L. Davidson, Murder: Channon Christian, Chris Newsom, 5/08
UPDATE: New suspect, new charges in Knoxville double murder By: Katie Allison Granju, Producer Date created: 2/1/2007 11:55:39 AM Last updated: 2/1/2007 11:04:49 PM Four of the suspects in the deaths of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom are now facing state charges. Knox County District Attorney General Randy Nichols released the 46-count indictment late Thursday. "We're about to embark on our best efforts to see that this case moves to trial on the first day that it is set," Nichols said. "We will be prepared, and we anticipate putting our best foot forward and seeking conviction on every count levied in this indictment." Last month, police say Christian and Newsom were carjacked, kidnapped and murdered. Newsom's shot and burned body was found near railroad tracks off Cherry Street. Days later, Christian's body was found inside a Chipman Street house. The three male suspects -- Lemaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas -- are facing 46 counts each in the indictment. They are: - 16 counts of felony murder, which carries possible penalties of death, life without parole or life with parole. - 2 counts of premeditated murder, which carries possible penalties of death, life without parole or life with parole. - 2 counts of aggravated robbery, a Class A felony carrying a possible penalty of 15 to 60 years. - 4 counts of aggravated kidnapping, a Class A felony carrying a possible penalty of 15 to 60 years. - 20 counts aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom, a Class A felony carrying a possible penalty of 15 to 60 years. - 2 counts theft. The latest suspect, 18-year-old Vanessa Coleman, was arrested Wednesday night in Lebanon, Ky. She is the woman who was identified in search warrants as saying she saw Channon Christian alive in the Chipman Avenue house where her body was eventually found last month. Coleman also allegedly told investigators she saw Christian's mouth being washed out with some sort of household cleaning solution. Coleman additionally said she saw blood-stained clothing that smelled like gasoline being placed in the house's washing machine. Coleman is facing 40 counts in the indictment. They are: - 12 counts felony murder, carrying possible penalties of death, life without parole or life with parole. - 1 count premeditated murder in the death of Channon Christian, carrying possible penalties of death, life without parole or life with parole. - 1 count aggravated robbery of Chris Newsom, a Class A felony carrying a possible penalty of 15 to 60 years. - 4 counts aggravated kidnapping, a Class A felony carrying a possible penalty of 15 to 60 years. - 20 counts aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom, a Class A felony carrying a possible penalty of 15 to 60 years. - 2 counts theft. Vanessa Coleman is expected to be extradited to Tennessee within one week. All of the suspects are expected to be arraigned on the new charges within seven to 10 days. District Attorney General Randy Nichols says he does not yet know whether he'll seek the death penalty. The other suspect, Eric Boyd, is not named in the indictment. However, he is still facing federal charges of being an accessory to a crime. Davidson, Cobbins and Thomas also are facing federal charges. http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=41845

Fed. charges may be dropped in Knoxville double murder case February 8, 2007 By ERICA ESTEP 6 News Reporter KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- A judge may clear the way for quicker murder trials by dismissing federal charges against 3 suspects in the double murder of a Knoxville couple. Prosecutors made the request in court Thursday before federal magistrate Judge Bruce Guyton. He will rule on it at a later date. The dismissal request involves the charges against Lemaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins and George Thomas. They face charges of carjacking, possessing ammunition as a felon and being an accessory. That would allow the state to prosecute the murder, rape and kidnapping charges more quickly. Federal charges against a fourth suspect, Eric Boyd, will not be dismissed. He's charged as an accessory to the murders. But Boyd is not charged by Knox County in the case. The other three men are charged in Knox County with the murders, as well as a woman, Vanessa Coleman, said to be Cobbins' girlfriend. Also, Thursday the federal judge designated the case against Davidson, Cobbins Thomas as complex. That allowed attorneys for the three to ask that the March 28 trial date be delayed. Eric Boyd's case was also designated as complex and his trial date has been pushed back to July 9. The location of the carjacking that began the series of charges in the investigation and why it happened is still being kept quiet. The murdered couple was last seen on a date on the night of January 6. They were carjacked by sometime early the next morning. Christopher Newsom's body was found the next day. It was bound, shot and burned, along the railroad tracks near 9th Ave. Investigators say Newsom's body smelled of gasoline. Channon Christian's body was found three days after the couple disappeared. Investigators say it was in a large plastic garbage can in Davidson's house on Chipman Street. Her body was in five separate dark trash bags. There was evidence that Christian had been bound, physically assaulted and raped. Also, the Knox County medical examiner found apparent carpet fibers in her hair. Vanessa Coleman told investigators she was at the Chipman Street house while Christian was being held there. She said she witnessed Christian's mouth being cleaned with a bottle of some type of cleaner. Coleman also told investigators she saw clothes that were stained with blood and smelled of gas being put in the washing machine at the house. http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=6057763&nav=menu7_2

Christian, Newsom murder suspects in court By: Katie Allison Granju, Producer By: Yvette Martinez, Reporter Date created: 2/20/2007 12:30:48 PM Last updated: 2/20/2007 11:28:18 PM Three of the four suspects charged for the murder of a young Knox County couple faced a Knoxville judge Tuesday. Vanessa Coleman is still in Federal custody in Kentucky. Brothers, Lemaricus Davidson and Letalvis Cobbins were arraigned for the rapes and murders of Christopher Newsom and Channon Christian. George Thomas was also in court, but questions about a conflict of interest for his court appointed attorney postponed his arraignment. "We don't need to have that at this time, let's get the representation cleared up then we won't have a problem," Assistant District Attorney, Bill Crabtree said. Prosecuting Attorney Bill Crabtree works with investigator John Harwell in the District Attorney's office, so he does not want John's brother Ralph Harwell to defend George Thomas in what could become a capital murder case. "Mr. Crabtree today believes that in this case if the stakes are raised to, if they give the death penalty notice, and that causes a lot of litigation he's afraid it could cause a problem. I understand his thinking, it just has not ever occurred to me," Attorney Ralph Harwell said. Earlier this month, charges for defendants Davidson, Cobbins and Thomas were dismissed in Federal Court turning it over to State Prosecution. Attorney Don Bosch explains why. "The Federal Authorities are going to look very carefully at whether or not the interest of justice can be met by State Prosecution and if the answer is typically yes than often the Federal Authorities will step aside and allow the State to prosecute. With that being said the Feds could still bring their charges back if they feel that justice was not served at the state level." Davidson, Cobbins and Thomas all face a multitude of charges including 16 counts each of felony murder and 20 counts each of aggravated rape. "The number of counts of rape has no correlation to the number of rapes that necessarily occurred. It just outlines each and every way that a rape might be possible or might have occurred. They won't be able to convict on all of those counts but they will have a selection from those counts to choose from," Bosch said. Judge Baumgartner expects to arraign George Thomas when Vanessa Coleman is extradited from Kentucky. In two weeks, he will also decide if Ralph Harwell will be removed as Thomas' attorney. All the defendants are expected to be back in court for a status hearing on May 17th. http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=42504