, 2019
TAMPA — Not long after they crammed into six rows of wooden benches this week in Hillsborough County’s largest courtroom, dozens of people were asked a question few ever have to answer: Could they sentence a man to death?
Late Monday and into Tuesday, the 93 prospective jurors who said they knew nothing about the case of Granville Ritchie and could commit to attending a three-week trial learned for the first time the gravity of what was before them.
They were told that Ritchie is accused of strangling to death a 9-year-old girl named Felecia Williams. They were told that he is also accused of raping her. And they were told that the state plans to seek capital punishment.
[...]
Harmon, the prosecutor, asked her to imagine what she would do if she was selected for the jury in the Ritchie case. He told her she would be seated steps away from Ritchie, that she would be able to see him writing notes and chatting with his attorneys.
“He’s going to be breathing and he’s going to be blinking and he’s going to be fully alive,” Harmon said. “And at some point, the state of Florida is going to ask you to sentence him to death. ... Can you do that?”
“I honestly have to say I don’t know,” the woman said.
JerseyGirl
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Today is day 4 of jury selection in the #GranvilleRitchie murder trial. 60 potential jurors return this morning and we could have a jury seated today. Once opening statements begin you can watch LIVE here:
Watch Live: Granville Ritchie on Trial for Allegedly Raping, Murdering 9-Year-Old Girl
Law & Crime Network on Twitter
Watch Live: Granville Ritchie on Trial for Allegedly Raping, Murdering 9-Year-Old Girl
Law & Crime Network on Twitter
Law & Crime NetworkVerified account @LawCrimeNetwork 9m9 minutes ago
#GranvilleRitchie - Both sides are making their final selections now. We expect opening statements within the hour.
https://lawandcrime.com/live-trials/live-trials-current/granville-ritchie/watch-live-granville-ritchie-on-trial-for-allegedly-raping-murdering-9-year-old-girl/ …
#GranvilleRitchie - Both sides are making their final selections now. We expect opening statements within the hour.
https://lawandcrime.com/live-trials/live-trials-current/granville-ritchie/watch-live-granville-ritchie-on-trial-for-allegedly-raping-murdering-9-year-old-girl/ …
Law & Crime NetworkVerified account @LawCrimeNetwork 1h1 hour ago
#GranvilleRitchie - The jury has been selected. Opening statements tomorrow morning.
Dan SullivanVerified account @TimesDan 2h2 hours ago
We have a jury in the Granville Ritchie trial. @TB_Times
#GranvilleRitchie - The jury has been selected. Opening statements tomorrow morning.
Dan SullivanVerified account @TimesDan 2h2 hours ago
We have a jury in the Granville Ritchie trial. @TB_Times
BlackCloud
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5 years and no justice for her yet...
Bureaucracy is ruining our justice system...
Hope a fair and good sentence will come before Xmas 2019...who knows...
Bureaucracy is ruining our justice system...
Hope a fair and good sentence will come before Xmas 2019...who knows...
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It has been a long week for the family of 9-year-old Felecia Williams as they waited for a jury to be seated. They have also waited five years for this trail as Williams was killed in 2014.
Police say Granville Ritchie raped and murdered Williams and placed her body in a suitcase and then left her by the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
Today, opening statements will be heard by the 12 jurors and three alternates. Eight women and four men will make up the jury. The defense and prosecution came to an agreement late Thursday on the jury after several days of trying to find impartial members of the jury pool.
One of the reasons seating the jury took so long was that it will have to determine Ritchie's fate if he is found guilty: life in prison or the death penalty.
All jurors must vote unanimously for someone to be sentenced to death.
The trial is anticipated to last about another two weeks.
Opening Statements Scheduled For Friday in Granville Ritchie Murder Trial
Police say Granville Ritchie raped and murdered Williams and placed her body in a suitcase and then left her by the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
Today, opening statements will be heard by the 12 jurors and three alternates. Eight women and four men will make up the jury. The defense and prosecution came to an agreement late Thursday on the jury after several days of trying to find impartial members of the jury pool.
One of the reasons seating the jury took so long was that it will have to determine Ritchie's fate if he is found guilty: life in prison or the death penalty.
All jurors must vote unanimously for someone to be sentenced to death.
The trial is anticipated to last about another two weeks.
Opening Statements Scheduled For Friday in Granville Ritchie Murder Trial
LIVE trial:
Watch Live: Granville Ritchie on Trial for Allegedly Raping, Murdering 9-Year-Old Girl
A Florida man is on trial in the alleged murder of 9-year-old Felecia Nicole Williams.
Granville Ritchie, 40, is charged with first-degree murder, rape and sexual battery, and aggravated child abuse. If convicted, he faces a possible death sentence.
