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Thread: Willie Cory Godbolt - Mississippi Death Row

  1. #11
    Senior Member CnCP Legend CharlesMartel's Avatar
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    Prosecutors still lack 4 autopsies in year-old killing spree case

    By Therese Apel
    The Clarion-Ledger

    BROOKHAVEN — In a status hearing in Brookhaven Thursday, Assistant District Attorney Brendon Adams told the court that the prosecution is still waiting on completion of four of the eight autopsy reports from the shooting spree that left eight dead in Lincoln County almost a full year ago.

    Accused killer Willie Cory Godbolt has been indicted on four counts of capital murder, four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of armed robbery in the case that spanned several hours between May 27-28.

    This is not the first time the Lincoln County District Attorney's office has said that the backlog at the state crime lab has affected its ability to move forward with the case. In November, District Attorney Dee Bates said the crime lab still had not returned some important evidence and the case would wait to go to grand jury for the evidence to be processed.

    Godbolt has been jailed without bail since his May 28 arrest, hours after the killings in Lincoln County.

    For the community affected by the horrific crime spree, especially the families of Deputy William Durr, 36;Barbara Mitchell, 55; Toccarra May, 35; Brenda May, 53; Jordan Blackwell, 18; Austin Edwards, 11; Ferral Burage, 45, and Sheila Burage, 46; that has been a long time.

    It's the biggest case in Lincoln County history. Everyone shot in the spree was killed, except Godbolt himself. He told police the bullet wound he sustained in his right arm came from the gun of Ferral Burage, who spent his last moments trading fire with his attacker, hoping to protect his home and his family.

    Adams had previously said prosecutors will seek the death penalty on the capital murder counts.

    On Thursday, as the families of those killed sat stone silent in the courtroom, Godbolt's new attorney, Alison Steiner of the State Public Defender's Office, petitioned the court to allow Godbolt to wear civilian clothes in court hearings.

    She said the case is high profile and developments like hearings can be expected to be consistently covered by statewide media. She said in a written motion that the move was in order that "the presumption of innocence in the eyes of the law be preserved."

    Lincoln County Circuit Judge David Strong said he expects that the defense would file for a change of venue for the same reason.

    "Candidly, my thought is that there is no way that a jury can be selected anywhere south of Jackson," he said. He said the jury will more than likely have to be chosen from somewhere that does not receive coverage from Jackson news outlets.

    Steiner asked that Godbolt not be double-shackled in court so that he could take notes if desired, saying that his behavior since he's been incarcerated does not point to him being dangerous.

    Strong said he would leave Godbolt's attire up to the sheriff, and they would discuss the shackles at the next hearing, which will be 1 p.m. Aug. 2.

    Strong granted Adams' motion that an oral DNA swab be taken from Godbolt since there were three blood samples that came from the last scene, where Ferral Burage returned fire on the attacker — allegedly Godbolt — who would ultimately kill him and his wife. When he was arrested on East Lincoln Road, Godbolt was bleeding from a gunshot wound.

    Steiner said that was akin to a search warrant and said the state should have to show probable cause. Strong asked her if, in her experience, she'd ever seen a case where it was unreasonable to ask for an oral swab in a similar situation and she admitted that she had not.

    At the scene that morning last May, Godbolt confessed on camera to shooting Durr to the Clarion Ledger. He also told officers he would tell them where the bodies were if a deputy who was holding him down during the arrest would get off him. He told them where Sheila Burage's body was in the bathroom where he had allegedly executed her.

    Godbolt also said on camera he had hoped police would kill him. He was not injured by police during the arrest which took place when he came out of the Burage home, dropped his gun, and fell to his knees with his hands in the air.

