More than two months after the brutal death of Marion County teenager Seath Tyler Jackson, his family released a statement about the young boy for the first time.
The two-page statement, which was signed by Jackson's parents, Scott and Sonia, and his brothers, Scott Jr. and Stephan, is the family's first message to the public since five teens were accused April 20 of plotting to kill Seath.
"Please do not think for even a moment that we have not felt that need to speak before this," the statement read, "but the combined circumstances in this tragedy were to say the least overwhelming."
Amber Wright, her brother Kyle Hooper and friends Michael Shane Bargo, Charlie Kay Ely and Justin Soto were all charged with first-degree muder of following through with a deadly plan to lure Seath to Ely's house in Summerfield where they allegedly beat and shot him repeatedly.
The group then burned the 15-year-old boy's boy in a fire pit until only ashes were left, according to documents. The ashes were dumped into paint cans, according to documents. Wright and Hooper's stepfather, James Young Havens III, was accused of acting as an accessory after the fact.
Seath's family, however, said in the statement that the boy was a person with a warm heart who would stick up for those who were bullied.
"We need to make it very clear; while he was still growing and strong Seath was never an abuser…" the family said in the statement. "He liked to make people laugh and would stand up for those who were laughed at. He was kind hearted and he would help friends and even their parents."
The family described Seath as someone who would help others, care for animals and "he did not go far from home without his bike."
The statement read: "For those of you that really knew Seath, you have seen his soft side."
The family mentioned that Seath aspired to become a fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and had plans to enroll in professional training at the age of 18.
"Seath experienced the same adolescent anguish and peer pressure that most all teens go through," the family said in the statement. "We know however, that with his own diligence, parental guidance and of course, some help from God he would have grown to be a productive citizen and good man here on earth."
Much of the statement consisted of the family thanking multiple people who helped them as they tried to cope with the loss of Seath. They said people across the United States and the world offered support and expressed appreciation for the help from the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
The family also thanked the media, the funeral home who helped with services and various community members and businesses. U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala) and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (D-Fla) were also specifically mentioned for sending a flag from the Capitol in Seath's memory.
"We were honestly stunned by the kindnesses of all of the community businesses, facilities, musicians, churches and volunteers who have done so much in such a short time," the statement read. "Thank you all for reaching out to us, his brothers and our extended family."
The State Attorney's Office announced in court Wednesday it intends to seek the death penalty against Michael Bargo Jr., the 19-year-old man accused of shooting and killing Seath Jackson in April.
Bargo is one of five young adults who were indicted for first-degree murder in early May, but only one of two currently eligible to face the death penalty if found guilty as charged.
One other suspect, Justin E. Soto, 20, faces the possibility of a death penalty prosecution, but Assistant State Attorney Amy Berndt said that decision is still pending.
I have been following this case since it was first reported in April. Now the Bitch claims she was forced to admit guilt. Her lawyer states Labbe “repeated statements and requests” to stop speaking with police and consult with a lawyer. HUH??? If you don't want to answer questions w/o a lawyer, than keep your damn mouth shut...dumb cunt
Woman claims police pressured her to admit guilt in animal cruelty case
BRENTWOOD — A Plaistow woman is claiming that police denied her access to a lawyer and pressured her to confess to torturing her boyfriend’s two German shepherds in April, according to her lawyer.
“The reason I eventually gave a statement to the police was because I believed that if I didn’t admit to some wrongdoing, whether true or not, I would not be admitted bail and I would be going to jail,” Jamie Labbe said in a sworn affidavit.
Labbe, 33, heads to trial in Rockingham County Superior Court the week of Nov. 14 on five felony counts of animal cruelty.
She is asking a judge to throw out all statements she made to Sandown police so they cannot be used as evidence in her upcoming trial.
Police say that Labbe tortured the two dogs belonging to her boyfriend — causing one to die from its injuries — “because he pays more attention to the dogs than her,” Sandown police Cpl. John J. Sable wrote in a sworn affidavit.
On April 5, Labbe forced the dogs to ingest pipes, bolts, a cigarette lighter and metal clamps, police said.
Her boyfriend, Kurt Kohn of Sandown called police once he realized what had happened, according to police.
Defense lawyer Tom Gleason said in a court filing that his client made “repeated statements and requests” to stop speaking with police and consult with a lawyer.
Gleason suggested that police continued to press Labbe to speak about the injured dogs.
Prosecutors have yet to respond to the defense’s request to throw out Labbe’s statements.
One of the dogs named Pebbles died as a result of internal injuries while the other dog, Magic, was seriously injured, according to indictments.
Magic was forced to swallow a metal showerhead, a cigarette lighter and a four inch metal bolt, indictments say.
Labbe was indicted by a Rockingham County grand jury in June.
If convicted by a jury, Labbe could face a potential 3 ½-to-7 year prison sentence and a $4,000 fine for each of the charges.
crap reporting. she was NOT a juvenile. i have no idea whether state seeks death. i just emailed the rag to ask.
September 20, 2011
OCALA, Florida — A jury has been selected to hear the case of a 19-year-old woman accused of taking part in the murder of a teenager at her home near Ocala.
