Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: LeJames Norman - Texas Death Row

  1. #1
    Guest
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    5,534

    LeJames Norman - Texas Death Row




    Summary of Offense:

    On August 24, 2005, in Jackson County, the subject and co-defendant went to the residence of Tiffani Peacock, 18, Samuel Roberts, 24, and Celso Lopez, 38, where they fatally shot each of the victims in the head with a .22 caliber handgun.

    Norman was sentenced to death in December 2008.

    Co-defendant Ker'sean Ramey was also sentenced to death.
    For more on Ramey, see: http://www.cncpunishment.com/forums/...ht=ramey+texas

  2. #2
    Guest
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    5,534
    December 10, 2008

    Edna man sentenced to death

    Jury deliberated for 1 hour, 15 minutes before deciding on punishment

    An Edna man who murdered three neighbors while trying to rob their home in 2005 was sentenced to death Wednesday.

    It took a jury about an hour and 15 minutes to decide LeJames Norman would die for his role in the shooting deaths of Samuel Roberts, 24, Tiffani Peacock, 18, and Celso Lopez, 38.

    "This isn't a moment of celebration, but it isn't a moment of mourning, either," said Tabatha Hastings, Peacock's older sister. Hastings stood outside the courtroom arranging a blanket around her 9-month-old daughter, a girl Hastings points out never will meet her aunt.

    "She was just a wonderful, loving person," Hastings said of her sister.

    The Jackson County District Attorney's office spent more than an hour presenting its closing arguments.

    Assistant district attorney Pam Guenther began by echoing almost exactly the statements made in closing arguments for the trial of Norman's co-defendant, Kersean Ramey. Ramey was sentenced to death in 2007.

    Had Ramey and Norman simply botched a robbery, Lopez would have only been injured, Guenther said.

    "Sam and Tiffani would be here to tell you how scared they were," Guenther said. "That would be a robbery gone bad."

    Defense lawyer Allen Tanner said Norman did not plan to kill three people and showed remorse for his crimes.

    "Do you think LeJames enjoys killing people?" Tanner said. "I don't think so."

    Tanner reminded the jury Norman once saved a toddler from choking.

    He then used excerpts from statements Norman had made about the murders to show his client had taken responsibility for the deaths and was sorry for them.

    "You could tell from his statements he was sorry," Tanner said.

    District Attorney Bobby Bell used some of the same statements to narrate the murders as he thinks they happened.

    "I'm going to show you exactly how it happened," Bell said. "I submit that when I show it to you, you're going to go, 'I believe that's right.'"

    According to earlier testimony in both Norman and Ramey's trials, Lopez was shot first. A bullet shot at close range grazed his cheek. Norman said he accidentally shot Lopez while he was getting up.

    When Peacock and Roberts came home and saw two armed, masked men inside, it's likely she recognized Norman. Norman and Peacock went to Edna High School together - she even hugged him in the hallways there, Bell said. Norman's low, rumbling voice and lean, more than six-foot-tall frame would be easy to recognize and couldn't be hidden behind a mask.

    "I believe she knew him," Bell said. In an earlier statement, Norman said Peacock batted at the gun Ramey held to her head. Then Norman asked her what she was looking at, Bell said.

    "That's when Tiffani said something to this effect, 'LeJames, do you think I don't know it's you?'" Bell said. Peacock likely asked her former classmate and neighbor to leave them alone, not to hurt them, Bell said. Norman held the gun to Peacock's head and shot her, Bell said.

    Norman and Roberts wrestled in the kitchen, according to statements by Norman that were read into the record. Ramey shot Roberts twice on Norman's order, Bell said. Norman then shot at Roberts. He missed him once. Norman then set the gun against Roberts' hands, which were laced behind his head. Finally, Norman pressed the gun against the back of Roberts' head and shot again.

    "Sam Roberts was a living, breathing human being who loved life," Bell said. "Who loved Tiffani."

    Once Roberts died, Norman was out of bullets, Bell said. But Lopez was likely still alive, he said.

    "Can't you just see him?" Bell said. "He turns to Sean and says, 'Hey, I'm out of bullets. Go in there and finish him off.' He's out of bullets or he'd do it himself."