    Not only is the May 2017 mass killing the largest homicide incident in Lincoln County history, it's the largest in Mississippi memory.

    https://www.clarionledger.com/story/...ase/577301002/
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  2. #12
    Senior Member CnCP Legend CharlesMartel's Avatar
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    Judge: Distant Jury Likely for 8 Killings in Mississippi

    A judge says jurors will probably have to be chosen from another part of the state for the trial of a man charged with killing eight people in south Mississippi.

    BROOKHAVEN, Miss. (AP) — A judge says jurors will probably have to be chosen from another part of the state for the trial of a man charged with killing eight people in south Mississippi.

    The Clarion Ledger reports Willie Cory Godbolt appeared Thursday before Lincoln County Circuit Judge David Strong in a hearing to update the status of the case.

    No trial date has been set.

    Godbolt has been jailed without bond since his May 28 arrest, hours after the killings in and around Brookhaven.

    Deputy William Durr responded to a disturbance at the home of Godbolt's in-laws. Durr, Godbolt's mother-in-law and two others were killed there.

    Two people were killed at a second home. Two others were killed at a third home.

    Authorities are awaiting reports on four autopsies.

    https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...in-mississippi
    In the Shadow of Your Wings
    1 A Prayer of David. Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!

  3. #13
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    I can't copy this article for some reason so here's a brief synopsis.

    Families file wrongful death suit for millions against defendant and insurance company

    - Two of the victim's families have filed suit and are suing the defendant and insurance company for several million dollars.

    - The court case is expected to be a lengthy proceeding and is still in the early stages.

    - Godbolt has a status hearing on August 2.

    https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2018...e-company-bnx/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  4. #14
    Senior Member CnCP Legend CharlesMartel's Avatar
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    Evidence in Godbolt murder case still coming in

    By Adam Northam
    The Daily Leader

    Prosecutors await three autopsy reports, forwarding info to defense

    Prosecutors expect to have all the evidence against accused shooter Willie Cory Godbolt ready later in the fall, and the court could begin setting up for his trial by year’s end.

    At a status hearing for Godbolt in Lincoln County Circuit Court Thursday afternoon, the district attorney’s office said it had received autopsy reports from the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory for five of the eight victims of the 2017 Memorial Day weekend massacre, for which Godbolt stands accused, and has been promised the sixth report very soon. Assistant district attorney Brendon Adams said the office is in “constant contact” with the crime lab and hopes to have all reports received by the date of Godbolt’s next pretrial status hearing, which judge David Strong set for Nov. 13, at 1 p.m.

    “Hopefully, when we get to November we’ll have everything and be able to start looking at taking the next steps,” Adams said.

    Godbolt has pleaded not-guilty to four counts of capital murder, four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder and kidnapping charges for his alleged part in the shootings the night of May 27 and 28, 2017. Thursday was his third appearance in court. He has been held at the Copiah County Jail since his arrest the morning after the shootings last year.

    District attorney Dee Bates is seeking the death penalty for Godbolt.

    Thursday’s status hearing was brief, around five minutes, as neither prosecution nor defense filed any new motions for Strong to consider. Discovery between the two sides is ongoing and without complaint.

    State public defender Alison Steiner, representing Godbolt alongside Lincoln County public defender Jason Tate, said the defense would not seek a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation.

    “There’s no basis to have one,” she said.

    More than 30 family and friends of the eight victims attended the hearing, which was secured by a dozen deputies. It has been 15 months since the murders of Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputy William Durr, 36; Barbara Mitchell, 56; Tocarra May, 35; Brenda May, 55; Jordan Blackwell, 18; Austin Edwards, 11; Sheila Burage, 46; and Ferral Burage, 45.

    Thelma Galloway, Tocarra May’s grandmother, said her granddaughter spent time with her every day and often took her back and forth to Jackson for doctor’s appointments.

    “I miss that girl,” she said. “If (Godbolt) is locked up for the rest of his life, that’s satisfaction for me — and I mean for the rest of his life. Don’t let him out.”

    Galloway’s niece, Emelda Thompson, said she came to the hearing Thursday to support her aunt. She said the family is not upset about the slow pace of Godbolt’s case.

