MEMPHIS, TN – Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons announced Thursday that the D.A.’s Office would seek the death penalty against a Memphis man charged with killing six people – including two children – and severely wounding three children last March in a home on Lester Street.
The state grand jury for Shelby County on Thursday morning indicted Jessie Dotson, 33, for six counts of first degree murder, three counts of attempted first degree murder, and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun. Dotson had been convicted of second degree murder in 1994 and had been released from prison on parole earlier this year.
According to the affidavit of complaint filed in this case, on March 3, 2008, Memphis police officers discovered the bodies of four adults and two children inside a home at 722 Lester Street. The officers found three other children alive but in extremely critical condition inside the home. According to the affidavit, all six deaths were ruled homicides by either gunshot wounds or stabbings. The deceased victims were identified as Cecil Dotson, Sr., Marissa Williams, Hollis Seals, Shindri Roberson, Cecil Dotson II, and Cemario Williams. The surviving children, all of whom suffered stab wounds, were identified as Cecil Dotson, Jr., Cedric Dotson, and Ceniyah Dotson. According to the affidavit, one of the surviving children was interviewed and implicated Jessie Dotson as the person responsible for the crime. With the approval of the D.A.’s Office, Memphis homicide investigators charged Jessie Dotson with the crimes on March 8, 2008.
“In the case of Jesse Dotson, we have identified seven different factors which qualify him for the death penalty under our state law. That’s pretty extraordinary. The correct course of action is to give the jury in the trial of Jesse Dotson the option of imposing the death penalty,” said District Attorney Gibbons.
The seven specific aggravating circumstances under state law include:
(1) The murders were committed against victims less than 12 years of age and the defendant was 18 or older;
(2)The defendant was previously convicted of one or more felonies involving use of violence (Jessie Dotson pleaded guilty to second degree murder on November 21, 1994 and was sentenced to 18 years in prison);
(3) The defendant knowingly created great risk of death to two or more persons, other than the victims murdered, during the act of murder;
(4) The murders were especially heinous, atrocious or cruel in that they involved torture or serious physical abuse beyond necessary to produce death;
(5) The murders were committed for the purpose of avoiding, interfering with or preventing a lawful arrest or prosecution of the defendant;
(6) The murders were knowingly committed by the defendant while he had a substantial role in committing the other crimes (attempted murders);
(7) The defendant committed “mass murder,” which is defined as the murder of three or more persons.
First degree murder is a charged covered by the D.A.’s “No Deals” policy on violent crimes. Exceptions are made to the policy for legal or ethical reasons. First degree murder is punishable by life in prison with the possibility of parole after 51 years, life in prison without parole, or death.
Assistant District Attorneys Reginald Henderson and Ray Lepone are prosecuting this case. |