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Woman convicted in 2007 Knoxville murders denied parole
By Forrest Sanders
WSMV
NASHVILLE, TN - A woman involved in a notorious murder case will not be granted parole after a unanimous decision by the five-member Tennessee Board of Parole. Vanessa Coleman is convicted of helping four men torture and kill Channan Christian and boyfriend, Christopher Newsom, in Knoxville in 2007.
"To this day, after eight years, I can't sleep," said the mother of victim Channan Christian, Deena Christian, speaking to the board. "I still fight daily for my sanity, because I don't have my daughter. This is what she took from us. We will never get to see Channon walk down the aisle, and we'll definitely never get to hold her children. We'll never have that right. It's gone."
In addition to the four men convicted of the crimes, the Knox County District Attorney said Coleman was involved by binding the victims, stealing from them and doing nothing to stop her co-defendants.
"If I could've changed things, I would've changed things," Coleman told the board. "It wasn't in my control."
Coleman's parents told the board they support their daughter and know she's changed in the eight years she's served.
"I strongly feel she has paid her debt to society," said Coleman's mother, Linda Coleman. "She is a good hearted, strong and very loving girl."
Many of the victims' supporters expressed they didn't believe Coleman's remorse, pointing out a page of her diary where she said she loved her life and described her time in Tennessee as an adventure. Coleman denied the entry had anything to do with the deaths of Christian and Newsom.
"Yes, I made a mistake in my life by hanging with the wrong people," said Coleman. "I made a mistake. I can take responsibility for my mistakes, but I'm a changed person."
All five members of the board said they couldn't grant parole to Coleman due to the seriousness of the crimes.
"Channon and Chris got a little justice today," said Deena Christian following the decision. "I don't believe anyone that has a family or especially children would want her walking the streets."
Coleman said if she were granted parole, she would move in with her family in Kentucky and become a cosmetologist. Her next parole hearing will be in December 2020. Coleman is now serving a 35-year sentence.
http://www.wsmv.com/story/27599410/w...-denied-parole
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