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Movie checked in relation to triple slayingAUSTIN (AP) — Austin policewant to determine whether a horror movie watched by an accused killer and two of his victims had anything to do with a triple-slaying that left three children dead.James Carl Lee Davis, a 21-year-old former state hospital patient, is charged with capital murder in the March beatings of his neighbors Tony Johnson, 3, Tyrone Johnson, 6, and YvetteJohnson, 15.The victims were beaten with apipe a few hours after Davis and the two younger children w a tc h edthe movie “Friday the 13th” on cable television, according to testimony at a Friday pretrial hearing.Police are seeking a copy of that film and two others shown on cable television the night of the killings — “10 to Midnight,” featuring Charles Bronson, and “The Exorcist.”Sgt. Dusty Hesskew said one comment Davis made to police is “almost word for word ” the same as that made bv an insane killer inthe Bronson movie. The character hid his clothes in a barbecue pit, as Davis did, according to Hesskew.Officers have described Davis as making grunting sounds similar to those made by a possessed girl in “The Exorcist.”Hesskew said the police plan towatch the movies and edit together scenes that seem to have similarities to the case.Prosecutors said they are aware of the similarities, but have drawn noconclusions.Defense lawyers Chris Gunter and Andy Forsythe said the police concern over the movies shows prosecutors are worried aboutfinding a motive in the case.Beverly Davis, the defendant’s mother, testified Friday that she has long been aware of her son’s mental problems.‘‘Sometimes he would act strange, and it couldn’t be helped,” she said. “He’d say a lot of things that didn’t really meananything.”Davis whas been admitted to Austin State Hospital three times.The defense lawyers said they have not decided whether to use an insanity defense.
Newspaper Details
Odessa American
Odessa, Texas, US
Sun, Nov 04, 1984
Page 129
Full Page
Clipped by
Jared T.
NA, NA 26 May 2023
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Odessa American
