MOUNTAIN CITY â A North Carolina man was convicted last week of murder, extortion and kidnapping charges even though investigators have yet to find the victimâs body.
Robert Leroy Littleton, 34, of Fleetwood, North Carolina, was one of six people arrested in 29-year-old Carlton Lamaar âLoviiâ Edmondsonâs death in January 2018, but he was the first to go to trial.
A jury found Littleton guilty of felony murder, extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion, especially aggravated kidnapping and conspiracy to commit especially aggravated kidnapping.
The murder conviction brings an automatic life sentence, but prosecutors will seek consecutive sentences at a hearing in October.
Defense attorneys hoping to get new trials for a mother and daughterâs first-degree murder cases laid out their reasons in a Washington County courtroom Wednesday during closing arguments in a post conviction relief hearing.
Barbara Potter, 69, and daughter Jenelle Potter, 38, are seeking new trials. Jenelle Potterâs post-conviction attorney, Grace Studer, also made a good argument for at least a new appeal for her client. Jenelleâs trial attorney, Cameron Hyder, admitted Tuesday to his part in missing certain deadlines in the appellate process.
Those missteps were essentially a waiver of appealing much of the evidence presented at trial.
Homicide cases delayed by unfinished reports johnsoncitypress.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from johnsoncitypress.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A prosecutor said last week it was ârank neglectâ that led to the death of a 19-month-old girl during the last four months of her life after being returned from foster care to her parents.
Deputy District Attorney General Dennis Brooks made the comment during a preliminary hearing last week for the childâs parents.
Sapora D. Walton, 20, and Jeremiah T. Crater, 22, both of 293 Austin Springs Road were arrested in December 2020 on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse/neglect of their daughter, Samiah.
âThis child was so malnourished by these defendants that the child was eating its body to survive. I cannot imagine the profound neglect that led to this child dying being any greater than those numbers and what they represent.â