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Thread: Howard Hawk Willis - Tennessee Death Row

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    Howard Hawk Willis - Tennessee Death Row


    Adam Chrismer and Samantha Leming




    Summary of Offense:

    A jury in Jonesborough sentenced Howard Hawk Willis to die for the murders of Chickamauga teenagers, Adam and Samantha Chrismer. The couple had just gotten married before they were killed on October 6, 2002. Prosecutors presented new photos of their bodies in a sentencing hearing that made one juror ill. The jurors found that the killings met all four mitigating circumstances for the death penalty.

    Willis was sentenced to death on June 21, 2010.

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    July 21, 2010

    Willis Jury Takes Up Death Penalty Option For Convicted Murderer

    Juror Becomes Physically Ill Looking At Autopsy Photos In Penalty Phase Hearing


    JONESBOROUGH, Tn. – New photographs of the victims, not previously shown by the prosecution, were introduced during the sentencing phase of the Howard Hawk Willis trial.

    Already found guilty on the three counts of first degree and felony murder, Willis now faces the death penalty as one option for his punishment. The autopsy photos were so gruesome that one juror became physically ill, necessitating Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood to call for a recess until the jury, as a whole, felt well enough to continue.

    Assistant District Attorney Dennis Brooks later apologized for the necessity of having to show the photographs.

    District Attorney Tony Clark told the jury that, “Howard Hawk Willis made a decision about human life, we are now asking you to make a decision concerning the life of another human being.” He continued, “Mr. Willis chose death, we are asking you to do the same.”

    Willis could face the death penalty, life without parole or life in prison.

    ADA Brooks presented the aggravating factors for the victims. These are required to support the request of the death penalty. In the case of Adam Chrismer, the state put forth that the defendant knowingly mutilated the body of the victim after death.

    In the case of Samantha Leming Chrismer, the state assigned the following aggravated factors: (1) the murder was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel in that it involved torture or serious physical abuse beyond that necessary to produce death; (2) the murder was committed for the purpose of avoiding, interfering with or preventing the lawful arrest or prosecution of the defendant or another; (3) The murder was knowingly committed while the defendant had a substantial role in committing the first-degree murder of Adam Chrismer; and, (4) The murder was knowingly committed by the defendant while the defendant was knowingly committing the kidnapping of Samantha Chrismer.

    Retaining the same impassive demeanor, Willis continued to show no emotion at all following the jury making its verdict known. He either stared straight ahead or was in conference with his “elbow counsel,” Attorney Jim Bowman. When it came time for him to make his own statement, Willis said, “I waive my statement, your Honor.”

    Earlier, the mothers of the two teenagers took the stand to speak to the jury regarding the state of their lives following the deaths of their children. Both are under the care of physicians and on medication to help them deal with the depression and anxiety they have felt since learning the news that their youngest had been found murdered. Both had been listed as missing prior to their bodies being found in Johnson City.

    Teresa Chrismer referred to her son Adam as “my baby,” saying that his death had left her unable to trust anyone or to hold down a job. She said used to be a wordsmith and write poetry; however, “I can no longer find the words.”

    Samantha’s mother, Patty Leming, went to the stand clutching a handkerchief as family members could be heard sniffling loudly in the gallery. She took the witness stand with a somber and extremely sad expression on her face, as she turned to speak to the jurors.

    Her sadness was heard in her voice as she described how family members have had to keep check on her for fear of her taking her own life. “My life has been changed forever,” she said, “(Samantha) was my only daughter.”

    “She wanted to be a vet or a lawyer, but now we’ll never know,” she sobbed, breaking into tears. As she left the stand, more than half of the jurors were openly crying themselves.

    After being thoroughly briefed by Judge Blackwood regarding his right to submit mitigating circumstances in open court, Willis declined to do so, saying, “I’ll let the record speak for itself, your Honor.” The now-convicted murderer did, however, submit several mitigating factors to the jury in writing.

    The first was First Judicial Circuit District Attorney Tony Clark who took immediate exception with, asking the judge if the prosecution would the opportunity would have the opportunity to rebut those written circumstances.

    The fact that Willis had submitted the written document caused the court to be held in further recess as the charge to the jury concerning the death penalty had to be re-written to include the new information from the defendant.

