Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 8, 2006 1:15:04 GMT -5
Jury considers death penalty for Hicks
The mother of a man who helped murder 2 Gillette teens painted a picture
in court Wednesday of a depressed young man who had faced many setbacks.
The jury reconvened at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday to decide whether the death
penalty is appropriate for Christopher Robert Hicks, 19, in the death of
16-year-old Bryce Chavers.
A jury convicted Hicks on Friday of first-degree murder and conspiracy to
commit 1st-degree murder in Chavers' death. Prosecutors say that Hicks
helped kill Chavers to keep him from testifying in the sexual assault
trial of Kent Alan Proffit Sr., 42, who also has been charged.
He also was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in 19-year-old
Jeremy Forquer's death but acquitted of a 1st-degree murder charge in that
death.
Prosecutors decided before the trial not to seek the death penalty for
charges related to Forquer's death. Hicks could get up to life without
parole for the conspiracy charge.
At the sentencing, Chrissti Hicks, the defendant's mother, told jurors
that her son had been a happy child until the family moved to Gillette
from Arizona.
Hicks had a difficult time when he moved here because of the weather and
the difference in the school systems, she said.
Eventually, he got in with the wrong crowd, became frustrated and dropped
out of school. Hicks tried to get his life back on track by joining the
U.S. Army but was discharged less than a month into basic training because
of a back problem.
Hicks then returned to Arizona, where his parents were living at the time,
but decided to return to Gillette after 7 months.
Chrissti Hicks said she worried about her son going back to Gillette
because of how he did in the city previously.
We just didn't want him to go back to his own ways, she said. I didn't
know where he was going with this.
Other people who testified described Hicks as a follower who went along
with the crowd.
Niccole Fales, Christopher Hicks' friend and a former roommate, described
Hicks as a kind man who was always nice to her children. Fales said Hicks
frequently defended her anytime someone made fun of her weight. However,
Hicks tended to go along with the group and didn't suggest things on his
own.
I just think he wanted to fit in a lot, Fales said.
The sentencing hearing is expected to continue into Thursday.
Prosecutor Bill Edelman did not call any witnesses in the state's portion
of the case. In his opening arguments, he reminded jurors that Chavers was
younger than 16 and was killed because he was a witness in a trial, 2
aggravating factors that prosecutors must prove before jurors can sentence
Hicks to death.
Jurors must unanimously agree on the death penalty before Hicks can be
executed. If they do not agree, Hicks will receive life without parole or
life with parole.
(source: Gillette News-Record)
The mother of a man who helped murder 2 Gillette teens painted a picture
in court Wednesday of a depressed young man who had faced many setbacks.
The jury reconvened at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday to decide whether the death
penalty is appropriate for Christopher Robert Hicks, 19, in the death of
16-year-old Bryce Chavers.
A jury convicted Hicks on Friday of first-degree murder and conspiracy to
commit 1st-degree murder in Chavers' death. Prosecutors say that Hicks
helped kill Chavers to keep him from testifying in the sexual assault
trial of Kent Alan Proffit Sr., 42, who also has been charged.
He also was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in 19-year-old
Jeremy Forquer's death but acquitted of a 1st-degree murder charge in that
death.
Prosecutors decided before the trial not to seek the death penalty for
charges related to Forquer's death. Hicks could get up to life without
parole for the conspiracy charge.
At the sentencing, Chrissti Hicks, the defendant's mother, told jurors
that her son had been a happy child until the family moved to Gillette
from Arizona.
Hicks had a difficult time when he moved here because of the weather and
the difference in the school systems, she said.
Eventually, he got in with the wrong crowd, became frustrated and dropped
out of school. Hicks tried to get his life back on track by joining the
U.S. Army but was discharged less than a month into basic training because
of a back problem.
Hicks then returned to Arizona, where his parents were living at the time,
but decided to return to Gillette after 7 months.
Chrissti Hicks said she worried about her son going back to Gillette
because of how he did in the city previously.
We just didn't want him to go back to his own ways, she said. I didn't
know where he was going with this.
Other people who testified described Hicks as a follower who went along
with the crowd.
Niccole Fales, Christopher Hicks' friend and a former roommate, described
Hicks as a kind man who was always nice to her children. Fales said Hicks
frequently defended her anytime someone made fun of her weight. However,
Hicks tended to go along with the group and didn't suggest things on his
own.
I just think he wanted to fit in a lot, Fales said.
The sentencing hearing is expected to continue into Thursday.
Prosecutor Bill Edelman did not call any witnesses in the state's portion
of the case. In his opening arguments, he reminded jurors that Chavers was
younger than 16 and was killed because he was a witness in a trial, 2
aggravating factors that prosecutors must prove before jurors can sentence
Hicks to death.
Jurors must unanimously agree on the death penalty before Hicks can be
executed. If they do not agree, Hicks will receive life without parole or
life with parole.
(source: Gillette News-Record)