The Misery Machine - The Case of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom

Starting point is 00:00:00 Shannon Gail Christian was a brilliant and charming young woman born April 29, 1985. She was in her senior year at the University of Tennessee, on track to graduate in December of that year. Shannon was the only daughter to parents Gary and Dina Christian. She had a loving older brother named Chase. When she was a little girl, Shannon's family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee and settled in West Knoxville, building a strong and loving middle class life. Shannon was known for lighting up rooms with her beautiful smile, gentle and loving heart and fun-loving spirit. She shared a special bond with her mother and loved playing golf with her family.

Starting point is 00:00:43 According to her mother, she grew up on this golf course, following her brother and her daddy and us playing, and she finally decided that she wanted to play. Shannon had her whole life ahead of her, and she planned everything out to the specific detail. Her dream was to follow in her mom's footsteps and become a loving mother with no more or less than four kids. The first of which would be a boy to be a wonderful big brother just like she had growing up. Along with her love and passion for golf, there was one thing she loved more than anything else,

Starting point is 00:01:19 her significant other Christopher Newsome. According to her mother, Dina, I know Chris had fallen pretty hard, and I know she was very happy. is my best friend. Hugh Christopher Newsom Jr., known as Chris, was born on September 21st, 1983 in Knoxville, Tennessee. He has been characterized as a hardworking and modest young man. He was your average Knoxville boy who loves sports and outdoor activities like fishing, baseball, tennis, and golf. Growing up, Chris was full of energy and had a sweet and caring heart and a creative and artistic mind. His mother described him as a talented baseball player who picked up the game at the age of four, which was known for his love of creating artwork,

Starting point is 00:02:03 especially wood creations. After graduating from Hall's high school, a severe injury sidelined his passion for baseball, and so Chris became a motorcycle mechanic. But his love for woodworking never faded away. He pursued carpentry to become a true craftsman. His mother loved boasting about a beautiful headboard that he made her entirely by hand. In 2006, Chris met his soulmate Shannon through mutual friends. They hit it off immediately. Before they knew it, they were introduced to each other's families. Their courtship was blossoming, and they were enjoying every moment of it. But on one night in January, their blissful life took a very tragic turn. January 7, 2007 was just a normal Sunday morning for the Newsom family until they received a call

Starting point is 00:02:53 from Shannon's parents. Shannon, the responsible and driven daughter, had not shown up to work, and Chris, her date from the night before, was not answering his phone. The Newsoms hadn't expected him home as he planned to spend the night with a friend, but the situation was becoming more worrisome by the minute.

Starting point is 00:03:13 The Christians were in the same boat. They knew that their daughter would never just disappear. Something wasn't right, and their instincts told them they needed to act. However, when they contacted local law enforcement, they were told that the two were adults and were free to go missing. The parents were dissatisfied with the lack of action from the authorities, so they decided to take matters into their own hands. They became the primary investigators in the search for their children, doing all they could to locate them. A couple was last seen at the Washington Ridge apartment complex where Shannon's best friend lived.

Starting point is 00:03:47 They made numerous phone calls to family, friends, hospitals, and other places that might have been. information. Finally, Shannon's parents discovered her phone had last pinged a cell phone tower near northeast Knoxville on Cherry Street. This lead gave them hope. They organized a community search party. Friends and family of both individuals gathered and they searched the surrounding area street by street. After hours of searching, they found Shannon's Toyota forer SUV abandoned at an intersection near Chitman Street. This was a chilling site for the parents. The window stickers had been stripped off, the driver's seat pushed far back, and the car doors mysteriously wiped down, even though the floorboards were loaded with mud. The worst fears of the parents slowly crept in as they suspected that something terrible had happened to their kids.