    “We have the patience,” Thompson said. “Whatever date they set, we’ll be here. But it’s been really hard on these families, especially on the one-year anniversary of these crimes.”

    Remelda Dalton, Godbolt’s first cousin, also came to Thursday’s hearing. She said she visits him in jail every Tuesday and plans to be there for his trial.

    “I don’t approve of what he’s done, but we’re still family. I can’t give up on him,” she said.

    https://www.dailyleader.com/2018/08/...ill-coming-in/
    In the Shadow of Your Wings
    1 A Prayer of David. Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!

  5. #15
    Senior Member CnCP Legend CharlesMartel's Avatar
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    Court plans to fast track Godbolt trial

    By Adam Northam
    The Daily Leader

    A simple discussion about the county’s budget got sidetracked into specifics Monday, and the county’s top lawman and head court administrator provided supervisors with some insight into what could be the biggest trial in Lincoln County history.

    During a discussion about the projected cost of the capital murder trial for Willie Cory Godbolt, Lincoln County Circuit Clerk Dustin Bairfield told supervisors Judge David Strong hopes to move the trial to conclusion by the end of 2019 and will either import a jury from another county, where coverage of the 2017 Memorial Day weekend murders has been less prominent, or move the proceedings across the state.

    Bairfield also indicated the judge has grown impatient with the progress of the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory — as of Thursday, the district attorney was still waiting on autopsy reports on three of the eight victims in the 14-month-old murders — and is considering calling crime lab officials to court to answer for the speed of their work if all autopsy reports aren’t turned in by Godbolt’s next status hearing on Nov. 13.

    “It’s been very frustrating for me, and for the families,” said Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing, who took supervisors’ questions alongside Bairfield. “We’ve called everybody from the governor on down asking for help, and I’ve beat the drum for more funding for the crime lab before.”

    Godbolt is facing four counts of capital murder, four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder and kidnapping charges in connection with the May 27 and 28, 2017, murders of eight people from Bogue Chitto to Brookhaven. He was arrested early on May 28, 2017, and has been held in the Copiah County Jail ever since, making three quick appearances in Lincoln County Circuit Court for status hearings.

    Lost in the shootings last year were Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputy William Durr, 36; Barbara Mitchell, 56; Tocarra May, 35; Brenda May, 55; Jordan Blackwell, 18; Austin Edwards, 11; Sheila Burage, 46; and Ferral Burage, 45.

    District attorney Dee Bates is seeking the death penalty for Godbolt. Godbolt has pleaded not-guilty.

    Supervisors began questioning Bairfield and Rushing about the Godbolt trial during an afternoon budget workshop, trying to nail down an estimate to include in the Fiscal Year 2019 budget, which takes effect Oct. 1. Bairfield is requesting an additional $95,000 for the circuit clerk’s office next year to pay for a busy election cycle, and supervisors wandered into court costs, too.

    “That trial is going to cost us,” Bairfield said.

    Supervisors have often complained about the cost of housing Godbolt in Copiah County while the millstone of justice slowly turns, and are nervous about the cost of the upcoming trial. They budgeted $85,000 for the trial in the current fiscal year, and while little of that amount has been spent, it won’t be nearly enough if the court orders a jury brought into Lincoln County, in which case the county would be responsible for housing, feeding and protecting the jurors.

    “I don’t know if $150,000 would do it,” said county administrator David Fields.

    https://www.dailyleader.com/2018/08/...godbolt-trial/
    In the Shadow of Your Wings
    1 A Prayer of David. Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!

  6. #16
    Senior Member CnCP Legend CharlesMartel's Avatar
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    An expensive cost for this case is a nightmare for tax money payers.
    Last edited by CharlesMartel; 08-09-2018 at 10:48 AM.
    In the Shadow of Your Wings
    1 A Prayer of David. Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!

