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Thread: David and Mary Black Sentenced in 2019 AR Slaying of 11-Year-Old Joseph Carsello

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    David and Mary Black Sentenced in 2019 AR Slaying of 11-Year-Old Joseph Carsello


    Joseph Carsello





    Death penalty sought for couple in killing of 11-year-old Arkansas boy

    By Dale Ellis
    Arkansas Online

    PINE BLUFF -- A Star City couple accused of capital murder in the death of their 11-year-old son will face the death penalty if convicted, according to a notice filed by the prosecuting attorney for Jefferson and Lincoln counties.

    In the notice, prosecutor Kyle Hunter said the death penalty is justified in the case because the "murder was committed in an especially cruel or depraved manner" and "was committed against a person whom the defendant knew was especially vulnerable," referring to the victim's age at the time of the killing.

    "In our opinion, we just believe that, based on the nature of this crime, that [the death] penalty is justified," Hunter told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

    David Black, 38, and Mary Black, 30, the boy's stepfather and mother, were charged in the death of Joseph Carsello, whose body was found by Star City police on June 16 inside a residence at 212 Spring St., according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Lincoln County District Court in July. Star City is about 25 miles southeast of Pine Bluff.

    The affidavit said Mary Black told police that she and David Black had whipped Joseph with belts on June 15 as punishment for trying to run away. As the whipping was happening, Joseph began talking back to his mother, the affidavit said, and the Blacks responded by striking him in the face with their hands.

    The boy's mother told police that Joseph pulled away from them and kicked his stepfather in the mouth, causing David Black's lip to bleed, before falling down some stairs and striking his head on a toolbox, according to the affidavit.

    David Black told police that he "spanked the s*** out of Joseph" on the evening of June 15, the affidavit said. He told police that while he was spanking Joseph, the boy rolled over and kicked him in the mouth, busting his lip, it said. Black told police, "That's why his butt looked the way it did," according to the affidavit.

    The next day, according to Mary Black, Joseph picked up a hammer and swung it at David Black, the affidavit said. Mary Black said she and her husband then "went a little crazy on him to teach him not to swing a hammer," according to the affidavit.

    The Blacks began whipping Joseph with their hands, belts and a paddle and told him to go stand in the corner, according to the affidavit. Mary Black told police that they noticed Joseph lying on the floor a short time later, and the couple began pouring water on him to try to wake him up, the affidavit said.

    An autopsy revealed that Joseph died from multiple blunt-force injuries. The boy had multiple scalp contusions; multiple impact sites on his head and torso; bruising of his arms, legs, thighs, and buttocks; abdominal hemorrhaging; hemorrhaging of the pancreas; and a lacerated liver.

    David Black is being held in the Lincoln County jail without bail. He is being defended by Little Rock-based attorneys George Morledge IV and Robby Golden.

    Mary Black is being held without bail in neighboring Arkansas County because Lincoln County lacks any facilities to hold female detainees. It is not known whether she is represented by an attorney yet.

    If Mary Black were convicted and a death sentence were carried out, she would be only the second woman to be put to death in Arkansas in modern times, said Dina Tyler, spokeswoman for Arkansas Department of Correction.
    Christina Marie Riggs was executed on May 2, 2000, after being convicted of murdering her two children, Justin Thomas and Shelby Riggs, at the family's Sherwood home in November 1997.

    Tyler said that if the pair were convicted and sentenced to death, then David Black would be housed on death row at Varner Supermax Unit, located 28 miles south of Pine Bluff along U.S. 65, and Mary Black would be housed in an isolation unit at the McPherson Unit, located at Newport.

    According to court records, both David and Mary Black are scheduled to appear in Lincoln County Circuit Court on Oct. 7 for an omnibus hearing and on Nov. 14 for jury trial. Circuit Judge Alex Guynn is scheduled to preside over the case.

    https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/...ple-in-star-1/
    "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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    Star City man pleads guilty to killing 11-year-old son

    By Scott Carroll
    KATV News


    LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — A Star City man has pleaded guilty to a charge of capital murder in the death of his 11-year-old son, KATV content partner the Pine Bluff Commercial reported.

