May 24, 2012
6pm 1/25/12: Jury Deliberating
10pm 1/24/12: History of Domestic Violence
6pm 1/24/12: Blevins Takes Stand
Continuing Coverage: From myZ at 10
RAW VIDEO: Preliminary Hearing
6pm 1/26/12 Blevins Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter
UPDATE 3/19/12 @ 11:15 a.m.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The Huntington man convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the stabbing death of his girlfriend is heading to prison for at least 16 years.
Monday, Judge Alfred Ferguson sentenced Jesse Blevins to 15 years on the manslaughter conviction and 1-5 years on concealing a body.
Elizabeth Cotton was stabbed to death in July 2009. Her body was stuffed in a crawl space of the house in west Huntington where the couple lived.
A Cabell County Jury convicted Blevins of the two charges in January.
Prior to sentencing, Blevins apologized to the family of Elizabeth Cotten for what happened the night Cotten died.
Joan Cotten, the mother of Elizabeth Cotten was given the opportunity to speak and pleaded for the maximum penalty saying "he deserves no mercy; he showed no mercy to my daughter."
The defense asked for mercy because Blevins had no record of violence outside of his relationship with Cotten.
Judge Ferguson said there was too much evidence presented in the case that stood out as major concerns which impact sentencing "the fact that he put her body in a garbage bag and hid it shows that he treated her as trash".
A young man pleading self defense in a knife fight with his girlfriend, did not get a murder conviction, but is now in jail awaiting sentencing.
The verdicts for Jesse Blevins -- guilty of voluntary manslaughter and guilty of concealing a deceased human body.
The July 2009 crime stems from what Blevins says was a kill or be killed knife fight with his girlfriend Elizabeth Cotton. He admits he killed, and says he hid the body to shield the couple’s young son. A jury saw things differently.
“I’m sorry for what I did,” said Jesse Blevins, expressing sorrow as he was taken to jail.
Prosecutors had sought a first degree murder charge against the 25-year-old. They claimed he planned -- with malice -- to kill Elizabeth Cotton, his partner in their long running aggressive and often violent relationship. What they got was the lesser voluntary manslaughter conviction.
“He had intent to kill but he did it in the heat of passion,” Prosecutor Sean Hammers told WSAZ.com, explaining the definition of the conviction.
After the verdict, and before Blevins hugged his mother goodbye, the judge in the case told the jury he knew their decision came down to what degree of intention Jesse Blevins had when he used his knife to kill.
“To me -- I thought the photos were very compelling," said Judge Alfred Ferguson. "In this case, you had to get past that.”
But Blevins' mother, Geisha Miller, thought differently about Judge Ferguson.
“Anyone who sat in that courtroom saw that the judge played prosecutor and judge," said Miller. "Justice was not served.”
Blevins’s attorney -- still convinced that his client was in a kill or be killed knife fight -- will fight for an appeal. And, he says the jury's less than murder verdict was about what happened after the fatal fact.
“I believe the jury convicted him because of his panic in hiding the body,” said defense attorney Courtenay Craig.
Prosecutors said Blevins hid Cotton's body out of guilt and fear, something the now convicted felon denied to the end.
“I’m an innocent man,” said Blevins.
Along with appealing the verdict, Blevins' lawyers will apply to the Supreme Court for post conviction bond and some degree of freedom for his client before prison.
Shaken and distraught, Elizabeth Cotton's mother Joan told us she couldn't talk now, not until after the mid-March sentencing.
Blevins faces four to 20 years in prison if he gets the maximum sentences on both charges.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
Blevins was on trial for the stabbing death of Elizabeth Cotton in July 2009. Police say after killing Cotton, he hid her body in the crawl space of the house where they lived.
The jury also found him guilty of concealment of a body.
The jury got the case Wednesday afternoon and reached the verdict right before noon on Thursday.
Sentencing is set for March 19. He faces four to 20 years in prison.
Blevins was charged with first degree murder in the case.
We have a crew in court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on this story.
The jury in the Jesse Blevins trial was sent home just before 5 p.m. Wednesday.
They got the case just after 12 p.m. Wednesday.
Jesse Blevins is on trial for the stabbing death of Elizabeth Cotton in July 2009. Police say after killing Cotton, he hid her body in the cellar of the house where they lived.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on this story.
The case was handed over to the jury about 12:10 p.m. Wednesday.
Jesse Blevins is on trial for the stabbing death of Elizabeth Cotton in July 2009. Police say after killing Cotton, he hid her body in the cellar of the house where they lived.
Closing arguments started in trial just after 10:30 Wednesday morning.
Blevins defense lawyer told the jury that this was a case of self defense -- the prosecution, however, says it is a case of murder.
On Wednesday, Blevins took the stand and admitting to killing Cotton, but says it was self defense after they got into a fight when he told her he was dating another woman.
The jury instructions and verdict choices are lengthy. The jury took a lunch and upon returning had technical troubles listening or looking at electronic evidence.