    Willis had submitted that he had no prior criminal activity in his report to the jury when, in fact, he had been arrested and served time in the state of New York on a drug-related charge.

    The jury heard their charge and the explanation of the sentences in play and exited through the door they had routinely used all week. This time, however, they were walking through it with a man’s life in their hands.

    http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_178346.asp

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    July 21, 2010

    Jonesborough Jury Sentences Howard Hawk Willis To Die

    A jury in Jonesborough, TN sentenced Howard Hawk Willis to die for the murders of Chickamauga teenagers, Adam & Samantha Chrismer.

    The couple had just gotten married before they were killed in 2002.

    The jury found Willis guilty of their murder this afternoon.

    A sentencing hearing began immediately afterward.

    Prosecutors presented new photos of their bodies in a sentencing hearing this evening that made one juror ill.

    The jurors found that the killings met all four mitigating circumstances for the death penalty.

    http://wdef.com/news/jonesborough_ju...llis_to_die/06

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    September 15, 2010

    Murder victim's remains returned to family after 8 years

    The remains of a man killed in 2002 will finally be returned to his family.

    The body of Adam Chrismer was found in a Johnson City storage unit along with his new wife Samantha Leming.

    Howard Hawk Willis was convicted of killing Chrismer and Leming in July.

    While Leming's body was laid to rest, Chrismer's remains have been held since the trial.

    Chrismer's mother received word today her son's funeral arrangements will now move forward.

    "The waiting was the hell," said Chrismer in an interview with Eyewitness News, "and the not knowing."

    Chrismer says her son will be sent to a funeral home in Fort Ogelthorpe. Services will be held the first week of October. The funeral home is donating their services free of charge.

    "Willis getting the death penalty was sweet, bitter sweet, but sweet," said Chrismer, "but getting his body back home is very important."

    http://www.wrcbtv.com/global/story.asp?s=13158775

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    Death row inmate asks for new trial in slayings

    Howard Hawk Willis, who awaits execution in the killing of a young Georgia couple, has asked for a new trial in Jonesborough.

    The 60-year-old Willis was convicted a year ago in the dismemberment killing of 17-year-old Adam Chrismer and his 16-year-old wife, Samantha. Their bodies were found in plastic tubs in a rental storage unit in Johnson City in 2002.

    After years of legal wrangling, the court refused to appoint yet another attorney for Willis, who represented himself at trial.

    Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood appointed Knoxville attorney James Simmons to handle Willis' appeal.

    A hearing on the motion for a new trial is scheduled for Dec. 8, according to the Johnson City Press.

    http://www.westport-news.com/news/ar...gs-1418682.php

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    Judge denied death row inmate Howard Hawk Willis' motion for new trial in killing of Ga. teens

    A judge in East Tennessee has denied a death row convict's motion for a new trial in the slaying of two teens, one of whom was dismembered.

    According to the Johnson City Press (http://bit.ly/LCZNts), a court order was entered this week, stating Howard Hawk Willis' trial had no errors and denying a new trial for the 61-year-old Willis.

    He was convicted two years ago and sentenced to death in the 2002 slayings of 17-year-old Adam Chrismer and his 16-year-old wife, Samantha. The couple were from Chickamauga, Ga.

    The investigation began when a fisherman found the boy's head floating in Boone Lake. The bodies were found in plastic bins in a rental storage unit in Johnson City.

    Special Judge John Kerry Blackwood reviewed Willis' motion and ruled against his request.

    http://www.therepublic.com/view/stor...erment-Slaying
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    STATE OF TENNESSEE v HOWARD HAWK WILLIS

    Conviction upheld in dismemberment slayings of Walker County newlyweds

    Tennessee's Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the first-degree murder conviction of Howard Hawk Willis, sentenced to death in the 2002 dismemberment killings of Walker County, Ga., newlyweds Adam Chrismer and Samantha Leming Chrismer.

    In the teens' slayings, a skull and a pair of hands were found in Washington County, Tenn.'s Boone Lake and the rest of their bodies were found stuffed into plastic containers in a Johnson City mini-warehouse.

    Willis challenged his conviction on 20 grounds, ranging from claims that the trial court shouldn't have let him defend himself or denied his motion to suppress his statements to challenges of various aspects of his 2010 trial and to assertions that the state's death penalty statute is unconstitutional.