    David Black, 38, entered the plea Thursday in Lincoln County Circuit Court. Judge Alex Guynn sentenced him to life in prison without parole.

    Black and his 30-year-old wife Mary were charged with killing their son Joseph Carsello in June 2019. Police responded to a call that the boy was not breathing. He was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy determined the boy had died from multiple blunt force trauma.

    Mary Black reportedly told investigators that she and her husband had whipped the boy with a belt and struck him in the face for talking back to them.

    Prosecutors said charges are still pending against Mary Black.

    https://katv.com/news/local/star-cit...1-year-old-son
    "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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    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Proceedings halt for mom facing murder charge

    Star City woman awaiting mental-health examination

    By Dale Ellis
    Arkansas Democrat Gazette

    PINE BLUFF -- Mary Black, the Star City woman charged with capital murder in connection with the June 16, 2019, beating death of her 11-year-old son, Joseph Carsello, received a six-month extension before she will have to answer to the charge as she awaits a mental fitness evaluation.

    Because of coronavirus precautions, Black's omnibus hearing was held via a Zoom virtual meeting connection before 11th Judicial District Division 1 Circuit Court Judge Alex Guynn in Pine Bluff on Monday.

    Black, now 31, appeared over the video connection from the Arkansas County jail in DeWitt where she has been held since she was arrested along with her husband, David Black, 38, who pleaded guilty in February to a charge of capital murder. He is serving a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole in the East Arkansas Maximum Security Unit of the Arkansas Department of Corrections in Marianna.

    In Lincoln County, where the crime she is accused of occurred, the jail lacks facilities for female inmates.

    If Black were convicted and a death sentence were carried out, she would be only the second woman to be put to death in Arkansas in modern times, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections has said.

    Black's attorney, William O. "Bill" James, with the James Law Firm in Little Rock, requested the extension citing a motion he had filed to suspend the legal proceedings until a mental evaluation can be performed on Black.

    James filed the motion of a mental evaluation, what is known as an "Act 3 hearing," in March, placing the prosecution on notice that mental disease or defect could possibly be used as a defense in the case.

    "Ms. Black, has someone come to talk to you, to evaluate you yet?" Guynn asked, to which Black replied that no one had.

    Looking through a stack of legal papers, James asked Guynn if the court had a signed copy of the order for the evaluation.

    "I don't have the entire file, I just have the affidavit and the information," Guynn said.

    After a brief search, Jerrie Dean, Guynn's trial court administrator said she could not find the order.

    "I see where a motion was filed on March 30 but there has not been an order," Dean said.

    James said he would expedite a draft of the order for Guynn's signature that day.

    Guynn ordered a status hearing to be scheduled for Dec. 7 at 1:30 p.m. to give time for the evaluation to be performed and the report to be submitted.

    "If the evaluation comes back before then we can set new dates at that time," Guynn said.

    According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Lincoln County District Court in July, police were called to the Black's Star City residence at 212 Spring St. on Sunday, June 16, just before 4:30 p.m. When they arrived, the affidavit said, they found David Black hovering over his stepson, Joseph, who was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later.

    According to the affidavit, Mary Black told police that she and David Black had whipped Joseph with belts on Saturday evening, June 15, as punishment for trying to run away. As the whipping was happening, Joseph began talking back to his mother, the affidavit said, and the Blacks responded by striking him in the face with their hands.

    The boy's mother told police that Joseph pulled away from them and kicked his stepfather in the mouth, causing David Black's lip to bleed, before falling down some stairs and striking his head on a toolbox.

    The next day, according to Mary Black, Joseph returned from swimming at a neighbor's house, then picked up a hammer and swung it at David Black. Mary Black said she and her husband then "went a little crazy on him to teach him not to swing a hammer."

