07-20-2011, 07:33 PM
my quick recap of the week, so far, followed by articles/links...including links to videos & a PDF transcript of Sowell's interrogation after first being arrested (Oct. 31, 2009) i tried to include the PDF as an attachment but was unable to
Earlier this week (Mon. 7/18) Judge Ambrose acquitted Anthony Sowell of 2 of the counts against him. (1 kidnapping and 1 felony murder charge in the case of Leshanda Long, he still faces an aggravated murder charge for her death)
The prosecution rested their case the same day, after presenting over 400 pieces of evidence and testimony from 62 witnesses.
(Tues. 7/19) The defense took less than a day to present their case. They called no witnesses.
(Wed. 7/20) Closing arguments took place this morning, and jurors were sent to deliberate around 4:00 pm
Judge acquits serial-killings defendant Anthony Sowell on 2 of 85 counts, state rests its case
By Leila Atassi, The Plain Dealer
Serial-killings defendant Anthony Sowell and his defense team enjoyed a minor victory Monday, when a judge acquitted him of two of the 85 counts against him for the deaths of 11 women and attacks on several others who survived.
Sowell will not face charges of kidnapping and felony murder in the case of Leshanda Long, whose head was found in a bucket in the basement of Sowell’s Imperial Avenue home in 2009.
The felony murder charge was predicated on the assumption that Long was slain during a kidnapping.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Dick Ambrose ruled that, without Long’s body, prosecutors do not have enough evidence to prove Sowell held Long against her will -- unlike many of the other victims, whose bodies were found bound at the wrists and with ligatures still wrapped around their necks.
Another count of aggravated murder for Long’s death still stands, however, and Ambrose rejected the defense attorneys’ remaining arguments that Sowell should be acquitted on all counts because the state had not met its burden of proof.
full article...
Defense rests without presenting witnesses in case of serial-killings defendant Anthony Sowell
By Leila Atassi, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Attorneys for serial-killings defendant Anthony Sowell rested their case Tuesday without calling a single witness to testify in their client’s defense.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Dick Ambrose reminded jurors earlier in the week that Sowell’s choice not to present a case cannot be held against him.
But the decision came as a surprise to court-watchers aware of the nearly $600,000 cost to taxpayers for Sowell’s legal team -- the most expensive publicly-funded criminal defense in the county’s history.
Sowell, 51, is charged with multiple counts of aggravated murder and a slate of other offenses in the deaths of 11 women whose remains were found in and around his Imperial Avenue home in 2009. He also is accused of attacking several others who survived. His trial began June 6, and he faces the death penalty if convicted.
Attorneys are expected to deliver their closing arguments this morning before turning the case over to jurors for deliberation.
Sowell’s record-breaking defense budget included thousands of dollars spent on a forensic pathologist and a crime scene expert to analyze the work of Cleveland police and officials from the County Medical Examiners Office.
Neither expert testified, though defense attorneys John Parker and Rufus Sims cross-examined investigators about security of the crime scene and decisions on which items to collect from the house and test for DNA.
full article...
Interrogation videos & transcript
Earlier this week (Mon. 7/18) Judge Ambrose acquitted Anthony Sowell of 2 of the counts against him. (1 kidnapping and 1 felony murder charge in the case of Leshanda Long, he still faces an aggravated murder charge for her death)
The prosecution rested their case the same day, after presenting over 400 pieces of evidence and testimony from 62 witnesses.
(Tues. 7/19) The defense took less than a day to present their case. They called no witnesses.
(Wed. 7/20) Closing arguments took place this morning, and jurors were sent to deliberate around 4:00 pm
Judge acquits serial-killings defendant Anthony Sowell on 2 of 85 counts, state rests its case
By Leila Atassi, The Plain Dealer
Serial-killings defendant Anthony Sowell and his defense team enjoyed a minor victory Monday, when a judge acquitted him of two of the 85 counts against him for the deaths of 11 women and attacks on several others who survived.
Sowell will not face charges of kidnapping and felony murder in the case of Leshanda Long, whose head was found in a bucket in the basement of Sowell’s Imperial Avenue home in 2009.
The felony murder charge was predicated on the assumption that Long was slain during a kidnapping.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Dick Ambrose ruled that, without Long’s body, prosecutors do not have enough evidence to prove Sowell held Long against her will -- unlike many of the other victims, whose bodies were found bound at the wrists and with ligatures still wrapped around their necks.
Another count of aggravated murder for Long’s death still stands, however, and Ambrose rejected the defense attorneys’ remaining arguments that Sowell should be acquitted on all counts because the state had not met its burden of proof.
full article...
Defense rests without presenting witnesses in case of serial-killings defendant Anthony Sowell
By Leila Atassi, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Attorneys for serial-killings defendant Anthony Sowell rested their case Tuesday without calling a single witness to testify in their client’s defense.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Dick Ambrose reminded jurors earlier in the week that Sowell’s choice not to present a case cannot be held against him.
But the decision came as a surprise to court-watchers aware of the nearly $600,000 cost to taxpayers for Sowell’s legal team -- the most expensive publicly-funded criminal defense in the county’s history.
Sowell, 51, is charged with multiple counts of aggravated murder and a slate of other offenses in the deaths of 11 women whose remains were found in and around his Imperial Avenue home in 2009. He also is accused of attacking several others who survived. His trial began June 6, and he faces the death penalty if convicted.
Attorneys are expected to deliver their closing arguments this morning before turning the case over to jurors for deliberation.
Sowell’s record-breaking defense budget included thousands of dollars spent on a forensic pathologist and a crime scene expert to analyze the work of Cleveland police and officials from the County Medical Examiners Office.
Neither expert testified, though defense attorneys John Parker and Rufus Sims cross-examined investigators about security of the crime scene and decisions on which items to collect from the house and test for DNA.
full article...
Interrogation videos & transcript