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Loading ...Life sentence for murder of Ryan Skipper
02.27.2009 4:24pm EST
(Bartow, Florida) Joseph Bearden, a known methamphetamine addict, has been sentenced to life behind bars for his part in the killing of Ryan Skipper in 2007. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty.
The jury took two days to find Bearden guilty Friday of second-degree murder, theft of a motor vehicle, accessory to after-the-fact, tampering with evidence and dealing in stolen property.Bearden’s co-defendant, William Brown Jr., will be tried separately.
Throughout the trial Bearden maintained Brown killed the then 25-year old.
On Tuesday Brown, on the witness stand pled the fifth, declining to testify.
Skipper, who was openly gay, was attacked in his own car. His body was found on the side of a road. His throat had been slashed and there were multiple stab wounds – as many as 20- covering his torso.
Last week John Kirchoff, a friend of Brown, testified that Bearden planned to rob Skipper at Skipper’s home. “He was going to rob the guy at his house,” Kirchoff testified, “but somebody came home, so they left.”
According to Kirchoff the two then went to a drug house where Kirchoff and Brown were staying to try to exchange a broken laptop for drugs. At one point Brown and Bearden had a private conversation where they allegedly discussed robbing Skipper for his vehicle. Skipper, Brown and Bearden later left in Skipper’s new Chevrolet Aveo Kirchoff said.
Kirchoff told the jury that Brown returned later with blood on his shirt and was crying and shaking.
“At first he was sobbing. All of sudden, he stopped like that, and he said he killed him,” Kirchoff testified.
The jury then listened as a tape was played of Bearden’s recorded statement to police the night he was arrested.
On the tape Bearden said Brown and Brown’s cousin were responsible and that he thought they were only going to steal Skipper’s car.
“I had no idea that they was going to kill the dude,” Bearden told detectives.
He said he was walking when Skipper drove by and offered to give him a ride.
Bearden told the detectives that Skipper drove him to Skipper’s to could smoke marijuana.
Detectives then asked him about Skipper’s sexual orientation. He said Skipper asked “curious questions” that made him think Skipper was gay.
“But I don’t mind that,” Bearden said on the tape. “I mean I’m straight as long as you don’t try to hit on me.”
During the course of the interview, however, he used a number of derogatory terms to describe gay men.
VIDEO OF THE SENTENCING
http://macambo1.blogspot.com/2009/02/joseph-bearden-sentenced-to-life-in.html
Wasn’t the sentence I was hoping for, but it wasn’t a slap on the wrist either. Hope the other one gets at least the same, if not the death penalty.
a bargain for this slimy rascal and scummy filthbag, considering how he stole this young man from his family and friends in this manner. Throw him into the slammer and lock him up along with his cohort and “throw the key away”. for life, sure. But too bad he won’t get to suffer the way Ryan did as Ryan was being stabbed 19 times.
I couldn’t be happier for him. Life in a prison is exactly what he deserves.
I think this will be more painful for him. He’ll have to go through hell in prison, as well as not being able to have his “daily fix” of narcotics. However, it is extremely unfortunate how this man’s life was just taken away like that. I can’t imagine that happening to someone I love. My heart goes out to his family.
I have not been watching the news the past few years so this is the first time that I have heard about this case.
Maybe some other scumbag that has the idea to kill one of our family and friends, they will now have second thoughts.
Also remember what we do to another person will come back to haunt us. So maybe he will get some kind of rough punishment while he is locked up for life.
Has anyone heard if this sucker who was just sentenced to life had any kind of family backing him while he was in court?
I know if that was my son or daughter I would not be backing them after doing that to this poor kid.
In fact I do have a son who when he was 16 him and a bunch of his buddies went and beat up another 16 boy and left him there to die.
They all went to grab something to eat and went back and beat on him some more. The other 5 kids all had records so they all got like 8 years in the big house. My son got sent to a Juvie Prison. I never went to see him or talked to him on the phone while he was there till he turned 21. He is going to be 31 this month and still throws it up in my face that I told the DA to throw him in Prison along with his friends. I only hear from him when wants something and I don’t give in. Here I am disabled and have to live and he could not help me out for the year that I really needed it. My daughter who had a small son and was working for not much money helped me every month with food.
Well maybe he is embarrassed about my lifestyle. I don’t care it is how I have lived now since 1999 and I would never go back to the other lifestyle.
Take care all and Please let’s keep the Skipper Family in our prayers.
Life in prison is not the same as being slapped on the wrist?
LOL how generous of you.