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Thread: Jessica Marcum Sentenced in 2013 KY Slaying of Infant Sister

  1. #1
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Jessica Marcum Sentenced in 2013 KY Slaying of Infant Sister

    A Madison grand jury has indicted a 17-year-old in the death of her infant sister.

    Jessica Marcum is accused of smothering 9-month-old Bell Rose Marcum to death June 7. She is charged with capital murder, which means she can be sentenced to life in prison.

    Marcum originally was charged as a juvenile, and the case was closed to the public, according to Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jennifer Smith. However, a juvenile court hearing was conducted, and the judge determined the case should be moved to circuit court so Marcum could be tried as an adult.

    Marcum was in a “caretaker role” at the time of the baby’s death, Smith said. The teen currently is in custody, the prosecutor added.

    Bella Rose was born Sept. 5, 2012, according to an obituary that was published June 14 in the Richmond Register. She was the daughter of Donnie L. “Jr.” and Kathy Roman Marcum.

    The baby died June 11, according to the obituary.

    “She was an inquisitive, happy and contented little girl. She loved her friends and family and appreciated life,” the obituary stated.

    Bella Rose is survived by three additional sisters.

    Detective Jeremy Hamm with the Kentucky State Police investigated the case, Smith said.

    Jessica Marcum is not eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Under Kentucky law, certain aggravators must occur with a murder charge – such as burglary or multiple victims – for the death penalty to be considered.


    - See more at: http://richmondregister.com/breaking....wixhPNRa.dpuf
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  2. #2
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Teen pleads not guilty to murder of sister
    Bond stays at $100,000



    The teen accused of smothering her infant sister to death pleaded not guilty to murder Thursday morning in Madison Circuit Court.

    Jessica Marcum, 17, appeared with her attorney at the arraignment. Although she originally was charged as a juvenile, a judge earlier determined after a closed hearing that the case should be moved to circuit court and Marcum be tried as an adult.

    Marcum is charged with killing her 9-month-old sister, Bella Rose Marcum. The child died June 11, according to the felony indictment.

    Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jennifer Smith said earlier this month that Marcum was in a “caretaker role” at the time of the baby’s death.

    Detective Jeremy Hamm of the Kentucky State Police investigated the case.

    Marcum is not eligible for the death penalty if convicted, however she could face a sentence of 20 to 50 years to life in prison.

    Marcum’s attorney asked Madison Circuit Court Judge Jean C. Logue to reduce Marcum’s bond, which was set at $100,000 by a district court judge.

    The attorney said Marcum turns 18 next month and may be moved out of the juvenile facility in which she is being held. The high school senior might not able to complete her education if she is moved.

    The attorney asked Logue to reduce Marcum’s bond to $50,000 at 10 percent, noting the woman’s family may still have trouble coming up with $5,000.

    Smith opposed the bond reduction, and Logue said she needed to examine the pretrial information collected by district court when the bond was set before making any decisions.

    Marcum’s next court date is a pretrial hearing at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 14.


    - See more at: http://richmondregister.com/localnew....vuQFbEcb.dpuf
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  3. #3
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    Teen charged with murder requests stay in juvenile facility

    The attorney for a teen charged with killing her infant sister has asked that her client remain in a juvenile facility after she turns 18.

    Jessica Marcum, 17, appeared Thursday in Madison Circuit Court for a pretrial hearing. She is accused of smothering her 9-month-old sister, Bella Rose Marcum, which led to the child’s death June 11.

    Marcum’s attorney said the juvenile detention facility in Fayette County has agreed to keep Marcum there while her case is pending, but Judge Jean C. Logue would need to sign off on the order.

    Otherwise, Marcum will be transported to an adult jail facility upon her 18th birthday, which is “soon” the judge noted.

    Logue did not immediately make a decision on the matter, but said she would consider it.

    Marcum initially was charged as a juvenile, but a judge determined after the closed hearing that the teen should be tried as an adult. She was later indicted by a Madison grand jury on a charge of murder.

    Marcum pleaded not guilty at her October arraignment.

    Marcum is not eligible for the death penalty if convicted, however she could face a sentence of 20 to 50 years to life in prison.

    Marcum’s attorney again asked Logue to consider lowering her client’s $100,000 bond, but Logue declined.

    Marcum is scheduled for another pretrial hearing 1:30 p.m. Feb. 6 in Madison Circuit Court.

    - See more at: http://www.richmondregister.com/loca....zRoi8vJn.dpuf
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

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

  4. #4
    AdamSmith
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gavil View Post
    WTH!? Seriously?

    Wow. Just.....Wow.

    Here is a local newsreel on the story:

    http://www.wkyt.com/news/headlines/M...226323271.html

    Facts are still only sketchy and very little info has been released to the public.

    When children become killers, they normally kill smaller, younger children. So this is nothing new. Just very, very sad.

  5. #5
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Smith: Marcum plea deal appropriate

    A Richmond teen will likely spend more than 10 years in prison after pleading guilty this week to first-degree manslaughter in the death of her infant half-sister, who died in her care.

    The Kentucky State Police detective who investigated the June 2013 death of 9-month-old Bella Rose Marcum, charged Jessica Marcum, then 17, with manslaughter.

    However, Madison County Commonwealth’s Attorney David Smith said he asked a grand jury to indict Marcum on a wanton-murder charge.

    But after the case was submitted to the mediation of a retired judge, the prosecution, the defense and the victim’s family agreed for the defendant to plead guilty to the original charge, Smith said.

    Although the agreement has been harshly criticized via social media, Smith said he feared going to trial could have resulted in a lighter sentence, or even acquittal, for Marcum, who originally claimed the death was accidental.

    Under Kentucky law, Marcum will have to serve at least 85 percent of a first-degree manslaughter sentence, normally 12 years, the prosecutor noted.

    Smith said he did not want to run the risk of acquittal or having a jury convict Marcum of a less serious offense, such as second-degree manslaughter or reckless homicide. A jury also could have felt justified in convicting Marcum on the original charge to which she pleaded guilty, he said.

    Accepting the plea agreement also avoided the possibility of the case being returned to juvenile court, Smith added.

    During mediation, the defense never claimed Marcum lacked mental competence or suffered from mental illness, the prosecutor said.

    Marcum continues the be held in a Fayette County juvenile facility.

    She faces sentencing Oct. 16 by Madison Circuit Court Jean C. Logue.

    http://www.richmondregister.com/news...a4bcf887a.html
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  6. #6
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    Richmond teenager sentenced for baby sister's death

    A Madison County teenager who admitted killing her baby sister was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

    Jessica Marcum was caring for nine-month-old Bella Rose in July of 2013 when she says she suffocated the child. She was 17-years-old at the time.

    Marcum was charged with murder and faced life in prison, but she pleaded guilty in August to a lesser charge of first degree manslaughter.

    During a sentencing hearing Thursday afternoon, a judge agreed with the recommended sentence and sent her to prison for 12 years.

    Marcum will have to serve at least 85 percent of her sentence before she is eligible for parole.

    http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/R...279476832.html
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

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

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