    The Blacks began whipping Joseph with their hands, belts and a paddle and told him to go stand in the corner, according to the affidavit. Mary Black told police that they noticed Joseph lying on the floor a short time later, and the couple began pouring water on him to try to wake him up.

    David Black then noticed that Joseph wasn't breathing, the affidavit said.

    An autopsy revealed that Joseph died from multiple blunt force injuries. The boy had multiple scalp contusions; multiple impact sites on his head and torso; bruising of his arms, legs, thighs, and buttocks; abdominal hemorrhaging; hemorrhaging of the pancreas; and a lacerated liver.

    If convicted of capital murder, a class Y felony, Black could be sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole or she could receive the death penalty. On Aug. 27, the prosecuting attorney's office, headed by Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Hunter, filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty, citing the victim's age and the "especially cruel or depraved manner" in which the crime was committed.

    https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/...acing-murder-/
    "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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    Mary Black murder trial set for April

    By Ray King
    Deltaplex News

    A Lincoln County woman accused of killing her son in June 2019 is set for trial in April, according to the Lincoln Ledger newspaper.

    Mary Black, 31, is charged with capital murder in the death of Joseph Carsello, 11, of Star City. Black’s husband, David Black, 39, has pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

    A pretrial hearing on the case is set for Feb. 1 and the trial is set to begin April 8. Currently, the Arkansas state Supreme Court has halted all trials in the state because of the COVID-19 pandemic until at least February and could possibly extend that order as new cases of the virus continue to increase.

    The boy was found unresponsive in a camper the family was living in and Mary and David Black admitted they had beaten the child over a two-day period and said he had fallen and hit his head on a toolbox. The State Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that the death was a homicide and caused by blunt force trauma. The report said the medical examiner found multiple impact sites on the head, scalp contusions with no skull fracture, subdural hemorrhaging, bruising on the torso, hemorrhaging on the torso, lacerations of the liver and hemorrhaging of the pancreas and small bowel as well as multiple bruises to his body surface including buttocks, lower back, upper thigh and face.

    William O. “Bill” James of the James Law Firm of Little Rock, who was appointed to represent Mary Black has filed a motion for a continuance and has also filed a notice of intent to rely on the defense of mental disease or defect and ask the court to order a criminal responsibility examination and opinion which the court agreed to last July.

    The newspaper said a psychiatrist at the Arkansas State Hospital examined Mary Black and said in their opinion, at the time of the alleged offense, Mary Black did not display evidence of a mental disease or defect.

    The case will be heard by First Division Circuit Judge Alex Guynn and Prosecuting Attorney S. Kyle Hunter said the death penalty has been waived. If she is convicted of capital murder, Mary Black would be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

    https://www.deltaplexnews.com/mary-b...set-for-april/
    "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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    Moderator Bobsicles's Avatar
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    Abilene woman sentenced after pleading guilty to beating 11-year-old son to death, hiding body in trailer

    ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) — An Abilene woman has been sentenced after pleading guilty to the capital murder of her 11-year-old son in Arkansas.

    According to court documents, Mary Black, of Abilene, pleaded guilty in a courtroom in Lincoln County, Arkansas and was sentenced to 40 years in state prison.

    Black and her husband, David Black, of Comanche, were charged with the crime in June 2019 after the 11-year-old boy’s body was found in a camper trailer, according to KARK news.

    An affidavit read aloud in court in 2019 said “investigators believe the couple beat the child over a two-day period (Saturday night and Sunday afternoon) with their hands, a paddle and belt.”

    Mary Black told KARK in 2019 that she was surprised to learn she’d been charged with capital murder. When asked that same day in 2019 how the boy died, she responded “David beat him.”

    In 2019, the Lincoln County Sheriff said Mary Black previously lived in Abilene and that her son had spent time at a hospital in the Key City.

    David Black left Comanche sometime in 2018, the Comanche County Sheriff told BigCountryHomepage.com in 2019.

    https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/abi...dy-in-trailer/
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