Norwood Tortured Murray with 322 Wounds
By Nicholas Stix
In practice, "life without the possibility of parole" (LWOP) means life until parole, as most killers sentenced to LWOP parole will eventually be paroled, but the possibility obtains that Brittany Norwood will do a few more years for murdering Jayna Murray under a sentence of LWOP, than she would have, had her sentence provided for the possibility of parole.
That Norwood's family loves her, shone clearly through their arguments on behalf of her getting the possibility of parole. Their claim however, that if paroled, she would be a contributor to society as she was before she committed murder, was surreal. This was a woman who had been a thief her entire adult life, whose soccer teammates/victims at SUNY Stony Brook were terrified of her, who had caught every possible break from employers who had never pressed charges against her, and who had more recently stalked an ex-boyfriend.
One of the killer's defense attorneys, Douglas Wood, tried in vain to sell the jury a "she snapped" argument on behalf of the possibility of parole. Wood's argument ran contrary to the known facts about Norwood's ice-cold planning and execution of the murder and the cover-up, and he was unable to racially stack the jury, so as to have jurors who would ignore both the facts and the law.
Speaking of Norwood's lawyers, one of them, Harry Trainor Jr., momentarily drew this writer into the action on Thanksgiving Day, when Trainor bombarded me with comments at my main bog, and sent me one email, all seeking to intimidate me into retracting factual statements I'd made saying that a Washington Post article "suggested" that he had missed a crucial filing deadline related to playing the "crazy card." Trainor charged me with making "absolutely false and defamatory" statements about him. As I countered, however, since I was repeating statements made by Montgomery County Circuit Judge Robert A. Greenberg and Washington Post reporter Meredith Somers, he'd best make his charges against them, and see where that gets him.
Ultimately, without a racist, non-white jury, Norwood's attorneys had nothing to work with. All of the facts of the case—the heinous violation and torture of Jayna Murray, the damning forensic evidence, and Norwood's pathetic cover-up—pointed to Norwood not only being guilty as hell, but being a sadistic, ice-cold, calculating, remorseless sociopath.
Brittany Norwood sentenced to life without parole
By Richard Reeve
January 27, 2012 - 4:49 p.m.
WJLA
One of the most high profile murder cases in Bethesda came to a close Friday after a judge sentenced convicted killer Brittany Norwood to life without parole.
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More on this story
Brittany Norwood family asks for parole in life sentence
Brittany Norwood guilty of first-degree murder
A jury in November convicted Norwood of first-degree murder for killing Jayna Murray, her co-worker at the Lululemon yoga store.
"It was absolutely the right sentence under Maryland law," said David Murray, the father of Jayna Murray, after the sentencing.
Eight relatives and friends of Jayna Murray told a judge Friday how their lives have been affected by Murray's death last year.
"There are aspects of this death I cannot accept," said Phyllis Murray, Jayna Murray's mother. "Until I can get over the pain and suffering I know my daughter went through, my subconscious will not get over it."
The murder shocked the area because of the brutality of the March 11 slaying and the twists and turns of the case. Norwood initially portrayed herself as a victim before police discovered holes in her story and arrested her.
Norwood's lawyer had earlier said Norwood lost control and grabbed whatever weapons were within her reach. But he argued during the trial that the crime lacked the premeditation required for a first-degree murder conviction.
Norwood simply "lost it," her attorney, Douglas Wood, said during the trial.
But the slaying devastated Jayna's Murray's family, who spoke out after the sentencing hearing.
"I hate the pain she (Jayna) went through. I hate the person who inflicted it," said Hugh Murray, Jayna Murray's brother.
SEE evidence in the Lululemon slaying.
During the six-day trial, prosecutors described the brutal attack that left Murray with more than 300 wounds. Norwood used a hammer, a knife, a wrench, a rope and a metal pole in the slaying.
"Grief is always with you," Phyllis Murray said, adding, "I know Jayna does not want us to shed a tear."
