On January 7th, 2007, twenty-one year old Channon Christian and twenty-three year old Christopher Newsom left a restaurant in Tennessee after having what would be their last dinner together. While en route to a the home of a friend, the two were carjacked...apparently Channon's 4-Runner wasn't enough, as they were then abducted, raped and murdered. I've actually spent a disturbing about of time reading true crime reports, and this one was shocking even to me. However, the reader should keep in mind that this information is all coming from local Knoxville papers and interviews - until the actual trial begins, who knows what will continue to change.
Chris was raped first, while Channon was made to watch. After finishing with Chris, the perpetrators allegedly shot him three times, wrapped him in a blanket/comforter, set his body on fire and left him next to some railroad tracks.
Channon was, of course, also raped, although how long it lasted is as yet unclear. Channon's dismembered body was found in their trash can - INSIDE THE HOUSE - by police on Tuesday...tower signals from Channon's cell phone led Knoxville PD right to the shithole.
Evidence tying those currently awaiting trail includes a finger print on an envelope in Channon's car, a lease on the home her body was found in and apparently a confession. Police in Knoxville (who really must be given props for their quick handling of this case) are understandably reticent regarding the details.
Here's the kick: there's quite a bit of controversy regarding the fact that this case hasn't been given any national media attention (I heard about it from snopes.com, which I have as a displayed module on my Yahoo home page). The "problem" is that the five alleged murderers are black, and the two victims were white.
Let me begin by saying that this case makes me rethink my stance on the death penalty. I was - and I remain - so disgusted by this case that I cannot get it out of my mind for more than an hour at a time...I bet that's an hour more than Chris or Channon’s parents. How would you deal with that, knowing that the last hours of your child's life were spent like this? That they were being tortured, humiliated, raped...and, most likely, knowing that when it was over they would die? I understand the fury many people are feeling; I understand the drive for vengeance. I read that Gary Christian, Channon's father, was making shooting gestures at Boyd (one of the alleged perpetrators) while in court...I can't blame him. In fact, that seems quite restrained to me.
Now…time for a reality check. People, this isn't an issue of the national media ignoring a story because it's black on white crime. Seriously you morons, what was the most covered trial in our lifetimes? OJ Who? Hmm.....wasn't that one about a black man who killed a white woman? If the intrigue is there, the media will report it. However, as pointed out by snopes, this story lacks the ratings trifecta: celebrity, mystery or extraordinary sympathy (as we get in crimes against very small children, like JonBenet). The fact is, while these five are awaiting trial, there just isn’t that much news to report. I too hope that the media will pick up a little bit in order to, at the very least, ensure the harshest possible penalty should these five turn out to be as guilty as they seem. One already found an attorney who was willing to fight extradition from Kentucky (where she had fled to), so who knows what they’ll try next. All have entered pleas of not guilty. Pfft.
Still…the racism that has surfaced since this crime has simply amazed me. Though, it is good to see white men finally standing up to say they're just not going to take it anymore! Yeah, white boys - you've been down for so long...glad you're able to exploit the deaths of Channon and Chris in order to vent your vile sentiments. Shut the fuck up - you would have fared well in Montgomery back in ‘54...anymore, not so much.
Man…sometimes I really hate people.
To those of you with a basic level of decency, should you devote any of your own time whatsoever to thinking about this case, let it be in memory of Channon and Christopher. I've had the weirdest thoughts the past week, especially about Channon. I guess since I'm a college student myself, I have a special sympathy for her. I keep thinking of all those tests she took, all those papers she wrote, all that time she spent working on her degree in Sociology - she was a senior at the University of Tennessee - and it was all for nothing. These five people (allegedly) stole Channon's future from her. They stole Chris's future from him. There will be no happy ending to this story.
8 comments:
this is so horrible... how could a person do that to another living thing... another human being? this whole story is seriously sick. i feel so sad for their families.
Because they are not "people".
They're niggers.
Wake up.
my goodness... that was kind of uncalled for, don't you think?
hateful crimes followed by hateful comments... very intelligent. whatever.
It seems the author of this piece cant resist throwing in his own racist twist. Race IS the reason the story is not being covered as it should. Was James Beard a small child or well known? I dont think the Duke team was exactly famous? Had this been black victims there would be a media orgy non stop. We would be subjected to the rantings of the hate peddlers and there media pundits. The Panther Party would be marching all over Knoxville. Jesse and Al and the crowd would be setting up shop to peddle there bait. And as to motive
carjacking was a means to and end,
the motive was hate/sex. Why was the male raped when a female was there? control and power, the
mutilation HATE.
In reference to the last comment...
Just imagine if there were even one 'white power' person posting who came across as even remotely intelligent...for example, someone who knows the difference between "their" and "there". It's sad.
Also, "as to motive carjacking was a means to and end..."
WTF? Learn English, moron.
People, don't post here if you can't read and write at at least a high school level.
Also, stop exploiting Channon and Christopher to further your own laughable racist agendas. You people are pathetic.
Thanks!
In reference to the last comment...
A typo and you trash this person,seems your the one who is racist. Doesn't sound "white Power"
at all. Those are reasonable observations. To blacks,were all racist if we disagree with your views.
whether this crime was black on white, white on black, or asian on mexican... i really could care less. anyway you rearrange the races of the people in this story, my opinion stays the same:
the most important issue here is that the acts done towards the 2 victims were completely evil... period. furthermore (and this will probably shock the person who wrote the hateful remarks), i would feel sympathy for victims and their families, regardless of their race.
i think the average person would agree with me on this. well... that is, most average non-hate-group-affiliated people.
I love that the idiot who posted on May 29th called me out for "typos" and yet doesn't know the difference between "your" and "you're."
Also, you need a space after a comma, kiddo.
DAMN, if there is even one person who posts on here who gets that this ISN'T A RACE THING -- and I DON'T have to correct their posting -- I'll be floored.
Stacy
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