At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, the jury went home for the night.
In closing arguments both sides established this was an often violent and antagonistic relationship -- with a young child in the middle -- and anxious family members from both sides in the courtroom.
Flashing the alleged murder weapon to the jury and showing them murder scene pictures of her daughter brought Elizabeth Cotton's mother, Joan Cotton, to tears.
Prosecutor Sean Hammers hammered home the point that despite cotton's violent past, this time, in this situation -- she was not responsible.
Hammers said that the fatal stabbing was something that Jesse Blevins - and not Elizabeth cotton -- was responsible for.
“To get sucked into the defense's fiction that she was the aggressor that night -- that she had a deadly weapon and was a threat to the defendant that night is not reasonable," said Hammers. "With all the injuries to her face, and all the knife wounds to her hands, her head, her neck.”
Instead of a knife, Jesse Blevins lawyer used a ruler, telling the jury all but Elizabeth Cotton's one major fatal stab wound, were very small and came quickly -- in a life or death struggle.
And Courtenay Craig said that coupled with a violent time line of the victims' aggressive past -- all the evidence showed Jesse Blevins was acting in self defense.
“Did Jesse deny that it happened? No," said Craig. "But the only thing he was thinking was that -- I’ve got to get her off me or she's going to kill me.”
Even though charged with murder, Blevins has remained out of jail on bond and in home confinement.
The jury has five choices of verdicts on the lead charge: first or second degree murder, voluntary or involuntary manslaughter or not guilty. Then, there's the second charge of concealing a deceased human body.
It’s a lot to deliberate on, and many decisions to make.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
Jesse Blevins is on trial for the stabbing death of Elizabeth Cotton in July 2009. Police say after killing Cotton, he hid her body in the cellar of the house where they lived.
Testimony ended Tuesday afternoon with Blevins taking the stand in his own defense.
The prosecution began its closing argument Wednesday morning by showing the jury the knife used to kill Cotton.
Prosecutor Sean Hammers told jurors this was not a case of self defense but rather a case of murder. As Prosecutor Hammers showed the jury pictures of the injuries Cotton received that night, the mother of the victim began silently crying and shaking her head.
"The pictures you see here tell her story," said Hammers. "She was not the aggressor, he was."
Prosecutors are asking for a verdict of first degree murder.
The defense began its closing argument by asking jurors to base their decision on evidence presented and not presumption.
Blevins’s attorney said it wasn't Blevins that was the attacker but rather Cotton who was the attacker.
"Jesse actually ran through the house and hid in the bathroom," said Blevins' attorney.
Blevins defense is asking jurors to see this as self defense and not murder.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
Jesse Blevins is on trial for the stabbing death of Elizabeth Cotton in July 2009. Police say after killing Cotton, he hid her body in the cellar of the house where they lived.
Testimony in the trial ended Tuesday afternoon with Blevins taking the stand in his own defense.
On the stand, Blevins described his relationship with Cotton as one filled with arguments, threats and battery saying that she was combative both verbally and physically.
Closing arguments in the trial are set for 10 a.m.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information on the trial.
Tuesday afternoon Jesse Blevins took the stand to testify about his relationship with Elizabeth Cotton and what happened the day of her death.
Prosecutors say Cotton was stabbed multiple times. The murder happened back in July 2009.
On the stand, Blevins described his relationship with Cotton as one filled with arguments, threats and battery saying that she was combative both verbally and physically.
Blevins testified to numerous times where he called 911 asking for police to respond because Cotton had become combative.
On the night of Cotton's death, Blevins testified that he had told Cotton that he was dating another girl and that Cotton then "flipped out and began hitting me."
According to Blevins, Cotton then grabbed a knife and he ran to the bathroom and tried to barricade the door but she was able to enter the bathroom, “We fought around and I tried to get the knife away from her and then stabbed her."
Blevins said Cotton stopped making noise and later he took her body to the cellar, cleaned up the blood and wrapped her body in plastic, "I was scared and didn't want my son to see it."
Blevins is the final witness expected to testify in the trial.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information on the trial.
Jesse Blevins is charged in the death of Elizabeth Cotton in July 2009. Her body was found in the crawl space of his father’s house on Jackson Avenue.
Cotton had been stabbed to death.
The prosecution continued calling its witnesses which included several Huntington Police Officers. Prosecutors could wrap up their case on Friday.
Blevins is expected to take the stand in his own defense.
The trial could wrap up on Monday.
Opening arguments began Wednesday afternoon in Jesse Blevins murder trial. The trial is taking place in Cabell County Circuit Court. The jury of five men and seven women was seated Wednesday morning.
Blevins is charged with murdering Elizabeth Cotton in July 2009 at his dad’s house in Huntington. Prosecutors say he then put her body in the crawl space of the house. That house is in the 700-block of Jackson Avenue.
The defense claims there was an altercation at the house and that Cotton attacked Blevins after she found out he was involved in a relationship with another woman and Blevins was only defending himself.