  7. #17
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    Trial set for man accused of killing 8 in Lincoln County

    A judge wants to speed up a trial for a man accused of killing 8 people in South Mississippi.

    Lincoln County Circuit Judge, David Strong, has set a February 22nd hearing, to decide pretrial motions for Willie Cory Godbolt.

    Godbolt is accused of killing a Lincoln County sheriff deputy, his mother-in-law and 6 others in May of 2017.

    He pleaded not guilty to Capital Murder, Murder, Attempted Murder, Kidnapping and Armed Robbery.

    Godbolt is jailed without bail. State Public Defender, Alison Steiner says she intends to ask if the trial can be moved.

    Prosecutors have also filed a motion for a psychiatric examination to determine if Godbolt is competent to stand trial.

    Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

    https://apnews.com/5afced59cfe545e0ad8506fbe51c2c97
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  8. #18
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Man accused of murdering 8 wants to look nice for trial

    Attorneys for Willie Cory Godbolt, accused of murdering 8 people including a Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputy in 2017, are asking the court to allow their client to skip the jail garb for proceedings in favor of civilian attire.

    Godbolt is charged with 4 counts of capital murder, 4 counts of 1st degree murder, 2 counts of kidnapping and armed robbery. He was formally arraigned in Lincoln County Circuit Court March 12, 2018, and his lead attorney, Alison Steiner, has also asked that only one media representative be allowed to take photographs, which would then be shared with other media outlets.

    Circuit Court Judge David Strong will make a ruling on both motions Tuesday at 1 p.m.

    A 2nd hearing is set for Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. for Strong to make a ruling on several motions filed by the Jan. 10 deadline.

    Since the state has announced its intent to seek he death penalty for Godbolt if he is convicted, Steiner said the defendant’s appearance in the courtroom “must accord him all the same dignity and respect as any other courtroom participant.”

    Because he is of high press and public interest, his appearance will be “significantly scrutinized and photographed and those images will likely be distributed statewide,” she wrote in the motion.

    Steiner said since Godbolt has been compliant with all orders and is securely guarded, he should be allowed to change into civilian clothing at the courthouse before proceedings.

    She also asked for pool video and still cameras for press coverage to reduce the number of images taken of her client in the courtroom.

    Other motions made by Steiner and Jason Tate with the Lincoln County Public Defender’s office include:

    • Motion to use the “Stennis Method” to select jury, where the prospective jurors are divided into panels to be questioned as opposed to being questioned individually or as a whole.

    • Motion for severance of multi-count indictment.

    • Motion for change of venue outside of Lincoln County and other “similarly tainted” counties as a result of media coverage and also that friends and family of the victims live in adjoining counties.

    • Motion to preclude the imposition of a death sentence in the event of a conviction.

    • Motion to keep the victims’ family and friends from sitting near the jury and showing emotion in the courtroom during the trial.

    • Motion to prohibit a uniformed police presence in the courtroom or any place where jury or prospective jurors may be present, and bailiffs not be allowed to take jurors to businesses or venues that display memorial tribute materials or other displays about the victims in this case or other fallen police officers.

    • Motion to prevent interference with defense investigation.

    • Motion to preclude the sheriff’s department from bringing the defendant into court in shackles and to preclude the use of a shock belt or electrical current device on the defendant.

    (source: magnoliastatelive.com)
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  9. #19
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Distant Jurors to Hear Trial for 8 Killings in Mississippi

    A judge has set a February 2020 trial for a Mississippi man charged with killing 8 people in May 2017.

    Lincoln County Circuit Judge David Strong on Friday announced the trial date for Willie Cory Godbolt. Strong also said jurors will be chosen from DeSoto County, in far northern Mississippi, and they will be brought south to Lincoln County to hear the case.

    The 2 counties are about 250 miles (402 kilometers) apart.

    Godbolt is accused of killing a Lincoln County sheriff's deputy, and 7 others at 3 houses.