Starting point is 00:04:36 The search for their missing children had just begun, but the mystery surrounding their disappearance was only becoming more complicated and puzzling. Parents were determined to find out what had happened to their children, and they wouldn't rest until they had uncovered the truth. The families were anxious and on the edge of their seats as they waited for any updates on their missing loved ones. It was not until law enforcement discovered an out-of-place envelope in the abandoned vehicle that they finally took the case seriously. It was addressed to a home on Chipman Street, and it was covered in fingerprints. The families pled with the authorities to start doing door-to-door searches, but their requests were denied. Exhausted and distraught, they watched as the police followed their standard procedures as precious hours started slipping away. The next day, the Newsoms prayed for good news, but their hopes were shattered when a sergeant,

Starting point is 00:05:25 investigator, and chaplain arrived at their front door. The air was tense as the family's brace for what they discovered next. They had found Chris's body near the railroad tracks in East Knoxville. Forensic evidence would later reveal that Chris had been brutally S-Aid in the final hours of his life. He had been bound with his belt, gagged with his socks, with his hands secured behind his back, and his head tied up in a bandana covered in a sweatshirt tied around his neck with shoestrings. He was then forced to walk down the railroad tracks like some sort of sick game. He was shot in the back in the neck, and as he lay there paralyzed and disoriented,

Starting point is 00:06:07 his assailant shot him execution style with the 22-caliber handgun. They took their time and ensured he suffered. It was neither quick nor painless. After executing Chris, they wrapped his body in a comforter, doused him in gasoline, and then set him ablaze. After discovering Chris's body in the suspicious envelope in Shannon's vehicle, the authorities had enough evidence to execute a search warrant. On Tuesday, January 9, 2007, the police stormed the residents located at 2316 Chitman Street in Knoxville. through the search they managed to locate Shannon's remains. She had been hog-tied with strips of fabric from a bedding set. Her body was then encased in black garbage bags, with her head wrapped in a white plastic

Starting point is 00:06:59 grocery bag. Forensic evidence showed that her assailants had repeatedly and violently essayed the young woman in always possible, and her private areas showed injuries consistent with such an attack. She also suffered two blows to the head and had bleach sprayed down her throat in a possible effort to destroy leftover DNA evidence. After all of this, and even being bound and stuffed into a garbage container, Shannon survived her attack. She was left to die slowly and painfully until she ultimately asphyxiated inside of the trash can. The authorities were completely caught off guard. It was a sight they had never seen before and one that some officers said

Starting point is 00:07:47 would haunt them forever. Immediately sprang into action in the coming weeks they worked around the clock to apprehend the five suspects who were connected to this heinous crime. These suspects were named Lamarcus Slim Davidson, La Talvis Cobbins, George Thomas, and Esselin Coleman, and Eric Boyd. These weren't ordinary suspects. They were dangerous individuals. The authorities were determined to bring them to justice. However, the community was not ready for the gruesome details that would be brought to light. January 11, 2007, they detained and interviewed Lamarcus Davidson and Eric Boyd. Eric had tried to hide Lamarcus, who was the alleged ringleader and a notorious drug dealer. Marcus would later tell law enforcement, selling dope, that's what I do. He was on parole after being imprisoned for five years

Starting point is 00:08:34 for carjacking and robbery charges. Make matters worse, Lamarcus was already suspected of committing a series of robberies around the community. His brother, La Talvis Cobbins, was visiting from Kentucky, and with him he brought his friends George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman, none of whom had jobs, money, or vehicles. Late January of that year, a grand jury in Knox County indicted them on 46 different charges, including kidnapping, robbery, theft, SA, and homicide. Trials that followed span about a decade. The details that would emerge in these trials were far beyond what anyone imagined.

Starting point is 00:09:08 It was a crime so pervasive that it would change the community forever. Eric Boyd has always maintained his innocence in the couple's abduction, but with no forensic evidence tying him to the crimes, the authorities were left to prosecute him for aiding and abetting Lamarcus Davidson and hiding after the incident. However, Eric's statement to the authorities contained some surprising and striking details of the carjacking. He insisted that the information came purely from Lamarcus and not his own memory. It was a dark and quiet night at Washington Ridge, but little did Shannon and Chris know that their peaceful evening would be interrupted. Eric Boyd arrived at the parking lot with his accomplices, Lamarcus Davidson and La Talvis Cobbins. As soon as Eric and Lamarcus stepped out of their car, leaving La Talvis behind, they were ready to execute their plans to carjack the couple.

