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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 ARTHURtom.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.â€
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! :)
This is such a tragedy and a horror to even contemplate. Its great news he’s been convicted. The mother’s situation may have made the daughter more vulnerable to this animal, but he’s the guilty party entirely.
It’s fear that drives some to attack the mom. They want to stand back and say “well, this can’t happen to one of MY kids, I’m a much better parent …” Some people cannot emotionally come to grips with the fact that predators, like Smith, prowl just waiting for an opportunity. An opportunity that may well have nothing to do with wealth, neighborhood or upbringing.
Smith is a poster boy for the death penalty. He is a predator of humans and needs to be put down.
And, this last aside, for anyone one that snivels about DNA data banks (CA is collecting DNA from every convicted felon now), DNA is helping get predators off the street. We have a 10 year old cold case recently solved … murder/sex assault of a 9 year old … due to DNA matching.
Oh yes, blame the mother just because she has had a drug problem. People that do that kind of blaming make my blood boil. They are ignorant. Not talking about what you said Jane :-) Although I have to disagree with you a little. We don’t know what her situation was entirely. But I suppose it COULD have made Carie more vulnerable, but I don’t think so. Just my opinion. Like I said, we don’t know everythig that was going on with Carlie and her family. Plus, I am a recovering person so I do get a little sensitive about those kinds of issues. Just ignore me. ;-)
I’m so glad the evil monster was found guilty too. I almost missed picking up the kids from school because I wanted to stay and listen to the verdict. But Hannity had it on his radio show.
A horrible situation, I am glad that he will be put away. Did anything happen after he attacked the first two women?
Michele sent me.
A tragedy all around, that’s for certain. I still can’t believe the video – he just walked up and grabbed that poor child! Didn’t the other people see or hear her struggle? I’m always on the lookout for kids who don’t seem to be where they belong, and I try to get them back to their parents ASAP if I see one wandering.
As for the snark against the Mom, geeze, those people don’t even know her – how can they be so arrogant and judgemental? I’m sure that each and every one of those people have led perfect, mistake-free lives, right?
Something about, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”?
Good post, Tammy!
– R’cat
CatHouse Chat
Criminal groupies freak me out. I heard about this case on the news. It’s so sad. It’s part of why I never let my 11 yr old daughter go anywhere. I’m glad they found him guilty.
BTW, Michele sent me.
Y’know, it’s a damn shame we have this stupid “cruel and unusual punishment” thing when it comes to monsters like this. This guy deserves unspeakable punishment, just like that sick animal John Couey. Eye for an eye, and to hell with mercy.
I’ll never understand criminal–especially murderer and pedophiliac–groupies. Never. I can’t believe this guy had them. WTF is wrong with people? Do their friends and families know they have this attraction for monsters, and if so, why don’t they have THEM locked up in the psych ward? They are SICK.
And every time there’s a crime involving a minor, some people blame the parents first. (See also: Natalee Holloway?!) Of course there are things you can do to lower the chances of something bad happening to a child, but Smith grabbed Carlie in broad daylight. 11 year-olds hang out outside without parental supervision all the time, so I don’t see how her mother could possibly have prevented it without keeping Carlie locked up and under her nose in the house full-time. (I’ll bet she wishes she DID do that now, but it’s just not reasonable.) I doesn’t matter if she’s a horrible mother, this case can’t possibly be honestly or logically blamed on her at all.
These cases always make me question my anti-death penalty stance. I fully believe I might be able to kill animals like Smith personally. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be the parent of a poor child like Carlie.
As for Smith’s supporters, each and every time I post about a child molester I get a ton of comments. Those comments are usually about 30 to 40% in SUPPORT of the animal filth that commit these crimes. It’s disgusting and it makes you question humanity. (I delete the filth and ban the monsters. They can spread that crap on their own blogs and websites of which there are far too many out there.)
Honestly, the comments made by the pedophile groupies sometime make me very thankful that I don’t have children. I pray for all of you who do.
Great post Tammy..I’m gonna do a little piece on it.
If he is condemed to death, there will be a whole bunch of people who will come out to say that this is not his fault. He had a bad childhood, or was on drugs, or some other bovine scatology that basically says he isn’t responsible.
But he is responsible. And he should pay.
I usually don’t like the death penalty. In this case the evidence including video of the kidnapping is pretty clear, but it tends to get applied in too many cases. (The criminal justice system is just another poorly adminstered government program after all. Rewards are for winning, not serving justice.)
As for the nut jobs in the world, you can’t let them get to you.
I have wondered if there has been an increase in these kinds of crimes in the last 10 yrs or so.
It seems to be, but that could be because of 24/7 cable news.
This is what is disturbing to me. Why are pedophiles are let out of jail at all? I mean the ones convicted, but who didn’t kill. I think we know now they cannot be rehabilitated and we know that they re-commit their crimes. SO WHY???????
Great post, Tammy!
For Don Surber, you need to link and track back to the current day’s post.
Today’s OTP link at Don’s:
http://donsurber.blogspot.com/2005/11/vote-for-lgf-and-post-some-links.html
And the TB for that post is:
http://www.haloscan.com/tb/donsurber/113247524395820387/
One other *very* small thing: my blog is smaller than you make it. Not a countRy; just a county.
:-)
On my day off last week, I watched the trial on Court TV – seemed his lawyer had a bit of a hard time defending him. I can’t say I blame him. That monster needs to die – I can’t believe how they (these child murderers just sit there all chum looking) It’s disqusting to me!.
Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Tammy!
You may be interested in knowing that Gary Glitter, the former British rock star and well known paedophile has been arrested in Vietnam for having sex with underage girls. He faces five years in jail, although there is a possibilty he could face the firing squad.
I got chills looking at that guy. I’m not sure I could do it if I were her mother. My god. Was it ever made clear what he said to Carly to have her freely go with him the way she did?
It would probably be good to know, so we can continue to educate our kids. But frankly, even adults can be caught off-guard by people who make this kind of thing their life’s work.
I’m glad they caught him. I don’t believe in capital punishment, because frankly…death is too easy for someone like this. Let him live with himself until he is a pathetic old man. And, his fellow prisoners will make his life a living hell.