    He has pleaded not guilty to 4 counts of capital murder, 4 counts of murder, 1 count of attempted murder, 2 counts of kidnapping and 1 count of armed robbery.

    Godbolt is jailed without bail. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

    (source: Associated Press)
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  10. #20
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Judge rules confession to reporter can be used against man charged with killing eight people

    By Daily Leader Staff
    Magnolia State Live

    A Lincoln County judge ruled Thursday that a confession Willie Cory Godbolt gave to a newspaper reporter will be admissible at his capital murder trial in February.

    Godbolt, 37, attended the motion hearing, watching from his seat at the defense table. He took notes with his right hand, which Judge David Strong had allowed to be uncuffed for the two days of hearings in Lincoln County Circuit Court.

    Alison Steiner and Katie Poor of the Office of State Public Defender unsuccessfully asked Strong to exclude certain evidence the state presented during discovery, such as reporter Therese Apel’s cell phone video that shows Godbolt at the time of his arrest May 28, 2017, after a seven-hour rampage that left eight people dead including two children and a sheriff’s deputy.

    Strong ruled Godbolt spoke to Apel, who identified herself as a member of the media twice, of his own free will and accepted the testimony of more than a dozen officers who said she was not directed by law enforcement to be at the arrest scene, which was in the middle of East Lincoln Road, or was she told what to ask by police.

    Apel shot video from 6:35 to 7:05 a.m. May 28, 2017, which were presented as 10 separate videos in court. Apel testified she had limited storage on her cell phone and shot videos only when there was “action” to capture.

    Godbolt is charged with four counts of capital murder, four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, two counts of kidnapping and armed robbery related to the shooting deaths of deputy William Durr, 36; Barbara Mitchell, 55, her daughter, Tocarra May, 35, and Mitchell’s sister Brenda May, 53, all of Bogue Chitto; Austin Edwards, 11, and his cousin, Jordan Blackwell, 18, of Brookhaven; and Ferral Burage, 45, and Sheila Burage, 46, of Brookhaven.

    The eight victims were shot to death between the night of May 27, 2017, and the morning of May 28, 2017, at three locations — Lee Drive, Coopertown Road and East Lincoln Road. Godbolt was arrested by law enforcement near Super Jack’s at East Lincoln Road and Hwy. 84 as he was walking away from the East Lincoln home.

    On the video, Godbolt talks about Durr: “He was just there. We was talking about me taking my children and her sister and auntie called the police. I was having a conversation with her stepdaddy and her mama and her, my wife, about me taking my children home. And somebody called the officer. People that didn’t even live at the house, ’cause that’s what they do, they intervene. That cost him his life. I’m sorry.”

    Eighteen witnesses were called over the two days including more than a dozen law enforcement officers from various agencies. Many of those testified that Godbolt continued to talk from the time he was handcuffed until he was placed into an ambulance.

    “You’ve got one requirement in this life and that’s to love,” Godbolt says to officers subduing him.

    “Jesus be with my soul,” he said, after he’s read his Miranda rights. “I love my wife. I love my kids. They would not let me live and let live.”

    He showed little to no emotion while watching the videos, but his demeanor changed during “comfort breaks” Thursday. He laughed with his attorneys and interns with the state Office of Public Defender during the 10-minute breaks.

    Strong ruled Friday that he would allow all statements the defense sought to suppress to be heard during the capital trial. He also ruled searches of Godbolt’s car at the Lee Drive crime scene and Goldbolt’s home on Brister Street were within the law.

    A DeSoto County jury will be bussed to either Lincoln County or Pike County to hear the case in February. Strong ordered the trial be held in Lincoln County in the circuit courtroom upstairs at the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Government Complex unless he decided it should be moved to Pike County’s courthouse due to limited seating available in Brookhaven.

    Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

    https://www.magnoliastatelive.com/20...-eight-people/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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