http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19387533/

She was 9 months pregnant, due in 2 weeks, when she went missing. Her 2 year old son talked about her having been crying and being in the rug. Now the boyfriend (who is married to another woman and the father of both the 2 year old and the unborn child) is arrested with 2 counts of murder after her body was discovered.

This is so sad. She had already named the unborn baby Chloe. That poor little two-year old boy now has no parent at all!

Apparently the guy asked someone (a girl[friend]) to come and ask him to move the body! So there was at least one other person who knew that she was dead and he had been with her when she died. (He apparently confessed and says it was an accident.)

Shocking! That poor 2 year old and his grandparents.

This happened in my neck of the woods so it's VERY hot around here just now. Aside from just the sheer tragedy of it, the backlash on the situation could be fierce. I mean socially - I won't get into details which would paint this region as being as regressive as it truly is in large pockets... but there's lots of racial tension in place on a regular day. AND many expect more-than-better everything from the Police Department. Already all I'm hearing locally is a "lynch mob" mentality (even though the alleged murderer is behind bars already). And the cops are too busy assuring the public that "their department is not to be judged by just one person in it" (which, to me, shouldn't need said to begin with).
There are two things that spell t-r-o-u-b-l-e around here. A person of color taking the life of a white cop. OR a bad cop at all, but a bad cop who is African-American? Not good.
My hunch is that this tragedy is only going to be matched by the reaction to it ...

I've been following this story for a few days now on the news (mostly radio) and I hadn't heard that the boyfriend was African-American, but I knew that Jessie Davis was Anglo because of the pictures in the news. It's interesting to hear more about a case from a local resident.

True, this is a horrific crime, but till now I really hadn't considered whatever ramifications it might have on that Ohio community, race -wise.
Because we live in a state university area, we have many integrated couples and have had for years. [ My friend's daughter was one of the first, back in the late 1980's.] Along with the Asians,Arabs, Orientals, Latinos and Marshallese here, there are just enough black -white couples around that in the store, nobody even gives them a second glance. Funny how things can change so over the course of fifty years. Back in what I consider the 'bad old days' of NW Arkansas - any mixed couple would've been run out of town. I guess my point is -
if this backwater burg can change, surely things aren't that racially tense up in Ohio?
Maybe I'm wrong.

edited for 'tensive clarity'

I have seen many, many horrific things in my career. But, Good Lord, what kind of monster can do this? I cannot even imagine. I am speechless.

One note to clarify the racial element I mentioned above: the town I live in is small, app. 10,000 people (and sits just minutes from where this crime occurred). According to the 2000 census the racial make-up here is 98.53% white/caucasion, .31% African-American and 1.16% "other". Racially divided? Why, no!, certainly never that ! The metropolitan area of Canton is very mixed (I'll bet even the "others" there get separated into their own percentages) and, because of the nearby areas of downright bigotry and KKK good ol' boys, the level of angst is high, to say the least. I find those numbers disturbing (entirely sickening, really) and they certainly don't represent me or my mindset, but that bears no matter to the 'truth' as it is. I grew up here, ran (not walked) away from here the minute I could, returned due to circumstances that had nothing to do with the appeal of the people (in large part) or the likelihood of any progress/change or, quite frankly, hope. So... does a ghastly situation like this murder further divide a solidly divided climate? Yes, it does. That's one of the "positive" things I gained from being raised around 98% bigots. I know how they sound, I know all the buzz phrases they use trying not to sound what they are and I absolutely know when there is so much gas lying around that just the tiniest spark will ignite it in an infernal way in a apocalyptic hurry. This kind of crime, with all the built in elements of it, is nothing more than a torch.

Not that I mean to hijack the thread into a discussion about race/prejudice. I just felt that the racial angle needed clarified, in terms about the area of the country this dreadful event unfolded.
"Backwater" issues seem to know no geographical maps, I think it's safe to say...

The public support to the young mother's family is quite large, I have to report proudly. All factions of the city have rallied honestly and purposefully, people of all races. I daresay the family of the arrested suspect are getting a very different kind of attention ~ which is a very sad thing indeed.

