Lemaricus Davidson – Black, age 26
Sentenced in Knox County, Tennessee
By: a judge upon jury recommendation
Date of crime: January 2007
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Davidson led a group of four that raped and murdered Channon Christian (age 21) and her boyfriend Christopher Newsom (age 23). The group kidnapped Christian and Newsom. Newsom was shot to death. Christian suffocated after being choked and shut in a garbage can. The defense provided information about Davidson’s childhood which included being raised by a drug-using prostitute mother, and sexual abuse from a teenage boy.
Sources: AP Alert 10/30/09 – KY 20:53:12; UPI Top Stories 10/31/09 – 00:00:00; The Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN) 10/31/09 (2009 WLNR 21871008), 07/30/10 (2010 WLNR 15159677); Memphis Commercial Appeal (TN) 10/31/09 (2009 WLNR 21880851); AP Alert 06/11/10 – TN 19:35:28.
By: a judge upon jury recommendation
Date of crime: January 2007
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Davidson led a group of four that raped and murdered Channon Christian (age 21) and her boyfriend Christopher Newsom (age 23). The group kidnapped Christian and Newsom. Newsom was shot to death. Christian suffocated after being choked and shut in a garbage can. The defense provided information about Davidson’s childhood which included being raised by a drug-using prostitute mother, and sexual abuse from a teenage boy.
Sources: AP Alert 10/30/09 – KY 20:53:12; UPI Top Stories 10/31/09 – 00:00:00; The Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN) 10/31/09 (2009 WLNR 21871008), 07/30/10 (2010 WLNR 15159677); Memphis Commercial Appeal (TN) 10/31/09 (2009 WLNR 21880851); AP Alert 06/11/10 – TN 19:35:28.
Corinio Pruitt – Black, age 24
Sentenced in Shelby County, Tennessee
By: a judge upon jury recommendation
Date of crime: August 2, 2005
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Pruitt beat to death Lawrence Guidroz (age 79) during a carjacking. Pruitt had been spotted in the stolen car, but escaped once police caught up with the vehicle.
Sources: Memphis Commercial Appeal (TN) 08/05/05 (2005 WLNR 12405363), 03/01/08 (2008 WLNR 4230781), 03/02/08 (2008 WLNR 4230957).
By: a judge upon jury recommendation
Date of crime: August 2, 2005
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Pruitt beat to death Lawrence Guidroz (age 79) during a carjacking. Pruitt had been spotted in the stolen car, but escaped once police caught up with the vehicle.
Sources: Memphis Commercial Appeal (TN) 08/05/05 (2005 WLNR 12405363), 03/01/08 (2008 WLNR 4230781), 03/02/08 (2008 WLNR 4230957).
Henry Lee Jones – Black, age 39
Sentenced in Shelby County, Tennessee
By: a jury
Date of crime: August 23, 2003
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Jones robbed, strangled, and slit the throats of Clarence James (age 82) and Lillian James (age 67). Jones himself testified during the trial talking about how he was a “broken man.” During sentencing the defense showed evidence that Jones was often beaten as a child.
Sources: Memphis Commercial Appeal (TN) 05/13/09 (2009 WLNR 9126484), 05/14/09 (2009 WLNR 9228220), 05/15/09 (2009 WLNR 9313343)
By: a jury
Date of crime: August 23, 2003
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Jones robbed, strangled, and slit the throats of Clarence James (age 82) and Lillian James (age 67). Jones himself testified during the trial talking about how he was a “broken man.” During sentencing the defense showed evidence that Jones was often beaten as a child.
Sources: Memphis Commercial Appeal (TN) 05/13/09 (2009 WLNR 9126484), 05/14/09 (2009 WLNR 9228220), 05/15/09 (2009 WLNR 9313343)