Starting point is 00:10:00 However, just as they were approaching the couple with guns drawn, the headlights of another vision, vehicle suddenly turned on and caught them off guard. In a frenzy, they pushed Shannon and Chris into the SUV and sped off into the night. After overpowering the couple, the small crew hastily secured them in the back of Shannon's SUV, using whatever cords they could find to bind them tightly. With Lamarcus at the wheel of the SUV and La Talvis following closely behind in a car borrowed from Eric's cousin, the group made their way back to Lamarcus. his home on Shipman Street. Once back at the residence with the kidnapped couple, an argument erupted between the five assailants, particularly between George Thomas and Lamarcus, who were

Starting point is 00:10:47 mostly unknown to each other and had pre-existing hostility. According to Vanessa Coleman, Lamarcus told Thomas that he was going to need him to do something so he could trust him. To gain Shannon's cooperation and buy more time, they dangled the promise of freedom in front of her, made her believe she could and would be free to go, but only if she agreed to their demands. Shannon made a call to her parents creating a false alibi to ensure that nobody would be the wiser. After this, Lamarcus, La Talvis, Eric and George put Chris into the back of the forerunner and left Shannon behind with Vanessa. It was unclear who had assaulted Chris, or at what point this occurred, but forensic evidence showed he had been essayed.

Starting point is 00:11:31 Eric had long been suspected of being the perpetrator as computer forensics had found adult material depicting men found on his phone, but police lacked enough evidence to charge him with it. After the attack, they took Chris from the back of the vehicle near the railroad tracks running along Chipman Street. Chris's mouth gagged in a sweatshirt tied around his neck. Lamarcus forced George to take the first shot, hitting Chris in the neck. As he fell, he was shot again in the back. As Chris lay on the tracks paralyzed, Lamarcus came up and pressed the gun to his head and pulled the trigger, killing him instantly. While Shannon lay tied up in a bedroom, unaware of her boyfriend's fate,

Starting point is 00:12:12 George and Lamarcus removed their bloody clothes. After changing, they gathered up a comforter in a gas can and returned to the scene of the crime. They wrapped his lifeless body in the comforter, soaked it in gasoline, and then set his body ablaze. While the two were attempting to cover up their crime, while Talvis went into the bedroom where Shannon was being held captive. He then altered Shannon's terms of freedom and told her that she would be free to go in exchange for oral. Shannon was subsequently essayed so violently and with such force that the membranes in her mouth had been destroyed. It was then Lamarcus's turn, who then proceeded to violently essay her in both the front and the back.

Starting point is 00:13:00 The trauma Shannon endured was so severe that it caused blood to pool internally in her privates. They then dragged her into the living room of the residence, where they continued to violate and beat her. As we mentioned earlier, the men force bleached down her throat in an attempt to destroy any DNA evidence that they left behind. According to Vanessa Coleman, they made me go in the back bedroom. When I come back into the kitchen, I seen them tying her up in the fetal. position. After the men had her bound, they proceeded to wrap her body in layers of bags and stuffed her body into a trash can in the kitchen, where forensic evidence later proved that she slowly

Starting point is 00:13:43 and painfully asphyxated to death. The crime was incredibly gruesome, and unfortunately, the victim's families wouldn't experience peace for years to come. Their story also had a profound impact on the community and the nation. Despite investigators refuting claims, that this crime was racially motivated. Case even caught the attention of certain groups who argued otherwise. Local television stations and newspapers heavily covered the story of the Knoxville area couple. National media outlets like the Associated Press and MSNBC initially reported on the killings.

