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Man Gets Life Without Parole For 2011 Escambia Murder
July 2, 2013
A New Orleans man was convicted of an Escambia County murder Monday and will spend the rest of his life in prison with no chance of a parole.
Christopher Eugene Stallworth pleaded guilty to first degree murder for the death of 65- Jerry Wayne Ledden, burglary while armed, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and grand theft auto.
Judge Ross Goodman sentenced Stallworth to mandatory life in state prison without parole. Prosecutors were originally seeking a death sentence, however, as the case developed, further investigation revealed that mandatory life without parole was the appropriate sentence, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins.
On July 24, 2011, the badly beaten body of Jerry Wayne Ledden was found at his home on Mitchell Lane in the Bellview community by his sister and brother-in-law. Ledden’s Cadillac, guns, and cell phone were missing from the residence. Stallworth was linked to the homicide by use of credit cards that were stolen from the victim’s home.
The investigation and arrest was conducted by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
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Comments
11 Responses to “Man Gets Life Without Parole For 2011 Escambia Murder”
Im Sorry for your loss to all related or loved Jerry. Chris is exactly where he needs to be. He wasnt always a bad person but the decision he made took away everything he had including his only child.
In response to mick and others who commented. I can agree with your response to a point. No maybe this man shouldn’t have the rest of his life to have all these opportunities. Yes, we would be paying for all of this with our money to keep him in prison the rest of his life. Also, we would be paying as long as he was on death row. But he will have the rest of his days here on earth to think about what he did. It will not be a easy out. He will die in prison. Maybe he deserves a hole in the ground and very short stay on death row but that isn’t the way it is today. He would have a very long long trial with lots of excuses for him committing this crime. Lots of things brought up in court that has nothing to do with the murder. There would have been appeals. There would have been a lot brought up in court that would be almost impossible to hear and see by his family. Until you are in the shoes of the love one and know the circumstances of everything you can’t judge what decision was made. This isn’t the easy way out. This could have gone to trial and he could have gotten off and been put out into society again and hurt someone else. Also how many years would it have taken for this to be finalized? At least now he is put away for the rest of his natural life. No one loved the victim any more than I did. Hopefully, the best decision was made for me and my family. I hope my brother will be proud of me.
REGARDING:
“The death penalty is not a deterrent to crime….If it was then Texas would be crime free“
Obviously this is not true.
Most crimes do not carry the death penalty, therefore the death penalty has no effect on those who commit those crimes.
Not quite so obvious is the fact that something can be a deterrent without being 100% effective. Having a bad dog on your property will not stop all robbers, but it will stop most. Having good locks will not stop all robbers, but it will stop some.
Knowing you might be killed if you kill someone else will not stop all murders, but it will stop some.
One of the biggest reasons anyone commits any crime is the belief they can get away with it. That they won’t get caught, that the jury won’t convict, that the judge won’t punish. Most crimes would be stopped by the absolute confidence everyone would know about them afterward.
That ain’t gonna happen, so crimes still happen.
AND
“The issue is a heart issue…People are either under control of the Devil or the Holy Spirit…For those who are lost and have no power to overcome sin they all could end up like this. This issue started with Cain and Able and will be here till Jesus returns….Its sad that people do not grasp the real issue”
Most people are lost but do not commit murder, so that fails too.
I think most realize crimes are committed because some are evil (others blame it on society, socioeconomic status, parents or youth). They can’t stop them from being evil but can punish wrongdoing. It helps
You do what you can.
You don’t just give up and wait for Jesus.
David for better crime stoppage
and reality
Donny check your comments at the door……I support the death penalty and I agree that if you take a life you should get it. I have been the victim of someone in my family being murdered.I am just saying that the heart of the issue is the heart…and if you rejoice in this man going to hell and think you deserve heaven because you are a good ole boy. The problem is we all deserve eternity in hell.
Bama sometimes its not needed as a deterrent it is needed for closure for some familys. I pray that you or your family never has to experience the devastation that a murder can cause. I respect your right to believe what you believe but are you actually ridiculing a family at this time. like this?
My uncle Jerry still lives on in the heart of our family and he can never take that from us. The murderer well have to think about what he has done for the rest of his life. That pleases me very much and to know that when his life on earth is over an eternity in Hell is waiting for him. I know Jerry is in heaven, feeling no pain and to me that is comforting. I believe God handles everything in own time, his has just started with the man convicted of murdering my uncle. Thank You for Answered prayers.
Amen, Bama Boy! You nailed that one, exactly!!!
The death penalty is not a deterent to crime….If it was then Texas would be crime free…..The issue is a heart issue…People are either under control of the Devil or the Holy Spirit…For those who are lost and have no power to overcome sin they all could end up like this. This issue started with Cain and Able and will be here till Jesus returns….Its sad that people do not grasp the real issue…….
Murderers should be executed in a manner to match the way they killed their victims. Put pain and fear back into the execution process as a deterrent to other criminals, not as revenge. Perhaps use them to solve another problem: organ donations. Use their organs, if healthy, to save lives. This may be an un-popular opinion. But it would help.
If you execute murderers these things will cease to happen among you.
So would you consider life in prison an appropriate sentence if he murdered your loved one? yea lets give him 3 meals a day, cable tv, workout facilities, and education opportunities for the rest of his life…he should have no rights at all, he is a convicted killer, and habitual criminal… the only thing he deserves is a hole in the ground as a result of a very short stay on death row…