Watch Live: Granville Ritchie on Trial for Allegedly Raping, Murdering 9-Year-Old Girl
A Florida man is on trial in the alleged murder of 9-year-old Felecia Nicole Williams.
Granville Ritchie, 40, is charged with first-degree murder, rape and sexual battery, and aggravated child abuse. If convicted, he faces a possible death sentence.
Law & Crime NetworkVerified account @LawCrimeNetwork 4h4 hours ago
#GranvilleRitchie - Note: Because mother and daughter share the same name, Felecia, the 9-year-old Felecia went by "Sugarplum".
Law & Crime NetworkVerified account @LawCrimeNetwork 4h4 hours ago
#GranvilleRitchie - Court is recessing for the weekend. Today was a pre-scheduled half-day. The trial resumes 9:15 a.m. Monday.
#GranvilleRitchie - Note: Because mother and daughter share the same name, Felecia, the 9-year-old Felecia went by "Sugarplum".
Law & Crime NetworkVerified account @LawCrimeNetwork 4h4 hours ago
#GranvilleRitchie - Court is recessing for the weekend. Today was a pre-scheduled half-day. The trial resumes 9:15 a.m. Monday.
He's accused of sexually assaulting and murdering a 9-year-old girl. Today, his trial began.
Updated: 2:39 PM EDT September 13, 2019
Opening statements and testimony have begun in the Granville Ritchie murder trial. Ritchie is accused of sexually assaulting and murdering 9-year-old Felecia Williams in May 2014.
In their opening statement, prosecutors told the jury they would prove not just beyond a reasonable doubt, but beyond any doubt, that Ritchie sexually assaulted Williams.
While the state admits there’s no DNA and no eyewitness testimony tying Ritchie to William’s murder, the circumstantial case, they argue, is overwhelming.
[...]
In a surprise to many in the courtroom, Ritchie’s defense lawyers made no opening statement, which was seen as a strategy, perhaps, to suggest to jurors that prosecutors have the wrong guy -- a weak case -- and that Ritchie has no obligation to defend himself.
With that, testimony began with Felecia’s mother taking the stand.
[...]
‘She was looking into the face of her killer:’ Trial opens in slaying of girl, 9
September 13, 2019
TAMPA — The jurors had heard Felecia Williams’ name. But it wasn’t until Friday that they saw her face.
From a TV monitor above the witness stand in a Tampa courtroom, the bright-eyed 9-year-old girl flashed a wide gap-toothed smile. The panel of 12 gazed at her and listened as a prosecutor explained why they were there.
“This is Felecia,” Assistant State Attorney Scott Harmon said. “Her family called her Sugar Plum.”
[...]
“When Felecia was being murdered ... she was looking into the face of her killer,” Harmon said, before gesturing toward the defense table.
“The evidence will be clear that the same face is looking into this courtroom from this table right here. The man-sized hands that choked the life out of this little girl are right here crossed in the lap of this defendant.”
[...]
Updated: 2:39 PM EDT September 13, 2019
Opening statements and testimony have begun in the Granville Ritchie murder trial. Ritchie is accused of sexually assaulting and murdering 9-year-old Felecia Williams in May 2014.
In their opening statement, prosecutors told the jury they would prove not just beyond a reasonable doubt, but beyond any doubt, that Ritchie sexually assaulted Williams.
While the state admits there’s no DNA and no eyewitness testimony tying Ritchie to William’s murder, the circumstantial case, they argue, is overwhelming.
[...]
In a surprise to many in the courtroom, Ritchie’s defense lawyers made no opening statement, which was seen as a strategy, perhaps, to suggest to jurors that prosecutors have the wrong guy -- a weak case -- and that Ritchie has no obligation to defend himself.
With that, testimony began with Felecia’s mother taking the stand.
[...]
‘She was looking into the face of her killer:’ Trial opens in slaying of girl, 9
September 13, 2019
TAMPA — The jurors had heard Felecia Williams’ name. But it wasn’t until Friday that they saw her face.
From a TV monitor above the witness stand in a Tampa courtroom, the bright-eyed 9-year-old girl flashed a wide gap-toothed smile. The panel of 12 gazed at her and listened as a prosecutor explained why they were there.
“This is Felecia,” Assistant State Attorney Scott Harmon said. “Her family called her Sugar Plum.”
[...]
“When Felecia was being murdered ... she was looking into the face of her killer,” Harmon said, before gesturing toward the defense table.
“The evidence will be clear that the same face is looking into this courtroom from this table right here. The man-sized hands that choked the life out of this little girl are right here crossed in the lap of this defendant.”
[...]
Granville Ritchie Trial Prosecution Opening Statement
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