Starting point is 00:14:16 However, a group of individuals took the white nationalist forum stormfront, claiming that there was a media blackout. They believed that the lack of coverage was because Shannon and Chris were white. On May 26, 2007, a group of roughly 30 demonstrators gathered to protest in Knoxville, what they called a rally against genocide. The group was led by Alex Linder, a webmaster and head of the Vanguard News Network. A group of counter-protesters known as the Ku Klutz clowns showed up in white makeup and wedding dresses to oppose the demonstrators. This came to a head when the police arrested the head of the Vanguard News Network.

Starting point is 00:14:55 Alex Linder had breached the protest boundaries and got into a physical altercation with the officers, ending with charges being brought against him for disorderly conduct, vandalism, assault on a police officer, resisting arrest. Despite the out-of-town protesters using the case to stoke racial tensions, the parents of the victims made it clear they wanted nothing to do with the rally and expressed their anger towards the protesters. Gary Christian, who was Shannon's father, said the following statement, I think any kind of crime like that to hate crime.

Starting point is 00:15:24 Was it racial? No, I don't think so. While the victim's families and communities were trying to grieve, Knoxville authorities had to double down further that the murders were in fact not racially motivated. We're in Knoxville Police Chief Sterling Owen. We have no evidence to support the notion that this was a race-based crime. We see this as a cold-blooded murder. To make matters worse, far-right political commentator Hal Turner further twisted the tragic story began targeting the parents of the victims.

Starting point is 00:15:56 Also in attendance at the rally, when given the chance to be interviewed, he had this to say. If these families had educated their children to be more race-conscious, maybe they'd still be alive. This began roughly three months before the protest took place. To stoke their fan base, Hal Turner and others like him began circulating rumors with fabricated and sensationalized case details furthering the pain and suffering of the victim's families in their community.

Starting point is 00:16:28 They took the already tragic crime and fabricated new gruesome additions, like the couple having been mutilated, specifically that Chris had been castrated and Shannon's breasts had been cut off. False information kept spreading to the mainstream media, where some individuals continuously distorted the victim's stories to fit their own agendas. A couple of days before the rally against the, genocide demonstration, Michelle Malkin, a conservative journalist and blogger, appeared as a guest on the O'Reilly Factor. She used her time on national television to talk about the murders,

Starting point is 00:17:06 further twisting and fabricating the details of the crime. Country music star Charlie Daniels even posted an open letter on his website, calling for increased coverage of the crime in the media, reiterating many of the falsified claims spread by the hate groups online. In early June, the Miami Herald stirred things up further by publishing a fiery column by Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator, journalist, and novelist Leonard Pitts. In his nationally syndicated op-ed published by the Miami Herald, Leonard Pitts put white nationalists and far-right-wing commentators on blast for dragging the killings into the national spotlight. In response to this, another webmaster by the name of Bill White, leader of the American National Socialist Workers Party, immediately responded to his column with a racial slur, proceeded to docks him. Leonard Pitts's data was published freely on Bill White's website overthrow.com,

Starting point is 00:17:59 which resulted in him receiving numerous death threats. When the managing editor of the Miami Herald pled with Bill White to take down the data, they received an email saying, We have no intention of removing Mr. Pitts's personal information. Frankly, if some loony took the info and killed him, I wouldn't shed a tear. That also goes for your whole newsroom. These were the struggles of the families forced to mourn in public.

Starting point is 00:18:23 Their tragic loss was met with scandal and further turmoil as their children's unfortunate end was appropriated by radical hate groups who warped these stories to further their own agendas. Navigating the justice system can be an arduous journey filled with twists and turns that can make even the strongest individuals feel helpless. But the Christians in the Newsombs, though, it was a necessary step towards finding any sorts of closure or peace. They knew that the road ahead would be difficult,

Starting point is 00:18:53 but they were determined to see it through to the end. As they made their way through the numerous trials, each seemed to come up with its own challenges, and even some came with scandal and controversy. Despite the long, difficult road ahead, they knew they had to keep going. They couldn't let the injustices go unpunished, and they were determined to see justice served.