    The appeals court rejected them all and confirmed Willis' conviction. He is on death row at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville.

    http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/l...ayings/293364/
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    Convicted murder, who stored bodies in JC storage facility, no longer in Tennessee

    JOHNSON CITY, TN (WJHL) - A man found guilty of murdering and dismembering a Georgia couple, then storing their bodies in a Johnson City storage facility, is no longer in the state of Tennessee.

    Samantha and Adam Chrismer, both teenagers, were killed in 2002. A decade later, Howard Hawk Willis was convicted of their murders and is now on death row.

    Less than a month after the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals denied Willis' conviction appeal, he's now in federal custody in New York.

    The Tennessee Department of Corrections said all they know is there was a court order to take Willis into federal custody.

    District Attorney Tony Clark told News Channel 11 he was unaware.

    T-DOC said this is not unusual and Willis will be returned to their custody, but it's unknown when.

    http://www.wjhl.com/story/28697291/c...r-in-tennessee

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    TN Supreme Court to review Howard Hawk Willis’ death penalty case Oct. 1

    JOHNSON CITY, TN (WJHL) – The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear a death penalty case from our area.

    On Oct. 1, the death penalty case of Howard Hawk Willis will go to The Supreme Court on a direct appeal.

    The Supreme Court is required by law to review all death penalty cases.

    In 2010, a jury convicted Willis in the 2003 murders of Samantha and Adam Chrismer.

    Investigators found the teen couple’s dismembered bodies in plastic containers at a Johnson City storage facility.

    Willis represented himself at trial and changed lawyers multiple times. He has raised 20 issues on appeal for the court to consider regarding his conviction and sentence.

    http://wjhl.com/2015/09/24/tn-suprem...-penalty-case/

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    Double murderer Howard Hawk Willis says new evidence will result in new trial

    JOHNSON CITY, TN (WJHL) – Even as he sits on death row, convicted double murderer Howard Hawk Willis continues to insist he did not kill teenage newlyweds Samantha and Adam Chrismer in 2002 and he says newly discovered evidence will secure him a new trial.

    “You need, just once, to give me a chance to show you that I’m innocent, to prove I’m not guilty of this,” Willis said during one of many phone calls he made from Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville to the WJHL newsroom.

    Since March, he’s called our newsroom at least two dozen times.

    “Are you saying today on death row that you have a good case to prove you’re innocent?” we asked him.

    “Absolutely,” he replied.

    A jury found Willis guilty of murder in 2010. Prosecutors said not only did Willis kill the teens, he also dismembered their bodies and put them in plastic containers at a storage facility. However, Willis’ attorney says the jury and judge didn’t have the chance to hear newly discovered evidence that could have changed things.

    Back in January, attorney Stephen Ross Johnson told the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals the newly discovered evidence includes a statement from Willis’ now-deceased mother who said she’d set Willis up for any crime she could and a recorded statement from his ex-wife that revealed Willis wasn’t with the victims at the time they disappeared. During the trial, Willis suggested his mother could have killed the teens.

    “The issue of whether or not she was the shooter is something the jury could have considered or should’ve considered,” the attorney said.

    During that January hearing, state prosecutors argued the new evidence wouldn’t have made a difference.

    “There’s also no basis to say that it may lead to a different judgment here, not when we have a confession and when we have fingerprint evidence,” Jim Gaylord said.

    The three-judge panel has yet to release its decision.

    “What do you think the families of your two victims think about this?” we asked Willis regarding his efforts to secure a new trial.

    “I don’t care what they think,” Willis replied.

    “You don’t care what they think even though you were convicted of their double murder?”

    “I’m not guilty of that,” Willis said.

    Willis has also appealed his case to the Tennessee Supreme Court, citing 20 issues. The state’s top court heard his case in October and has yet to release a decision.

    Willis had to represent himself at trial after he had multiple issues with his attorneys.

    “They’re the ones who falsified and bullcrapped all this up,” Willis said. “The attorneys appointed did not do their jobs.”

    Willis is convinced he will be back in Johnson City by the end of the year to fight his murder conviction.

    “I want a new trial,” he said. “I’ve got video proof that I didn’t pick them kids up.”

    http://wjhl.com/2016/05/11/double-mu...-in-new-trial/

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