|
WEST VIRGINIA MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH
COLUMBIA, S.C. – United States Attorney J. Strom Thurmond, Jr.
announced today that a federal jury sitting in Columbia, South Carolina
returned a death verdict against CHADRICK EVAN FULKS, age 25, today after
four hours of deliberations. FULKS had previously been indicted, charged
and pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in death, a violation of Title
18, United States Code, Section 2119, and kidnaping resulting in death,
a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1201(a). The indictment
alleged that on November 14, 2002, FULKS and Brandon Leon Basham, with
intent to cause death and serious bodily harm, by force, violence, and
intimidation took from Alice Donovan, a 1994 BMW 318i, that had been
transported in interstate and foreign commerce, and that Alice Donovan’s
death resulted. The indictment further alleges that on that same date,
FULKS and Basham kidnapped Alice Donovan, and transported her from Conway,
South Carolina to North Carolina, and that her death resulted. Finally,
the indictment alleges that on November 14, 2002, FULKS and Basham transported
a stolen 1994 BWM 318i from Conway, South Carolina to North Carolina.
Evidence presented at the trial also established that FULKS and Basham
kidnapped and carjacked Samantha Burns, a 19-year-old West Virginia woman
on November 11, 2002, and that her death resulted. After the jury deliberated
for four hours, they advised the court that they had reached a verdict.
The jury unanimously found that FULKS should die for his participation
in those crimes.
Mr. Thurmond stated, “I am fully satisfied that justice was done
in this case, and I am hopeful that this verdict brings some measure
of peace to the
families of Ms. Donovan and Ms. Burns.”
The trial lasted four and a half weeks. The government called 130
witnesses over the course of 16 days of trial testimony, and
the jury found that Fulks
had participated in the carjacking, kidnapping and death of Alice Donovan,
the carjacking, kidnapping and death of Samantha Burns, the attempted
murder of Carl Jordan in Conway, South Carolina, the burglary of Sam Jordan&s
residence in Conway, South Carolina, and a high speed chase in Ohio. The jury
also found that FULKS presented a future danger to society and that the crimes
had impacted the family of the victim in such a way as to support a verdict
of death. Chief United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. presided
over the trial and will formally impose the jury&s recommended sentence
in six to eight weeks.
Brandon Basham faces trial on the same charges in the fall.
Mr. Thurmond stated that the case was investigated by agents of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, the Conway Police Department, the Brunswick
(N.C.) County Sheriff’s Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division,
the Horry County Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation,
the Kentucky State Police, Ashland (Ky.) Police Department, West Virginia State
Police, Portage (Ind.) Police Department, Goshen (Ind.) Police Department,
Vanderburgh County (Ind.) Sheriff’s Department, Hopkins County (Ky.)
Sheriff’s Department, Evansville (Ind.) Police Department, Elkhart County
(Ind.) Sheriff’s Department, and the Middlebury City (Ind.) Police Department.
Mr. Thurmond also expressed his appreciation to Solicitor J. Gregory Hembree
of the Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office; United States Attorney
Susan Brooks of the Southern District of Indiana; United States Attorney
Kasey Warner
of the Southern District of West Virginia; United States Attorney Joseph
S. Van Bokkelen of the Northern District of Indiana; Hon. Rex Gore, District
Attorney,
Brunswick County, North Carolina; Stewart Snider, Commonwealth Attorney
in Kentucky; and Cabell County (W.Va.)
Prosecuting Attorney Chris Chiles
of Huntington,
West Virginia for their assistance in the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Mr. Thurmond and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan
S. Gasser and Scott Schools.
#####
Field
News | FBI Home Page
|