No matter what their race was it is still a terrible crime, one that is committed against too many woman all around the world. In many countries life is cheap and no one seems to care what happens especially to women. Very sad.

Agreed. The "race" issues are, overall, very second to the horrible crime and that the families involved are suffering/trying to heal.
The racial aspect is a local storm, one that will hopefully diminish in regards and respect to the real victims of this totally brutal event.

I'm from Ohio, and I've also been following the case. My mother tells me that it's receiving intensive coverage throughout the state, but that she hasn't yet heard about any racial tensions it has generated.

However, the fact that this problem has reared its ugly head doesn't surprise me. The Canton area must be at least 20% African-American, and the region is in economic difficulties, something that tends to exacerbate any racial conflicts that arise anywhere.

Here in Illinois, we've also been riveted by the Vaughn case, in which a father has just been arrested for shooting his wife and three children in an SUV by the side of the road and then lamely claiming that the wife did it. The forensic evidence indicated otherwise. I can't help but be fascinated by these men who do in their wives, girlfriends, and children and actually believe that their obviously weak and poorly-concocted stories will hold up. Sheer narcissism.

It continually amazes me. Don't these guys watch tv at all? Didn't this man [ and the dozens like him who've done away with their wives / families] watch the relentless police work, the sophisticated means available to modern law enforcement? Or do they , in a derranged fog, sit in front of the set and think "Scott Peterson was such dumb b*ast*rd. I'll do it the right way and NEVER get caught."

But KT how stupid is he - he was a cop and must have known he could not get away with murder. I wonder if it was a crime of passion...

Whew! After a slightly eye-crossing search for this thread ...

This grisly thing is on the local news wildly today so, especially since I hate how news never gets followed up on sometimes, I thought I'd add to this story. The trial has been ongoing for a few weeks now, the jury presented a verdict this morning. Naturally, Bobby Cutts, Jr. was convicted - but (correctly, I'm thinking?) they decided that he didn't premeditate the murder. They argued, it got way out of control, she ended up dead. He's responsible, of course, but not of first degree murder. What they ABSOLUTELY nailed him on was the aftermath. First, the "mishandling of a corpse" thing but, more universally, the murder charges attached to her unborn child. No question there ... had he admitted the altercation/murder in time (or ever?), that infant [in my opinion, it WAS an infant since she was almost ready to deliver - so no "abortion life-or-no-life" parallels need made in my saying so, I'd certainly hope] could have been saved. Bottom line, then, is that he maybe/probably killed Jessie accidentally. However, he killed the baby (no two ways about it) on purpose. Which sounds entirely right and hopefully appeal-proof to me. Cutts admitted to murdering the woman already - but seemed slightly ignorant on that there was a nearly born fetus inside of her.

Next step is the sentencing, the date of which is pending. The death penalty is a consideration but I, personally, think it unlikely a result. Multiple life sentences (w/ no chance at parole) seems more eventual.

To close this leg of the story, too, I have to make a (possibly odd) observation. In looking at that wreck of a human on the TV during some testimony ... I didn't sense that he was exactly sinister. Not pathologically, anyway. I certainly thought he didn't seem even a little intelligent, not remotely 'sophisticated' and visibly not sensibly socialized (notably for an EX-cop). What I DID see, from my seat? Nothing more than a self-centered fool and a fool of the worst variety of one. A fool who felt/feels "entitled". It was written all over him. And it chilled me to the bone to see it so boldly (even though he clearly doesn't see it in himself, even now) ...

Gatsby,
Being in Ohio also, I have followed this and needless to say, my reaction to Cutts is much the same as yours. The coldness and smugness of this man is almost akin to that of OJ's, without the Hollywood hype. I'm not as sure as you are though on his NOT receiving the death penalty. I think the fact of his being an ex-cop is going against him. There is very little sentiment of forgiveness, in my opinion, for someone doing what he did after being an enforcer of the law. It will be interesting to see what the outcome is. Sandy

That is very sad. I wouldn't know what I would do if something like that would happen to my kids. Very sad indeed.

