George Thomas trial Day 3 in Christian-Newsom murders case (video)

Knoxville News Sentinel video

Day 3 of the George Thomas murder trial:

Prosecutors called several witnesses today to build their case against George Thomas for the kidnapping, rapes, and murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.

The first witness to be called was Thomas' ex-girlfriend, Stacy Lawson. Lawson testified that Thomas had called her on January 10, 2008 to come over to a house in Kentucky as soon as possible. When she got there, she saw that Thomas and Letalvis Cobbins, who has already been convicted of the murders, had been searching for information online about the carjacking and murders. It was then she learned that authorities were searching for Cobbins and his half-brother, ringleader Lemaricus Davidson. "I was shocked. I couldn't believe it. I thought, who have I had myself around?" she said.

Also called to testify was Ethel Freeman. The prosecution used her as a witness even though she had testified on behalf of the defense in Davidson's trial. The state needed Freeman's testimony placing Thomas in the area of where Christopher Newsom's body was found, bound and burned. The theory the state is presenting is that Thomas could have presumably dumped the body and lit it on fire before being seen by Freeman. The defense immediately attacked Freeman, saying she had also been certain she had seen Christian and Newsom begging for gas money on the night they were carjacked, which was later shown to be inaccurate. Freeman told defense that she didn't know Christian and Newsom, which is why she many have mistakenly identified them; but that she knew George Thomas and was certain she had seen him on the day in question.

Prosecutor Takisha Fitzgerald also attempted to show the jury just how small the Chipman Street house was in order to prove that because George Thomas was in the house, he would have had to of have knowledge of the crimes being committed. Fitzgerald had Knoxville Police Department expert Patricia Resig, who had measured the house before it was demolished by a new owner, demonstrate just how small the house was. Using the help of four people, Resig outlined the boundaries of the house, which took up less than half the space in Judge Richard Baumgartner's courtroom.

The house, which was purchased by Waste Connections, Inc had been torn down and will be replaced with a memorial of Christian and Newsom.

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