Short URL: http://wj.la/xlWf9f
[Previously, on this case, at WEJB/NSU:
“Bethesda Cops: Black Yoga Store Worker Murdered White Colleague, Made Up Story about Masked Rapist-Killers, in Order to Avoid Jail for Thefts”;
“Black Bethesda Yoga Store Worker Brittany Norwood is Charged with Killing Her White Colleague, Jayna Murray: Five Videos”;
“Trial Date Set For Britanny Norwood, in Non-Hate Crime Murder in Bethesda, Maryland, lululemon athletica Store”;
“Reader Who Claims to Have Known Jayna Murray, Whose Killer Smashed Her Skull in for 20 Minutes in lululemon athletica, Has Compassion for the Killer, but None for Those Who Would Judge Her”;
“In Web Posts and Emails, Friends of Brittany Norwood, the Racist Lululemon Killer of Jayna Murray, Paint Mutually Contradictory Portraits of Norwood”;
“In 2007, Ex-Boyfriend Charged That Lululemon Murderer Brittany Norwood was Stalking Him”;
“Already in August, Lululemon Killer Brittany Norwood’s Lawyer was Playing the ‘Crazy Card’”;
“New Details in Grisly Lululemon Murder: Brittany Norwood Used at Least 4 Different Weapons to Kill Jayna Murray; Prosecutor: Crime was ‘Pre-Meditated’”;
Lululemon Trial of Brittany Norwood, for the Murder of Jayna Murray, Day 1: The Defense is Not Using the “Crazy Card,” but the “She Lost It Card”;
“The Desperate Struggle of Jayna Murray: Lululemon Murder Victim Tried to Escape, and was Alive Through Most of the Horrific Beating Brittany Norwood Inflicted on Her, Sustaining 322 Wounds (Washington Times)”;
“Lululemon Murder Trial, Day 2: A Bloody Video, in a Tear-Filled Courtroom”;
“The Lululemon Murder Trial, Day 3: The Apple Employees Who Heard the Murder, but Did Nothing”;
“Lululemon Trial: Is the ‘Crazy Card’ Off the Table for Jayna Murray’s Racist Killer, Brittany Norwood?”;
“Lululemon Trial: Rotten Apple; Computer Giant’s Employees Listened to the Murder Through a Shared Wall … and Listened … and Listened”; and
“Lululemon Verdict in: Brittany Norwood Convicted of 1st-Degree Murder, for Killing Jayna Murray! Ice-Cold, Calculating Killer Faces Up to Life Until Parole.”; and
“Racist, Savage, Remorseless Killer Brittany Norwood Inflicted 322 Wounds on Jayna Murray, but Killer’s Family Says She Has ‘a Heart of Gold.’”
8 comments:
There wasn't anything about the sentencing on today's HLN Special Report or Prime News, which is supposed to be about the top legal stories.
David In TN
Well, David, I guess it just wasn't a top legal story, and we've been deluding ourselves as to its importance.
P.S. We clearly have a habit of doing that!
Your racist comments were completely unnecessary and had nothing to do with the story. To say that a black jury would not have convicted her is asinine and untrue. Her crime was heinous, period. I'm white and have been on a jury where the defendant was white; I didn't think he should automatically be let off because we shared a race. Don't condemn an entire race for the act of one person. I don't understand the point of your blog, you added nothing but ignorance to the story. You obviously know nothing about lawyers or the law if you are surprised that the lawyers asked for leniency. That is their job and I am sure they will appeal based on the jury selection and she will probably get a new trial. Not that it will matter, she won't be let out. Great "reporting," get a new hobby or an education and than talk about something you are actually informed about.
“Anonymous said...
“To say that a black jury would not have convicted her is asinine and untrue.”
Although black juries have certainly engaged in complete jury nullification, and acquitted clearly guilty black killers, I never said that here. You lied.
“I'm white and have been on a jury where the defendant was white; I didn't think he should automatically be let off because we shared a race.”
Tea, China?
“Don't condemn an entire race for the act of one person.”
Ditto. Why do you racists, white and black alike, always repeat this mantra? It’s a non sequitur. Don’t you realize how stupid it sounds?
“I don't understand the point of your blog, you added nothing but ignorance to the story.”
Even you can’t be that stupid as to believe what you just wrote.
“You obviously know nothing about lawyers or the law if you are surprised that the lawyers asked for leniency.”
You just lied again about what I wrote. It’s really easy to call someone “ignorant,” which to you means “morally inferior,” if you first lie about what he said. If you racists are so morally superior to people like me who are honest about race, why do you have to lie all the time?
“That is their job and I am sure they will appeal based on the jury selection and she will probably get a new trial. Not that it will matter, she won't be let out. Great ‘reporting,’ get a new hobby or an education and than [sic] talk about something you are actually informed about.”
So, you do believe that blacks have a right to nullify the law! Otherwise, your statement about jury selection would make even less sense than the rest of your garbage. But I need an education? From whom, you?
Even your anonymous posting of your idiotic statements was stupid, because a racist who spouts such idiocy and lies could get a promotion and a raise for doing so under his own name.
Anon, you are as stupid and dishonest as you are racist.
The death penalty is the only verdict. Oh, I'm sorry, that would be racist! But, it's okay for a black to murder a white, so that's not racist? Go0figure!
Did you really just pull the race card? You're taking away from something that has nothing to do with you and trying to gain popularity by throwing racial theories out. It had NOTHING to do with race, Norwood was just simply crazy and just happened to be black..Murray was innocent and just happened to be white. Thats all there is to it.
Life without parole means NO PAROLE!
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