READ: UWIRE’s Primer on the trial
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — LaVon Chisley remained impassive as the jury found him guilty of first- and third-degree murder Friday evening. It wasn’t until he was taken to the squad car that he broke down and cried, clutching his Bible.
UPDATE 10 p.m.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Former Penn State football player LaVon Chisley was sentenced to life in prison after a jury convicted him of the first- and third- degree murder of Penn State senior Langston Carraway shortly after 6 p.m. Friday.
The jury, which deliberated for about seven hours, found 23-year-old Chisley guilty of stabbing and slashing Carraway 93 times in the chest, neck and abdomen. Carraway’s body was found in his Patton Township apartment June 5, 2006.
Chisley’s face remained blank as he received his verdict and was quickly whisked away by deputies. Defense attorney Karen Muir, tearful, hugged Chisley’s father, saying over and over again, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Upon hearing the verdict, Chisley’s mother, Sharon Cannon, sank her face into her daughter’s shoulder and sobbed. Carraway’s girlfriend, Desiree Bindus, also began to cry and was comforted by the deceased’s brother, Quincy Carraway.
Centre County President Judge Charles Brown sentenced Chisley to life in prison on the spot. Pennsylvania law requires a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder convictions.
Attorneys presented more than 200 pieces of evidence in four days. While Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira admitted the case was largely “circumstantial” earlier in the trial, he said the jurors made the right decision.
Three-and-a-half hours into deliberation, the jury asked Brown to replay the testimony of Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Randy Mocello, who had told the court Wednesday about specifics regarding bloody footprints found at the crime scene.
The footprints, found both on carpet and linoleum in the apartment, matched the shoe size, type and tread wear as shoes police believed Chisley owned.
“That was the final linchpin they wanted,” Madeira said.
UPDATE 2:30 p.m.The Daily Collegian reports the jury has retired to deliberate the murder charges against former Penn State defensive lineman LaVon Chisley. Check back later for more.
Thursday: Chisley takes the stand in his own defense
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — In a last-minute move the defense lawyer herself wasn’t sure she would make, attorney Karen Muir sent former Penn State football player LaVon Chisley to the stand Thursday to tell the court he did not kill his friend, PSU senior Langston Carraway.
Not a single juror looked away as Chisley calmly recounted the night of Saturday, June 3, 2006, the last time 26-year-old Carraway was seen alive.
Chisley said he spent that night at the apartment of Jade Burges-Farrell, a friend and former lover — contrary to the woman’s previous testimony.
Muir, who had been questioning Chisley loudly across the courtroom, then lowered her voice.
“LaVon,” she asked, “did you kill your friend, Langston Carraway?”
“No,” he replied firmly.