The Ocala Star-Banner reports the first-degree murder trial is expected to get under way today.
Charlie Kay Ely is the first of five juveniles accused in the April 17 death of 15-year-old Seath Jackson.
Authorities say Jackson was lured to Ely's Summerfield home, where he was beaten, tied up and shot. According to arrest reports, Jackson's body was burn and his remains were placed into buckets and tossed into a lime pit.
Day One- Link: http://www.ocala.com/article/20110921/AR.../110929908
The state's first witness on Wednesday in the first-degree murder trial of Charlie Kay Ely was Michael Bargo, who is accused of firing the shots that killed Seath Jackson on April 17.
Bargo entered the courtroom in his red and white-striped jail uniform outside the presence of the jury.
Assistant State Attorney Amy Brendt asked Bargo if he shot Seath Jackson, but Bargo immediately invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination
Day Two - Link: http://www.ocala.com/article/20110922/AR...urder-case
On Thursday, the jury got to hear Charlie Kay Ely admit, if only for a moment, that she knew the chances of Seath Jackson leaving her home alive the night he was killed were nil.
A video recording of Ely's interview with Marion County Sheriff's Detective Donald Buie was played in court during Ely's first-degree murder trial on Thursday afternoon. The video shows a young woman who at first, nervously tries to joke with Buie as she tells what happened that night.
In the articles they talk about seeing pictures of the house as evidence.. I wonder if there is any way for us to see the pictures?
i don't know if tape is public yet, but this same news outlet should have it if/when it is. i have been so tied up with other cases i wasn't watching today.
i still haven't seen tape released. but LWOP is mandatory. no sentencing date set yet.
Ocala News
The jury in Charlie Kay Ely's first-degree murder trial deliberated for just more than an hour before returning with a guilty verdict on Friday.
Ely burst into tears and courtroom observers gasped as the verdict was read just after 1 p.m. The case was turned over to the 12-member jury at 11:30 a.m. They returned to the courtroom after reaching a verdict just before 12:45 p.m.
One juror in the case, a 74-year-old woman, who did not want her name used, said it was Ely's video-recorded statement to Marion County Sheriff's Detective Donald Buie, which ultimately sealed her fate.
"The interrogation, where she actually admitted knowing (Seath Jackson's killing) was going to happen, that was pretty much it. There were other things, but that was the main thing," she said.
The state had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Ely intended to lure Seath to her home so he could be killed. Further, the state also has to prove that Ely did or said something that helped cause the killing.
The video shows Ely admitting she and Amber Wright, 15, a co-defendant in the killing, were sent to lure 15-year-old Seath to Ely's home. Seath was eventually beaten, tied up and shot. His body was then burned, and his remains placed into 5-gallon buckets and thrown into a flooded limerock pit.
Ocala Star-Banner
Kyle Hooper listens to Marion County sheriff's Detective Rhonda Stroup describe her interview with him during the bond hearing for Hooper at the Marion County Judicial Center on Monday. Hooper is jailed and awaiting trial in connection with the murder of Seath Jackson in Summerfield earlier this year. Judge Eddy denied the bail request.
June 12.
this murder was so horrific i hope they get true LWOP. despite their youth.
sister and brother tried together, separate juries.
-----------------------------------------------
News13
OCALA --
A jury has found 16-year-old Amber Wright guilty of first degree murder for her part in a brutal killing last year in Marion County.
Wright broke down as the verdict was read. She will be sentenced at a later date.
During closing arguments, Assistant State Attorney Amy Berndt said Wright was guilty of murder because she lured 15-year-old Seath Jackson to a home where he was beaten and shot, and then burned in a fire pit by her brother and two young men.
Wright's attorney, Junior Barrett, argued the girl's confession to her part in the crime was not given freely, because a detective did not include her mother, and she read quickly through her Miranda rights, telling her "you need to sign this form here" rather than asking her if she understood what the rights meant.
The verdict interrupted the testimony of Wright's brother, 17-year-old Kyle Hooper, is also facing first-degree murder charges.
Amber Wright and her brother Kyle Hooper
Ocala Star-Banner
Assistant State Attorney Amy Berndt delivers closing arguments in an Ocala courtroom Tuesday in the first-degree murder case of Amber Wright during Day 5 of the trial of Wright and Kyle Hooper, her brother. The siblings - and three others - are accused of murdering 15-year-old Seath Jackson in Summerfield last year.
See you later human filth! Enjoy your lifetime of prison rape and beatings! Those big boys are going to love the retarded looking one. He's going to get his ass kicked and penetrated within the first few days... probably lose a few teeth too to make him an all access princess. And the lesbians are just going to love the new young meat dropped into their pen. Prepare to be fisted girls!!!
Five teenagers conspired to murder another teenager. They planned it and carried it out. What the hell were they thinking? Not one of them thought for 5 seconds, "Yeah, maybe we shouldn't do this?" Is life that cheap now?
Where was the mother of Amber and Kyle when they were young, that they would think this was OK? Did she never teach them right from wrong? What a waste of these young lives, to be spent in prison until they die. What a waste of taxpayers money to feed, clothe and house them for the next 60-70 years.
RIP Seath Jackson. The taking of his life was the biggest waste of all.
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