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19 / 06 / 2008 - Man found guilty of two counts of murder for shooting mother and unborn son
Man found guilty of killing mother and unborn son
USA - A Marion County judge delivered the verdict in a double murder on Wednesday.
The judge found Jeffrey Whitsey guilty of two counts of murder, one count for killing 22-year-old Jamitra Mitchell and another count for killing her unborn son.
In 2007, Jamitra had just moved into an apartment on the city's east side. She was sitting in her living room with her three small children when a stray bullet hit and killed her. Police said outside Jamitra's apartment at a nearby basketball court, a fight escalated to a shooting. 18-year-old Jeffrey Whitsey pulled a gun and pulled the trigger three times.
The defense argued that Whitsey didn't kill Jamitra and if he did pull the trigger it should be criminal recklessness. The judge disagreed and found him guilty of double murder.
"You can't give him credit for bad aim. He was trying to kill someone else and he's held accountable of taking the life of two people," said David Wyser the Marion County deputy prosecutor.
"I don't hate him, he did something stupid. He needs to pay for it and that is what he's going to do," said Lillie Vaughn-Butler the victim's mother.
Jamitra's three surviving children now live with Vaughn-Butler.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 2 at 11 a.m. He could be sentenced to 131 years in prison.
Source : Gene Rodriguez, WishTV.com. Edited by Hyacinth Williams
The judge found Jeffrey Whitsey guilty of two counts of murder, one count for killing 22-year-old Jamitra Mitchell and another count for killing her unborn son.
In 2007, Jamitra had just moved into an apartment on the city's east side. She was sitting in her living room with her three small children when a stray bullet hit and killed her. Police said outside Jamitra's apartment at a nearby basketball court, a fight escalated to a shooting. 18-year-old Jeffrey Whitsey pulled a gun and pulled the trigger three times.
The defense argued that Whitsey didn't kill Jamitra and if he did pull the trigger it should be criminal recklessness. The judge disagreed and found him guilty of double murder.
"You can't give him credit for bad aim. He was trying to kill someone else and he's held accountable of taking the life of two people," said David Wyser the Marion County deputy prosecutor.
"I don't hate him, he did something stupid. He needs to pay for it and that is what he's going to do," said Lillie Vaughn-Butler the victim's mother.
Jamitra's three surviving children now live with Vaughn-Butler.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 2 at 11 a.m. He could be sentenced to 131 years in prison.
Source : Gene Rodriguez, WishTV.com. Edited by Hyacinth Williams