Double murder suspects to be tried separately for couple's slaying

Double murder suspects to be tried separately for couple's slaying

May 17, 2007

By SONU WASU
6 News Reporter

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- In court Thursday, a judge decided the four suspects charged with the murder, rape and kidnapping of a young Knoxville couple will be tried separately.

Letalvis Cobbins will be tried first in May 2008.

Cobbins faces 46 counts including 16 counts of felony murder, two counts of premeditated murder, two counts of especially aggravated robbery, four counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, 20 counts of aggravated rape and two counts of theft.

Vanessa Coleman will be tried next, followed by Lemaricus Davidson and George Thomas.

Prosecutors haven't said yet whether they'll seek the death penalty.

Investigators continue gathering evidence and conducting interviews in the case. They're also waiting for evidence to come back from processing in a crime lab.

The four suspects are due in court for their next hearing on September 27.

The murdered couple, Christopher Newsom and Channon Christian, was last seen on a date on the night of January 6. They were carjacked by sometime early the next morning.

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.

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.

The case has sparked a lot of discussion on national blogs. Some groups are even planning protests and marches in Knoxville.

The details are very vague. Knoxville Police Chief Sterling Owen tells 6 News the earliest protest they know of is set to take place on the lawn of the City County Courthouse on the weekend of May 19.

Police say the flyers they've seen are very vague. They don't list any times or contact information.

Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam says authorities are prepared. "We have actually been aware of a couple different groups planning events. They have First Amendment rights like anyone else does. But we also will be very heavily involved in making sure that stays a peaceful event."

The blog postings and flyers are charged with tension. Some are questioning why the national media is ignoring this story, blaming them for being racist.

Others are questioning why local authorities don't consider this a hate crime. The suspects are all black. The two victims were white.

Chief  Owen says there's no evidence to support that. "It appears to have been a random violent act."

The mayor and police chief stress that all of the planned protests seem to be coming from out of town.

"We've seen no evidence of local involvement. Everything we've seen is originated from out of town and in many cases, out of state," Haslam says.

Chief Owen says the city has quietly been planning its response to these rallies. Officials have been meeting with the FBI, Tennessee Highway Patrol, TBI and even the local NAACP chapter to make sure there's no violence.

Knoxville NAACP President Ezra Maize says their goal is to keep the peace. They're not planning any counter protests or rallies.

"We are not again, trying to add fuel to the fire. We just pray that you choose to do whatever you choose to do in a peaceful way," Maize says.

Police say only one group has applied for a permit to hold a rally in the city in June. To date, no one else has applied for a permit. But that doesn't mean they can't gather on public property.

A group would only need a permit if members planned to march or stand on city sidewalks or public property.