Today begins the sentencing in this trial and it is expected to take all day.

Jurors say they have all sworn to impose a death sentence on Bobby Cutts Jr. — so long as the prosecution meets its burden of proof. They want the death sentence imposed because of the killing of the unborn fetus, Chloe. If Cutts is in fact given the death sentence, he will be the only former police officer on Ohio's death row. His attorneys say the only thing that will avoid a death penalty is Cotts being able to "garner sympathy" from the jurors. Highly unlikely, thankfully. Sandy

I just can't help myself but to hope they DON'T give the beast the death penalty (mostly because I really don't believe in it, even in his painfully pathetic case, but more so...) because I think there'd be something so glaringly "just" in giving him a few life sentences [parole not an option] and let him run free in the general poulation in there. A cop. A cop who killed a "child". The dude would be just too popular.
And, I'd think, doing that would ultimately save the state the expense of deadly chemicals and all that "last meal" business. His fellow inmates would take care of it with much less fuss .
And, of course, he'd likely sit (privately and comfortably) on Death Row 'til he's 85, anyway. But one can never really predict, I reckon...


edited to insert a missing word...

Gatsby, I am anti-death-penalty and have been ever since reading former Governor Michael V. DiSalle's book, "The Power of Life and Death," as a child growing up in Ohio. However, I wouldn't have any objection whatsoever if prison justice were to take its course in this case.

You're quite right about the long and winding process of appeals in death penalty cases. After Scott Peterson was sentenced in California, my husband commented that he expected to die of natural causes before Peterson kept his appointment with the lethal injection.

Gatsby, as far as your remark about not giving him the death penalty, he would NOT be in the general population if given life and/or consecutive sentences. That's just not going to happen, and isolation might be more punishment, but it is also more taxpayer dollars. I'm also against the death penalty, but agree with Ianfranco that in this case, go for it. The appeals would keep him alive, but at least he would have something hanging over his head. No matter what happens, it will not be just in this case. Sandy

Gatsby,
Out of curiosity, did you happen to catch the tearful pleadings of Cutts yesterday? It made me sick to even watch and listen.

I guess I was reflecting on a (n entirely) different case, that being Jeffrey Dahmer. Even considering the vast hideousness and/or notoriety of HIS crimes, he was convicted of 15 counts of murder and sentenced to 957 years in prison. Despite the lack of a death sentence, he was ultimately clubbed to death by a fellow inmate while incarcerated (evidently, in his case he was not sequestered). Shortly before his death, too, he was assaulted (throat cut, I think) in the prison church. Granted, this was 1994 ... but I think (if they'd go to the trouble of stipulating Cutts' isolation as a condition of his sentencing, they could go to a similar trouble and make his lack of isolation an equally usable condition) such situations either have not [or should not, ideally] have changed in 15 years.
Apples and oranges, I suppose, but in the Dahmer case his crimes were considerably more heinous, serial and ungodly (if one wants to juggle degrees of "ugly", that is) than those of Mr. Cutts. To my way of logic (which in no way seems to mirror the legal system n this country, more often than not), I'd suggest Bobby Cutts get less considerations as to his "safety" than have others.

And *argh*, I'm starting to sound more bloodthirsty than I'm accustomed to - but I really have some major disgust in this particular case. Which, I know, doesn't make it any more or less relevant in the "big" picture...

"I'd suggest Bobby Cutts get less considerations as to his "safety" than have others."

Agreed wholeheartedly, not a "savage" myself by any means, but I would love to see a condition of "confinement outside of isolation." What better justice? Sandy

Ooops . Missed this post before:

Quote:

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Out of curiosity, did you happen to catch the tearful pleadings of Cutts yesterday? It made me sick to even watch and listen.

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Yes, I did see that. I hate to lessen the observation by saying so but, to me, it was much like watching the biggest bully/troublemaker/beast-in-training on a grade school playground after he got caught brutalizing the other kids out there. Just an "adult" version of it. It was the "getting caught" that caused the tears (in my estimation). And not much else.