Woman, 21, sentenced to die

Fort Worth Star Telegram ^ | May 26, 2005

[tuffydoodle]

Woman, 21, sentenced to die

By Anthony Spangler

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

FORT WORTH - Even the judge appeared stunned reading the verdict -- lethal injection for a young woman.

Chelsea Lea Richardson, 21, of Fort Worth, was sentenced to death Wednesday for her role in the fatal shooting and stabbing death of her boyfriend's parents, Rick and Suzanna Wamsley, in their Mansfield home Dec. 11, 2003.

Standing while 297th District Judge Everett Young read the verdict, Richardson collapsed in a chair and dropped her head facedown on the defense table and wept.

Relatives and friends of the Wamsleys smiled and cried and clenched each other's hands. Richardson's mother quivered and sobbed with her son's arm around her shoulder.

Richardson is the first woman to receive a death sentence in Tarrant County. Nine out of 443 inmates currently awaiting execution in Texas are women.

Prosecutors depicted Richardson as a manipulative personality who organized a group of her friends to kill the Wamsleys so her boyfriend, Andrew Wamsley, could inherit his parents' $1.65 million estate. While in jail awaiting trial, Richardson told two inmates that she was in the Wamsley house on the night of the murders and took part in the slaying of Rick Wamsley, according to trial testimony.

Relatives of the Wamsleys did not make any statements after the trial.

"They believed the death penalty was justified in this case, but they were concerned about the outcome because of Chelsea's age and gender," Prosecutor Mike Parrish said. "But they are very relieved by what the jury decided."

Richardson's attorneys -- Warren St. John and Terry Barlow -- pleaded with jurors to spare her life.

"If she's a master manipulator, she's done a mighty poor job," Barlow said in closing arguments, asking for a life sentence. "She may not deserve that chance, but we're begging you for that chance for her to reflect and reform herself."

The jury deliberated for two hours and 20 minutes before reaching a unanimous verdict.

Several of the jurors cried earlier Wednesday when Sarah Wamsley described making a phone call in early December 2003 to her grandparents in Oklahoma to tell them the news of the slayings.

A Mansfield police detective had to take the phone and tell them their son and daughter-in-law were murdered.

"It's really hard seeing Grandma and Grandpa crying," Sarah Wamsley testified Wednesday. "It's hard on everybody."

Sarah Wamsley said she kept an answering machine that still has her parents' voices recorded. In her closet, she stores two presents that were under her parents' Christmas tree at the time of their deaths -- one, from 'Suzanna to Rick,' the other, from 'Mom & Dad to Sarah.'

"Any time I needed them, they were there for support and guidance," Sarah Wamsley told jurors. "They were loving parents, and they were best friends to me."

Sarah Wamsley described how her parents would pick up her preschool-aged daughter every Wednesday from day care. The Wamsleys would take their granddaughter to ride the family's horse, Toby.

After her parents were slain, Sarah Wamsley said she moved four times within a year because she was afraid her brother, Andrew, would find her.

"I was always watching my back," she testified. "I had nightmares that I was next. I had to have a bodyguard during my parents' estate sale."

Andrew Wamsley had planned to kill his sister, leaving him the sole heir of his parents' estate, according to testimony in Richardson's trial.

Andrew Wamsley, 20, is charged with capital murder in his parents' deaths. His trial is scheduled in September.

Last fall, he and Richardson rejected plea offers by prosecutors in which they would plead guilty to capital murder for life sentences.

In January, Susana Toledano, 20, pleaded guilty to a murder charge in the Wamsleys' deaths in exchange for her testimony in Richardson's trial.

She testified that Richardson, who was her best friend, told her to kill the Wamsleys so they could share the family's money.

A fourth friend, Hilario Cardenas, 25, is charged with conspiracy to commit capital murder and is accused of supplying the others with the gun used in the slayings.

The four friends met several times at a south Arlington restaurant, where Cardenas was a night manager, to plan the Wamsleys' deaths, witnesses said in Richardson's trial. The group tried several times to kill the Wamsleys before succeeding, Toledano testified.

Medical examiners testified in Richardson's trial that Rick Wamsley was shot in the head and back and stabbed 21 times. The gunshot wound in his back and a cluster of stab wounds in the chest were fatal, according to medical experts.

Suzanna Wamsley died of a fatal gunshot to the head. She was stabbed 18 times postmortem.

The jury in Richardson's case had the option of sentencing her to death if they believed that she participated in the capital murder or assisted in the crime or knew the actions would result in a capital murder.

"I want you to think about this type of capital murder case," Parrish said in closing arguments Wednesday. "This wasn't a drug case, a drive-by shooting, and the carnage done in that house wasn't even done in anger.

"It was worse because it was premeditated," he said. "It is planned and talked about for two months. All normal, rational people talking about ways to kill."

[Guillermo]

Assuming her appeals fail, she'll be a corpse in about 4-5 years.

[Deguello]

"Karla Faye Tucker was 25 when she went on her rampage"

Maybe younger. She had the EXACT MO as the Possum robbery/murder.

[TheDon]

Too bad they don't just drag them out of the courtroom and string them up right away.