Starting point is 00:19:15 The trials began in early 2008 and lasted for 11 years as the family sought justice for the couple. The first conviction was Eric Boyd, who had a prior felony record. Eric had long maintained that he had no role in the crimes committed, and there was no forensic evidence tying him directly to the scene of the crimes. At Eric's first federal court appearance in January of 2007, tension in the room was palpable as all eyes were fixated on him. Suddenly, Eric looked directly at Gary Christian and broke into a grin.

Starting point is 00:19:47 In response, Gary made a shooting gesture towards him. In April of 2008, a federal jury found Eric Boyd guilty as an accessory. He was sentenced to just 18 years in federal prison for this conviction. During the trials, the community made efforts to begin the healing process. In October of that year, a firm called Waste Connections Inc. was established near the Chitman Street residence. Benson Henry, the division vice president, many of his co-workers, found it hard to work every day next to the crime scene. He said, we have to work every day next to this awful scene. I think a lot of us have a tremendous amount of guilt.

Starting point is 00:20:23 You were here on that Monday, January 8th, 2007, when Shannon Christian was possibly still alive. The firm ultimately pooled the funds to purchase the residents in order to tear it down. Mother's Dean of Christian and Mary Newsom held each other tightly as the house lay in ruins. Fathers Gary Christian and Hugh Newsom stood together, surveying the scene before them,

Starting point is 00:20:44 pile of wood, broken glass, bricks, shingles, and siding. Born to Gary, it was an evil place. I'm glad it's gone. We appreciate the waste connections people, with his wife, Dina adding, even though it's gone, we'll never forget what happened here. It wouldn't be until August 25th of 2009 that a Davidson County jury would convict La Talvis Cobbins. The jury came to the unanimous decision that La Talvis would be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, sparing him the death penalty that was sought by the prosecution. A few months later, on October, October 28, 2009, Lamarcus Davidson was convicted by a Knox County jury, recommending the death

Starting point is 00:21:27 penalty for his crimes. The alleged ringleader received no sympathy from his peers. On December 8th, 2009, George Thomas was convicted of homicide in the attacks. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole due to the jury's non-support of the death penalty. On May 13, 2010, a Davidson County jury gave their verdict on Vanessa Coleman. She had already been acquitted of homicide, but convicted a facilitation of crimes against Shannon Christian. As the verdict was read out loud by Judge Richard Baumgartner, a twisted smile crept across Vanessa's face, leaving the families of the victims feeling utterly disgusted and robbed of the justice they so rightfully deserved. It was a moment where the family's hopes of closure were crushed by the cold, callous demeanor of the accused.

Starting point is 00:22:19 Chris's mother would later tell reporters, we will go on, but it will be hard. We will never really have the closure we hoped for. Vanessa Coleman was later sentenced to 53 years behind bars. Following the grueling trials, the Newsome and Christian families were in desperate need of closure and healing. However, their hopes were dashed as they faced yet another hurdle. Judge Richard Baumgartner, who presided over the trials of all the defendants

Starting point is 00:22:47 except Eric Boyd, was under. investigation after the judge showed signs of slurring his words during Vanessa Coleman's trial. The families were left to grapple with the possibility of a flawed judicial system and the unsettling notion that justice may not have been served. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation had been hot on the trail of Bump Gardner for some time now. What they uncovered was nothing short of shocking. This judge, as it turns out, had a second life that no one knew about. and so dark and twisted that it would have a devastating impact on the families and cases he presided over, especially the trials of Shannon and Chris's killers.

Starting point is 00:23:23 Through investigation, it was discovered that Justice Baumgartner was in fact a rampant drug addict. This cast a dark shadow over the justice system in Knoxville, leaving many questioning the integrity of the courts. Justice Baumgartner ultimately pled guilty to misprision of a felony. Title 18 U.S. Code 4 says, Whoever having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony, cognizable by a court of the United States, conceals and does not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned, not more than three years or both. This is the definition of misprision of a felony.

