Post by DruDiamond on Jun 28, 2003 1:21:35 GMT -4
A Texas woman convicted of murder for hitting a man with her car and leaving him impaled in her windshield to die was sentenced to 50 years in prison Friday by the same jury that convicted her of murder a day before.
Chante Jawan Mallard clenched her fists, closed her eyes and bowed her head as the Tarrant County, Texas, judge read the jury's decision.
Mallard, 27, received 50 years for the murder of Gregory Biggs in the early morning hours of Oct. 27, 2001, and 10 years for tampering with evidence, namely burning a seat from the car to conceal the crime. The two sentences will run concurrently, according to her lawyer, Jeff Kearney.
At the opening of the trial, Mallard pleaded guilty to the tampering charge. She will be eligible for parole after 25 years.
The jury of seven men and five women deliberated about two and a half hours before sentencing her to serve time in the Texas correctional system.
The panel needed only an hour Thursday to convict Mallard of murder for the Oct. 27, 2001, collision. Mallard had just finished a night of partying with her friends when she collided with Biggs, 37, on a highway.
Prosecutor Richard Alpert, who had asked the jury to return a life sentence, told repoters outside the courthouse he was pleased with their decision.
"The jury saw the evidence the way we wanted them to and they returned a just verdict," Alpert said.
Mallard's lawyer expressed his dismay, saying, "If this case would have been moved somewhere else where there weren't cameras in the courtroom there could have been a different result."
Kearney added, "I don't know of anything else we could have done under the circumstances."
Kearney stressed the themes of redemption, remorse and rehabilitation in his closing argument Friday.
"I don't think you can give up on Chante Mallard," said the attorney. "There's a lot of reasons why we can't give up on her or the principles on which our society is based, and that is justice tempered with mercy."
During the penalty phase of the trial, Mallard took the stand and said that she felt she deserved to go to prison. She apologized tearfully to Biggs' family and admitted that she needed treatment for drug abuse.
Biggs' son Brandon was the sole witness in the prosecution's penalty phase Friday.
"It's been tough a lot of times," said Biggs. "He was not a part of my high school graduation because he had been killed. He was not here for Father's Day. He'll not be here to see me get married, he'll not be here to watch me grow old and to see me launch out into a profession."
Biggs' testimony was brief next to the numerous witnesses who testified for Mallard, saying they would be willing to make sure she stayed on the right path when she finished serving her time.
In his bid to obtain a light sentence, Kearney emphasized Mallard's drug use the night of the incident. He brought in a forensic toxicologist who told jurors about the disorienting effects of Ecstasy and the government's alleged plans to use it to disrupt enemy forces in the 1960s.
Prosecutors scoffed at Kearney's approach, calling the drug testimony "window dressing" and an "excuse."
"Not for a second do I believe that Ecstasy caused her to commit that crime," Alpert said.
To read more on this story and others, go to www.CourtTV.com
I feel sorry for her and it broke my heart to see her cryin like crazy as she apologized, but then again it's like I don't. She knew right from wrong. I understand she said she was scared and didn't kno what to do, but if she had jus called the cops or even went to a hospital, she wouldn't have been in this much trouble. I do commend her for now knowin that she should be punished and while in prison she will get treatment for her drug abuse. She's being a woman about her situation, but God knows when you do wrong, punishment follows....
Chante Jawan Mallard clenched her fists, closed her eyes and bowed her head as the Tarrant County, Texas, judge read the jury's decision.
Mallard, 27, received 50 years for the murder of Gregory Biggs in the early morning hours of Oct. 27, 2001, and 10 years for tampering with evidence, namely burning a seat from the car to conceal the crime. The two sentences will run concurrently, according to her lawyer, Jeff Kearney.
At the opening of the trial, Mallard pleaded guilty to the tampering charge. She will be eligible for parole after 25 years.
The jury of seven men and five women deliberated about two and a half hours before sentencing her to serve time in the Texas correctional system.
The panel needed only an hour Thursday to convict Mallard of murder for the Oct. 27, 2001, collision. Mallard had just finished a night of partying with her friends when she collided with Biggs, 37, on a highway.
Prosecutor Richard Alpert, who had asked the jury to return a life sentence, told repoters outside the courthouse he was pleased with their decision.
"The jury saw the evidence the way we wanted them to and they returned a just verdict," Alpert said.
Mallard's lawyer expressed his dismay, saying, "If this case would have been moved somewhere else where there weren't cameras in the courtroom there could have been a different result."
Kearney added, "I don't know of anything else we could have done under the circumstances."
Kearney stressed the themes of redemption, remorse and rehabilitation in his closing argument Friday.
"I don't think you can give up on Chante Mallard," said the attorney. "There's a lot of reasons why we can't give up on her or the principles on which our society is based, and that is justice tempered with mercy."
During the penalty phase of the trial, Mallard took the stand and said that she felt she deserved to go to prison. She apologized tearfully to Biggs' family and admitted that she needed treatment for drug abuse.
Biggs' son Brandon was the sole witness in the prosecution's penalty phase Friday.
"It's been tough a lot of times," said Biggs. "He was not a part of my high school graduation because he had been killed. He was not here for Father's Day. He'll not be here to see me get married, he'll not be here to watch me grow old and to see me launch out into a profession."
Biggs' testimony was brief next to the numerous witnesses who testified for Mallard, saying they would be willing to make sure she stayed on the right path when she finished serving her time.
In his bid to obtain a light sentence, Kearney emphasized Mallard's drug use the night of the incident. He brought in a forensic toxicologist who told jurors about the disorienting effects of Ecstasy and the government's alleged plans to use it to disrupt enemy forces in the 1960s.
Prosecutors scoffed at Kearney's approach, calling the drug testimony "window dressing" and an "excuse."
"Not for a second do I believe that Ecstasy caused her to commit that crime," Alpert said.
To read more on this story and others, go to www.CourtTV.com
I feel sorry for her and it broke my heart to see her cryin like crazy as she apologized, but then again it's like I don't. She knew right from wrong. I understand she said she was scared and didn't kno what to do, but if she had jus called the cops or even went to a hospital, she wouldn't have been in this much trouble. I do commend her for now knowin that she should be punished and while in prison she will get treatment for her drug abuse. She's being a woman about her situation, but God knows when you do wrong, punishment follows....
Sad...
In any case, I feel bad for the man who died in this accident. Many people do this kind of thing to their own kind. Why can't we live without any fights? 
