On May 12, 2007, we posted "A Call For Justice", asking for help to get the word out about the brutal, sadistic killing of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom, details are at the link above.
I have noticed that finally this story is getting some traction among blogs, but still not much from our media, and I do look for it every day to follow up.
Today I see this:
Knoxville (WVLT) - Four people, charged with the deaths of a local couple were back in a Knoxville courtroom this morning.
A judge set trial dates for Letalvis Cobbins, Lemaricus Davidson, Vanessa Coleman and George Thomas.
Volunteer TV’s Gordon Boyd was in the courtroom, during this morning's emotional hearing.
The silence inside the courtroom couldn't have been more tense. Victim's families and family members of two of the accused sat on opposite sides with deputies between; nine uniformed deputies and the sheriff himself standing watch.
Channon Christian’s father, Gary, was visibly angry, rocking in his seat, gripping the back of a spectator pew, fixing cold stares on Lemaricus Davidson and his brother, Letalvis Cobbins.
Cobbins is set to be tried first, on May 12, 2008. Davidson a week later on May 19th.
Vanessa Coleman, Cobbins' former girlfriend faces trial three weeks after that on June 16, 2008. Sitting silently through her hearing, Coleman mouthed the words, “I love you” as she was led out.
George Thomas, the man accused of shooting Christopher Newsom and burning his body will be tried last. His trial is scheduled to begin on August 11, 2008.
Afterwards, Gary Christian told WVLT he has a clear message he wants out, and that we can expect to hear sometime this afternoon.
The head of Knoxville's NAACP was also in court, the Reverend Ezra Maize says he's here to promote peace in Knoxville and Knox County, that he's spoken with both mayors, the sheriff, the police chief and the FBI about trying to ease racial tensions.
Since the murders were first reported, several white supremacist and racially focused groups have accused both prosecutors and media of covering up what they see as a racially motivated crime, planning to hold rallies this spring and early summer.
All four suspects face more than 40 charges, including first degree murder, kidnapping and rape.
They are charged in connection with the January carjacking and murder of 23-year-old Christopher Newsom and 21-year-old Channon Christian.
Newsom's body was found bound and burned along some railroad tracks on 9th Avenue.
Christian's body was found at a home just a few blocks away, two days later.
The Knox County District Attorney says they have not decided yet on whether to ask for the death penalty in this case.
According to this latest report, first degreee murder IS one of the charges, which originally there was a question of, yet they are not sure about whether to go for the death penalty?
What is wrong with this picture?
The details of these horrific murders are gruesome, brutal and there is not a better case to argue the existence of the death penalty.
One has to wonder why news like this is not widely reported on and it takes months and months to get some coverage and even then, not much from the media.
Once again, the new media seems to be the only ones paying attention.
If you have any comments about this, feel free to address them to the District Attorneys office:
Knox County District Attorney
Address:
Randy Nichols
400 W Main St Rm 168
Knoxville, TN
37902
Phone: (865) 215-2515
More to come after I check out a few links left in the comment section of the last post on this subject.
[Update] Disturbing doesn't begin to describe what I found when I followed one of our commenters links.
'Knox Blacks Celebrate Carjacking Rapists in 'Party'
ST. NICOLAS THIEF & KNOXVILLE BLACKS PLAN WASHINGTON PIKE SOCIAL ACTION PROTEST PARTY TO CELEBRATE UNDERPRIVILEGED BLACKS WHO VICTIMIZE PRIVILEGED WHITES
Jacque Patrick Fitzgerald (Knoxville) - St. Nicolas Thief, president and founder of Black Poverty Speaks, along with many local Knoxville blacks who live in the Washington Pike area has organized a social action protest celebration championing Lemaricus Davidson and Letalvis Cobbins.
Davidson and Cobbins are the brothers and two of the five suspects charged in the carjacking, kidnapping, rape and murder of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.
"We're coordinating the celebration to to jive with the march angry whites are planning in memory of the victims and because of the 'media black-out' they note the case is receiving from national news networks," Thief, who is currently stationed in Knoxville, said.
"We're celebrating underprivileged Knoxville blacks who victimize privileged Knoxville whites," he added.
I can begin to describe the utter disgust I feel right now.
"There's going to be a party in Knoxville and America everytime black poverty speaks and privileged whites suffer."
I would feel this same disgust if a party were going to be given to celebrate the horrible gruesome death of any person, of any race.
How do people get this sick?
Others talking about this:
Michelle Malkin, NewsBusters, La Shawn Barber's Corner, Flopping Aces,
.