[TXBSAFH]

Not in TX, now days it is a about five years max.

[daybreakcoming]

***I don't see the problem people are having with this***

"People" are not having a problem with this. The msm & activist courts are. And we know they are not "people" - just part of the liberal - oops meant progressive movement.

[nina0113]

Many inmates seem to find Jesus in prison, especially those on death row.

That's my husband's argument for supporting the death penalty - that they actually DO go looking for Jesus when they have a specific date to meet Him.

I don't disagree with that, but I'd prefer people have as much time to repent as we can give them. If we had permanent solitary confinement, with food pushed through a cat-flap and no potential for harm to any other humans EVER, I'd start opposing the death penalty. Till then, I support it. Mostly reluctantly, but in case of childkillers, I get tired of messing around - they're wasting food, oxygen & space.

[nina0113]

She had the EXACT MO as the Possum robbery/murder.

I googled this but had too many hits & can't narrow it down without more info. Got link?

[Deaf Smith]

"had the EXACT MO"

Brought a pick ax to the scene and left it there in the back of the person's head.

[retrokitten]

Standing while 297th District Judge Everett Young read the verdict, Richardson collapsed in a chair and dropped her head facedown on the defense table and wept.

Call me crazy, but if you don't want the death penalty in Texas then don't kill your boyfriends parents!

[fish hawk]

You've come a long way baby! Equal pay, equal rights, equal death penalty.

[demkicker]

No kidding!

Andrew Wamsley had planned to kill his sister, leaving him the sole heir of his parents' estate, according to testimony in Richardson's trial.

Andrew Wamsley, 20, is charged with capital murder in his parents' deaths. His trial is scheduled in September.

Last fall, he and Richardson rejected plea offers by prosecutors in which they would plead guilty to capital murder for life sentences

I hope Andrew realizes he's next!!!!!

[Junior]

Damn. She's a dead ringer for my daughter.

[concordKIWI]

Hey, it's our fault she did it. She's a victim of society!!!!

[LtKerst]

Prosecutors depicted Richardson as a manipulative personality who organized a group of her friends to kill the Wamsleys so her boyfriend, Andrew Wamsley, could inherit his parents' $1.65 million estate. While in jail awaiting trial, Richardson told two inmates that she was in the Wamsley house on the night of the murders and took part in the slaying of Rick Wamsley, according to trial testimony.

If Man,(or woman) sheds man's blood, by Man shall His (or her) blood be shed.

I dont care that she is 21 or 19 or 18 or even 15 If She wants to Play with Bad People, then Like Tony Baretta says..
"Dont do the crime if you cant do the Time"

screw Her...She Helped Murder 2 People..For Greed! For Money

She May Be sorry Now. But How can She bring back Those 2 People?

We as a Just Society must give Justice to the Victims and their Loved ones. Period.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Cry me a river. If she did the crime, the punishment fits.

I think you missed the point, it was the victims' family that was concerned that the jury might let her skate with a life sentence. BTW, Pam Smart wants to be paroled and still maintains she was guilty of adultery but not involved in her husband's murder. She's a walking advert for the death penalty, some day some nitwit judge or politician is going commute her sentence.

[b4its2late]

Don't take offense, but it doesn't matter to me who was crying for whom really. She needs to be punished if she did what she has been charged with. I think the crying comments in the article are there to make the reader feel for this criminal. That's where I'm coming from.

Maybe I'm being extremely thick, but who is Pam Smart?

[jimt]

Even the judge appeared stunned reading the verdict -- lethal injection for a young woman.

He shouldn't be. We don't like murderers in Texas.

"She may not deserve that chance, but we're begging you for that chance for her to reflect and reform herself."

Hey, she'll probably have over ten years (unfortunately) to reflect and reform herself.

Then we'll permanently rehabilitate her.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

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Wednesday, May 25, 2005

http://www.whdh.com/news/articles/local/B64711/

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New England News

Councilors Cool To Idea Of Pamela Smart Parole

01/07/2005

01/07/2005

Councilors Cool To Idea Of Pamela Smart Parole

CONCORD, N.H. -- Two of New Hampshire's Executive Councilors say they are against giving a pardon to Pamela Smart, who's serving a life sentence for her role in the 1990 murder of her husband.

Smart was convicted in 1991 of persuading her teenage lover and his buddies to kill her husband. Four teens, including one who admitted pulling the trigger, testified against her in what became the state's most publicized murder trial.

In a pardon request filed last week, Smart repeated her argument that she didn't get a fair trial because of all the media attention, and says her sentence was too harsh. But some members of the Executive Council -- which decides pardon requests with the governor -- aren't open to the idea.

Councilors Ray Burton and Peter Spaulding both say they oppose Smart's request. Spaulding says Smart has two chances -- quote -- slim and none. (AP)

 

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[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Don't take offense, but it doesn't matter to me who was crying for whom really.

I can get behind that, but your citation addressed the concerns of the victim's family, who are 100% behind you. I'd tie her (and Pam Smart) to a tree tomorrow if I could.

[b4its2late]

That's ok. See you on the threads....