Guilty!

This just makes my day. I felt that this is what would happen when the defense chose yesterday NOT to offer a closing arguement, and am so glad that my feelings were right. Now let’s just hope that the punishment fits the crime and this monster gets what he deserves.

Smith convicted on all counts
By TOM ARTHUR

tom.arthur@heraldtribune.com
SARASOTA — Jurors took less than five hours Thursday to find Joseph Smith guilty of first-degree murder, sexual battery and kidnapping in the death of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia.

Smith, standing at the defense table, showed litte reaction as the verdicts were read.

Behind him in the spectator section, Carlie’s mother, Sue Schorpen, buried her head in her hands and said, “Thank you, Jesus.”

Across the aisle, Carlie’s father, Joe Brucia, was greeted with hugs from supporters and relatives.

The verdict ended seven days of testimony during which a mountain of evidence was presented to jurors, including Smith’s recorded confessions to his mother and brother.

Carlie’s abduction Feb. 1, 2004, was captured on a surveillance videotape behind a car wash. On the tape, a man who resembled Smith is seen walking up to Carlie and grabbing her by the wrist.

The video was aired repreatedly on television news shows, and Carlie’s disappearance soon captivated the nation.

Smith was arrested several days later after friends and former business partners told investigators that they recognized him as the man on the tape.

Two days after his arrest, Carlie’s body was discovered behind the Central Church of Christ off Proctor Road. A medical examiner later determined her hands had been tied and that she had been raped and strangled.

Defense attorneys tried to convince the jury that someone other than Smith committed the crime. But the evidence was overwhelming.

Outside the courthouse, Schorpen said she won’t have satisfaction until Smith is put to death.

“He’s an animal,” she said.

The jury will return Nov. 28 to consider a sentence for Smith, who is 39 years old. He faces either life in prison or death.

Jurors will hear evidence about Smith’s life before deciding on a recommendation to Circuit Judge Andrew Owens on a sentence.

Owens will have the final say on a sentence.

Smith was estranged from his wife at the time of Carlie’s murder. He has three daughters, and worked as an auto mechanic. At the time of this arrest, he had been on probation for drug violations.

Twice before, he was arrested for attacks on women, although both women managed to get away.

As Schorpen left the courthouse with supporters, a sheriff’s corrections van pulled out of a driveway in front of them, presumably with Smith aboard.

“Rot in hell!” the women yelled.

My thoughts exactly.

I’ve followed this case, and this trial, pretty closely…after all, I have daughters the same age, and I don’t live that far away…like 30 or 40 miles, and it was even closer when it happened. The idea of Joseph Smith going free terrified me, even though I was quite sure that there was sufficient evidence to find him guilty…after all, there he was, on video tape, leading Carlie away. How much more do you really need to see? But what really amazed me, while following the local coverage, was the message board/forum that Sarasota Tribune had going. I have to think that it was mostly local people who were posting there, after all, most of y’all probably don’t have them bookmarked like I do…I live here. Most people on this board seemed to realize that what happened was clear. But, frighteningly, there seemed to be Joseph Smith groupies…I mean, come on, that’s just plain scary. There was also a large group that seemed to think that Sue Schorpen, Carlie’s mother, is to blame. She has a history of drug problems. I guess this means, to these idiots, that it’s ok to rape and kill her daughter. After all, she might be a crackhead…I guess the feeling is, it’s what she has coming to her, to lose her daughter. To have her daugher abducted and raped, and then strangled. That’s ok, to these people. I don’t get it.

Do you?

~~**~~Link whoringJoining in on all the open trackback parties going on~~**~~

I rarely do this, as most of my posts aren’t all that terribly exciting….but I decided to jump in on Beth’s open trackback party…and everyone else’s, as well. :)

I’m lazy and tired, but here’s where to go if you want to join in…just remember to link back to all the wonderful people allowing us to do this!

Beth~MVRWC
MacStansbury
The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns
Janette~Commons Sense Runs Wild
TMH’s Bacon Bits
Cao’s Blog
Soldier’s Angel~Holly Aho
third world county
The Conservative Cat
Stop the ACLU (hi, Jay!)
Don Surber~~**~~I can’t find his trackback link, which is a bummer, because I really like how he’s indexed all his links~~**~~
Basil**where someday I’ll make brunch, lol**
The Political Teen**who has remodeled since I last wandered by, proof that I don’t get out enough**

Ok, so there’s more on the list…..but I think I better figure out how to blogroll them!

~~~***~~~Another update~~~***~~~

Thanks to David at Third World County for the trackback link to Don Surber! :)