Jackson Free Press

Just saw it on WAPT. The C-L also has an article.

WAPT excerpt:

George Bell III pleaded guilty in Hinds County Circuit Court in a plea agreement before Judge Winston Kidd.

Bell admitted to kidnapping, sexually assaulting and then beating and strangling his girlfriend, Heather Spencer, to death.

Kidd sentenced him to life without parole on the murder charge and 30 years for the kidnapping.

C-L excerpt:

George Bell III pleaded guilty this morning to capital murder in the death of his girlfriend, Heather Spencer.

Bell, 33, of Jackson was sentenced to life without parole today in Hinds County Circuit Court.

Bell and Spencer dated for about a year and a half, authorities said.

Previous Comments

ID

116761

Comment

According to WAPT's breaking news ticker, Bell admitted that he was high on cocaine when he sexually assaulted and strangled Spencer.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-02-04T10:39:58-06:00

ID

116762

Comment

This is so tragic and still fresh in everyone's mind. I'm glad he pleaded guilty to save her family some agony but nothing he does is really going to make a difference.

Author

sharon

Date

2008-02-04T10:46:37-06:00

ID

116763

Comment

He got off easy. Sorry. I really don't believe in the death penalty: but domestic violence cases make me think more seriously about it...

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2008-02-04T10:50:10-06:00

ID

116764

Comment

I am glad that he pleaded guilty without having to drag Heather's family through a trial. Of course there is still Robbie's trial, but maybe this will bring them a bit of closure.

Author

ellen

Date

2008-02-04T10:52:15-06:00

ID

116765

Comment

In a caption to a photo of Bell on the C-L's article, it says: "George Bell, III reads a Bible verse as he apologizes to the family of Heather Spencer..." They don't say which one he read.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-02-04T10:58:36-06:00

ID

116766

Comment

And you know? I really don't think they should have LET him read a bible verse. It irks me when criminals hit the big house and find Jesus. They should have been looking for Jesus to begin with.

Author

sharon

Date

2008-02-04T11:04:22-06:00

ID

116767

Comment

He got off easy. Sorry. I really don't believe in the death penalty: but domestic violence cases make me think more seriously about it... I understand, LH, but what goes through my mind is that when a person is put to death by lethal injection, they get to have a last meal beforehand, and the person gets to have his/her family present. The victims don't get that luxury. That's why I would rather have them spend the rest of their lives behind bars, and pictures of the victims should be pasted on the walls of the cell as a reminder of why they are there.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-02-04T11:06:49-06:00

ID

116768

Comment

And you know? I really don't think they should have LET him read a bible verse. It irks me when criminals hit the big house and find Jesus. They should have been looking for Jesus to begin with. Unfortunately, for some people, it takes hitting the big house for them to convert because they didn't want Jesus to begin with. Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-02-04T11:14:19-06:00

ID

116769

Comment

Unfortunately, for some people, it takes hitting the big house for them to convert because they didn't want Jesus to begin with. True - and 9 times out of 10 if they ever get out they don't take Jesus home with them.

Author

sharon

Date

2008-02-04T11:20:04-06:00

ID

116770

Comment

True - and 9 times out of 10 if they ever get out they don't take Jesus home with them. Yeah, some aren't for real and put up a front in order to manipulate the system.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-02-04T11:22:16-06:00

ID

116771

Comment

L.W., I agree with you. Really. You said it very well. But there's still a little part of me that thinks why should the killer get to live when the victim can't? You know?

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2008-02-04T11:38:56-06:00

ID

116772

Comment

But there's still a little part of me that thinks why should the killer get to live when the victim can't? You know? Yeah, I know. I think the only way I would agree with executing the killer is if doing so would bring the victim back to life. However, I'm saying this as someone who has never been through such an ordeal, and I pray that I never will.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-02-04T11:55:32-06:00

ID

116773

Comment

Just saw a WLBT report on this, and Spencer's mother said she felt the death penalty would be too easy for him, and she wants Bell to be tormented for the rest of his life for what he did. They still don't have an article on their Web site. WJTV has a brief summary of the plea deal.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-02-04T12:11:33-06:00

ID

116774

Comment

I must admit that I'm for the death penalty. However, if I lost my child to a killer the only thing that would make me feel better would be revenge. An eye for an eye which of course, would make me the same as him. It's a no win situation no matter how you look at it.

Author

sharon

Date

2008-02-04T12:21:23-06:00

ID

116775

Comment

As Gandhi said, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." :)

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2008-02-04T13:20:24-06:00

ID

116776

Comment

True - but I just can't help but think of how I would feel if it were my family.

Author

sharon

Date

2008-02-04T13:24:50-06:00

ID

116777

Comment

Here's the JFP's article. sharon, I understand what you're saying. That's why I don't judge pro-death penalty people harshly.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-02-04T16:19:29-06:00