Starting point is 00:24:06 This opened the floodgates for retrials as he was actively under the influence of pills throughout most of the proceedings. This provision of a felony is a rarely charged crime. Most often you see it used in health care fraud, if ever. You might be wondering why the judge would get charged this over something like corruption. Having talked to people within the field, it was explained to me that when you try a powerful person in a court of law, it's important not to give them an easy appeal, especially if your intent is to remove them from office. An important question for a prosecutor to ask in this case is, what do I have that is clearly and totally applicable? In this case, this prision of a felony fit this intent as proving this in a court of law

Starting point is 00:24:47 came down to five key elements. One, a federal felony was committed. The defendant knew of the crime. The defendant knew the crime was a felony offense. The defendant failed to report the felony to authorities in a reasonable amount of time. And finally, five, the defendant took one or more active steps to conceal the crime. crime from authorities. We looked at the redacted Tennessee Bureau of Investigation File for Richard Baumgartner, and it mentioned instances of the judge providing bail money in exchange for pills,

Starting point is 00:25:20 that he may have allegedly propositioned a female defendant. The file never mentioned any direct involvement with the case that we're covering today. However, being intoxicated while presiding was more than enough to grant retrials on this case specifically. Over the next 10 years, additional trials were held for the monsters who slayed the young couple. Vanessa Coleman's initial charges in sentencing were fully upheld during the 2012 retrial. She's currently being held at the Deborah Kay Johnson Rehabilitation Center in Nashville. In 2013, George Thomas was convicted on 38 charges and was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences plus 25 years. In 2014, La Talvis Cobbans' appeal was denied.

Starting point is 00:26:08 Both he and George are currently being held at the Northeast Correctional Complex in Mountain City. On December 19, 2016, both of Lamarcus Davidson's death sentences were upheld, and he was returned to the death row of River Bend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. Everyone was seemingly brought to justice, except for Eric Boyd. That changed in 2017 when state prosecutors saw an opportunity to strike a deal with George Thomas. They promised to reduce his sentence from 127 to 50 years if he testified against Eric Boyd. It was a risky move, but George knew it was his only chance, so he secretly agreed to testify against Eric. With a deal in place, Eric was indicted on charges of homicide, kidnapping, and the essay of Shannon Christian.

Starting point is 00:27:01 Shin and Chris Newsom. Now 47, Eric Boyd was found guilty by a jury in August of 2018 and was sentenced to serve two life sentences back to back at the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex in Pikeville, Tennessee. After 12 long years of trials, the families of Chris Newsom and Shannon Christian have finally received the justice for the terrible crimes that befell them. Chris Newsom was a beloved member of the Halls Tennessee community. who loved playing baseball. His memory is kept alive through an annual memorial tournament and scholarship fund in his honor.

Starting point is 00:27:39 Similarly, Shannon Christian is remembered as a University of Tennessee student and West Park Baptist Church member in the Knoxville area. Her family hosts the Shannon Christian Golf Tournament yearly to raise money for the Shannon Gale Christian Foundation. Memorial Tree was also planted at the sense demolished Shipman Street address

Starting point is 00:27:57 in memory of the tragic end the young couple met. The tragedies these families face led to new laws. Chris Newsom Act eliminated the need for a judge's signature on a jury verdict after a unanimous verdict is delivered. The 13th juror rule was one of the primary factors in the defendants gaining access to their retrials. Additionally, the Shannon Christian Act prevents attorneys from introducing evidence or allegations of previous behavior that could call into question the character of a victim, defendant, witness, or third party. Shannon was laid to rest at the Barry Highland West Memorial Park in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her simple granite headstone is engraved with images of a candle and angels.

Starting point is 00:28:43 Inscribed at the bottom of the stone are the words, Your light will shine forever. In pictures, her gravesite is decorated with bright pink and orange flowers, reflecting her warm and inviting personality in life. Chris Newsome was laid to rest at Woodhaven Memorial Gardens and clacks in Tennessee. His granite and bronze headstone is beautifully adorned with images of what he loved to do in life, like enjoying golf and baseball.

Starting point is 00:29:12 It's finished with the words, safe at home.

The Misery Machine - The Case of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom

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