Amid the weeklong murder trial of Chance Copeland that resulted in a conviction and a life sentence, Judge William Eichman came to learn that the defendant s mother had threatened a witness who testified against her son and that a spectator may have been relaying what was happening at the trial to p
Before handing down Chance Copeland s life sentence for murder, Judge William Eichman in the 364th District Court on Tuesday told the 32-year-old that he believed he didn t intend to shoot and kill the woman driving the SUV carrying three other people two years ago.
However, Eichman told Copeland, who did not testify during his seven-day trial, that he believed the evidence showed that he intended to kill at least one of Oden s passengers. And (the jury) correctly found you guilty of murder, he said.
He denounced Copeland s attempts at manipulating investigators and intimidating witnesses and told him the evidence in the last three days showed that he deserved the life sentence.
Michael Peart, 35, said he owes his second chance at life to Judge Ruben Reyes, who he met 29 months ago when he started drug court, a specialty court program in Lubbock for probationers whose addiction is the source of their criminal troubles.
On Dec. 17, the second-to-last drug court session of the year, Peart walked to the front of the 72nd Court Room, and received a certificate and other gifts for graduating from drug court.
It was a bittersweet moment. On one hand, Peart was solidly walking on a path of sobriety that he wouldn t be on had Reyes not inspired him. On the other hand, Reyes was not there to congratulate him.