The prosecution says Blevins obtained the knife earlier in the day and planned out the murder of Cotton in a place where there were no witnesses.
The trial is expected to last at least four days.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
Jesse Blevins was in back in Cabell County courtroom Tuesday for a final motions hearing involving a numbers of issues with evidence.
Blevins is charged with murdering Elizabeth Cotton in July 2009 and then putting her body in the crawl space of a house in Huntington. Cotton was stabbed to death.
His trial has been delayed several times.
Jury selection is set to begin Wednesday morning. Judge Alfred Ferguson will preside over the trial which is expected to last about four days.
Following his arrest, court documents indicated that Cotton had been stabbed in the throat.
In October 2009, a grand jury indicted Blevins on charges of murder and concealment of a deceased human body.
That indictment was thrown out due to issues with testimony that was presented to the original grand jury.
A new grand jury re-indicted Blevins on the same charges.
Jesse Blevins was in a Huntington courtroom Friday for a motions hearing.
He is charged with murdering Elizabeth Cotton in 2009 and putting her body in the crawl space of a house in Huntington. Cotton was stabbed to death.
A trial was scheduled for October 26th, pushed back until November 8th and now on hold again.
According to the prosecutor's office, one of the defense attorneys will be finishing up another trial around that time and needs more time to prepare for Blevins' case.
Another motions hearing has been scheduled for November 8th. At that hearing, a trial date will be set.
Jesse Blevins is charged with the stabbing death of his girlfriend, Elizabeth Cotton in July 2009.
Police found Cotton's body in a basement crawl space of a house in the 700-block of Jackson Avenue in Huntington
Following his arrest, court documents indicated that Cotton had been stabbed in the throat.
In October 2009, a grand jury indicted Blevins on charges of murder and concealment of a deceased human body.
That indictment was recently thrown out due to issues with testimony that was presented to the original grand jury.
A new grand jury re-indicted Blevins on the same charges.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Judge Alfred Ferguson set an October 26 trial date for Blevins.
A preliminary hearing for Jesse Blevins, 23, of Huntington, was supposed to start at 10:30 a.m. in Cabell County Magistrate Court. But, our crew in the courtroom says the hearing was delayed for about an hour as prosecutors tracked down a person who was expected to testify at the hearing.
Elizabeth Cotton, 22, was found dead inside a house at 728 Jackson Avenue on July 28.
During Wednesday's preliminary hearing, Huntington Police Department Corporal John Franklin testified that he and other officers were sent to the house after an informant told police there was a deceased person in the house.
Franklin said once at the house, Blevins told officers that his girlfriend was in the basement, and that she was dead.
Franklin later found Cotton’s body in a crawl space under a room in the rear part of the house.
Later, Detective Cass McMillian testified that during questioning at police headquarters, Blevins told him that he and Cotton had been out drinking and they got into a verbal confrontation that soon escalated into a fight when they got home.
Blevins said that during that fight in the bathroom, Cotton pulled a knife on him. Blevins told officers that he was able to wrestle that knife away, but then stabbed her in the neck with another knife.
McMillian also testified that officers found Blevins' knife in a storm drain. The other knife was found a relative's house.
Blevins also said in his statement that after hiding Cotton’s body, he cleaned the room with bleach and washed the clothes he was wearing.
Following the testimony, the magistrate found probable cause to send the case to a grand jury.
A third person expected to testify was not located. That person's written statement was admitted into evidence.
Police arrested and charged Jesse Aaron Blevins, 23, of Huntington, in connection with the death of Elizabeth Grace Cotton, 22, of Huntington.
Police found Cotton's body inside a house in the 700-block of Jackson Avenue Tuesday night.
Court documents indicate that Cotton was stabbed in the throat, and that her body was found in a basement crawl space.
Investigators say Blevins admitted to killing Cotton during interviews with detectives.
No word yet on a motive, or how long she had been dead.
Blevins was charged with 1st degree murder, and is being held in the Western Regional Jail.
His next court appearance is set for August 5.
Court records show Blevins has a history of domestic violence charges that were dropped, mostly because witnesses never showed up at hearings.
Cotton herself had filed two Domestic Violence Protection orders against Blevins, they were dropped after she didn't show up in court. Records also show Blevins filed a DVP himself, but later terminated it.
In May of this year Cotton filed the latest DVP petition against Blevins, but did not follow through with it in court.
Police said they are treating it as a suspicious death. Additional details were not being released as of 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, but police said they will send us a news release in the next few hours.
As of 10:30 p.m., police remained at the scene and Chief Skip Holbrook was expected to arrive to release more details to the media.
The house is located near the state Department of Motor Vehicles location along Madison Avenue.
Neighbors tell WSAZ.com that the owner of the house is out of town and that his son has been staying there. They also said a 3-year-old child has been staying at the home.
Additional details were unavailable at 10:30 p.m. Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest as we get more information.
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