Samantha Sevier
| Charged With: | Murder - 1st Degree x 2 Abuse of Corpse x 2 Hindering Apprehension of Prosecution Arson |
| Sentenced To: | 67 Years |
I never expected that to happen. The bodies were put in their car and driven to a secluded location then set on fire.
Ten days later I walked into a police station not knowing I’d never be released. The boyfriend (Charles) was apprehended and immediately began trying to make a deal for himself. He gave five different statements. The first one saying he wasn’t involved in the crime in any way. The last one, he admitted to shooting one of the victims. This is the evidence that was used to keep me incarcerated. It has been almost six years now. There were no murder weapons, no forensic evidence, no eye-witnesses, nothing that incriminated me except that Charles was living with me and the crime happened at my house.
The crime was heinous, the details were heartbreaking, and families were destroyed. I understand that pain, anger and disgust were widely felt by the entire community. I am guilty of not doing anything to prevent this catastrophe. I am guilty of not going to authorities, but do I truly deserve to lose my entire life because I was too stupid to do anything? I just wanted to wake-up in a normal world again. I got drunk, went to my parents’ house, and didn’t leave until I went to jail. My life had changed and I wanted it to be back the way it was supposed to be, but things can never go back. I’ll always be this little girl with this knowledge; knowledge of life’s truest sorrows. Life is a gift but it is never a guarantee. It is but a shadow… and no shadow can survive the darkness.
I sat in jail while I was threatened with the death penalty and wondered how the truth so many of us see is not the truth we receive. The good guys are supposed to win, right?
After almost two years of ‘sitting’ it was time to make some decisions. I refused to give in, I refused to give them my life. I wasn’t quitting. Then, my lawyer came to me one day and said if I’d take the plea bargain offer they wouldn’t charge my parents with hindering apprehension. Apparently, my going to their house to be in a safe place was a crime also. They had no idea why I wouldn’t leave. The prosecutor won, he found my weakness, I’d die before my parents suffered from my ignorance any further. They’d already sold all but their livelihood to help me. I couldn’t take that too.
I gave up… freedom costs too much. I sit here now… a fading shadow.
Samantha Sevier, #709303
McPherson Unit
302 Corrections Dr
Newport
AR 72112
U.S.A.
Ten days later I walked into a police station not knowing I’d never be released. The boyfriend (Charles) was apprehended and immediately began trying to make a deal for himself. He gave five different statements. The first one saying he wasn’t involved in the crime in any way. The last one, he admitted to shooting one of the victims. This is the evidence that was used to keep me incarcerated. It has been almost six years now. There were no murder weapons, no forensic evidence, no eye-witnesses, nothing that incriminated me except that Charles was living with me and the crime happened at my house.
The crime was heinous, the details were heartbreaking, and families were destroyed. I understand that pain, anger and disgust were widely felt by the entire community. I am guilty of not doing anything to prevent this catastrophe. I am guilty of not going to authorities, but do I truly deserve to lose my entire life because I was too stupid to do anything? I just wanted to wake-up in a normal world again. I got drunk, went to my parents’ house, and didn’t leave until I went to jail. My life had changed and I wanted it to be back the way it was supposed to be, but things can never go back. I’ll always be this little girl with this knowledge; knowledge of life’s truest sorrows. Life is a gift but it is never a guarantee. It is but a shadow… and no shadow can survive the darkness.
I sat in jail while I was threatened with the death penalty and wondered how the truth so many of us see is not the truth we receive. The good guys are supposed to win, right?
After almost two years of ‘sitting’ it was time to make some decisions. I refused to give in, I refused to give them my life. I wasn’t quitting. Then, my lawyer came to me one day and said if I’d take the plea bargain offer they wouldn’t charge my parents with hindering apprehension. Apparently, my going to their house to be in a safe place was a crime also. They had no idea why I wouldn’t leave. The prosecutor won, he found my weakness, I’d die before my parents suffered from my ignorance any further. They’d already sold all but their livelihood to help me. I couldn’t take that too.
I gave up… freedom costs too much. I sit here now… a fading shadow.
Samantha Sevier, #709303
McPherson Unit
302 Corrections Dr
Newport
AR 72112
U.S.A.
I was 19 years old and lost in a world I could not understand. I had no knowledge of the law or how innocence is not examined. I turned myself in to authorities because I thought I had nothing to worry about. My boyfriend at the time had opened fire on 2 young men that had been invited to my house.