    After Norman and Ramey left the house, Ramey returned to get a police scanner they left behind. Bell believes Norman instructed Ramey to make sure everyone was dead when he went back to the house, he said.

    "LeJames has given him instructions on what to do," Bell said. "That's the truth. That's the real LeJames Norman."

    The jury began deliberating at 1:15.

    After they filed out, Linda Coker, Robert's mother, walked across the courtroom aisle and hugged Mokeshua Norman, LeJames Norman's older sister.

    The two women spoke quietly and wiped away tears.

    Word the jury reached their verdict filtered through the packed courthouse hall about 2:30 p.m.

    "That's not good," Tanner said. "Not good."

    Before the jury returned to the courtroom, Tanner said he had explained to Norman and his family the case would be automatically appealed if the jury voted for death.

    Norman, his family and the families of the victims were silent as the judge read the jurors' decision.

    Coker spoke after the death penalty sentence was announced. She thanked the jurors and the lawyers, then she turned to Norman.

    "LeJames, my heart goes out to your family," she said softly, standing only a few feet away from him. "What you've done, you didn't just hurt my family, you also destroyed your family."

    "We forgive you and we hold no hard feelings for anybody in your family," she said.

    http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/jack...ry/373126.html

  3. #3
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    33,217
    In today's Texas Court of Criminal Appeals orders, Norman's death sentence was affirmed.

    Opinion here

  4. #4
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    33,217
    Killer of 3 at South Texas home loses appeal

    The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the death sentence of a South Texas man for a triple slaying at a neighbor's home more than five years ago.

    Twenty-five-year-old LeJames Norman pleaded guilty in 2008 to the shootings in Edna, near Victoria.

    Among issues in his appeal, Norman said it was unfair for Jackson County prosecutors to talk about crimes he may have committed before the age of 10. The appeals court said Tuesday there were so many other crimes he committed it would have made little difference to jurors.

    An accomplice, Ker'Sean Ramey, also is on death row. Killed were 24-year-old Samuel Roberts, 18-year-old Tiffani Peacock and 38-year-old Celso Lopez. Court records indicated the pair mistakenly believed cocaine was in the house and hoped to steal it.

    http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news...business&texas

  5. #5
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    33,217
    EX PARTE LEJAMES NORMAN

    In today's Texas Court of Criminal Appeals orders, Norman's application for writ of habeas corpus was DENIED.
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  6. #6
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    13,014
    On September 12, 2012, Norman filed a habeas petition in Federal District Court.

    http://dockets.justia.com/docket/tex...00003/1012304/

  7. #7
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    13,014
    On September 30, 2015, Norman's habeas petition was DENIED in Federal District Court.

    https://cases.justia.com/federal/dis...?ts=1443740106

    On October 14, 2015, Norman filed an appeal before the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

    https://dockets.justia.com/docket/ci...s/ca5/15-70034

  8. #8
    Senior Member CnCP Legend FFM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    1,363
    COA and a request for an evidentiary hearing denied today by the 5th Circuit.

    http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions...-70034-CV0.pdf

  9. #9
    Moderator Ryan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Newport, United Kingdom
    Posts
    2,454
    Killer of 3 on Texas death row loses federal court appeal

    HOUSTON (AP) - A federal appeals court has rejected an appeal from a South Texas man sent to death row for a triple slaying at a neighbor's home 10 years ago.

    The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has refused an appeal from 30-year-old LeJames Norman, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to the shootings in Edna, near Victoria.

    Court documents show Norman and an accomplice, Ker'Sean Ramey, mistakenly barged into a home where they believed they'd steal cocaine. Killed were 24-year-old Samuel Roberts, 18-year-old Tiffany Peacock and 38-year-old Celso Lopez.

    Norman fled to Mexico, then was arrested using false identification trying to get back into the U.S.

    The appeals court late Friday rejected arguments he had deficient legal help at his trial and in earlier appeals.

    Ramey also is on death row.

    http://www.newschannel10.com/story/3...l-court-appeal

  10. #10
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    13,014
    In today's orders, the United States Supreme Court declined to review Norman's petition for certiorari.

    Lower Ct: United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
    Case Nos.: (15-70034)
    Decision Date: March 18, 2016

    https://www.supremecourt.gov/search....es/16-5307.htm

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •