Racially inflammatory statements revealed in George Thomas case

A motions hearing for George Thomas' upcoming trial for the murders of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom included racially inflammatory statements allegedly made by the defendant.

Knox County Sheriff's Office Detective Nevil Norman took the stand Friday afternoon speak of a racially charged conversation he allegedly had with Thomas.

Thomas is charged with the kidnappings and murders of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom in January 2007.

The defendant and Letalvis Cobbins were arrested in Lebanon, Kentucky on January 11, 2007.

Norman interviewed Thomas for almost an hour on tape.  However, after he stopped recording, Norman says he had a shocking conversation with Thomas.

"That's when I looked at him and I said don't you wish you had done something, called somebody at the time and his statement back to me kind of shocked me," Norman testified on Friday. "That's when he said '(expletive) that white girl she doesn't mean anything to me' and then he went on to say 'you cops come into my neighborhood and kill us why should I get involved with something that doesn't mean anything to me'."

It took 17 months for Norman to share that conversation with anyone.  The defense questioned the accuracy of Norman's memory.

His testimony on Friday is different from the memo he filed on June 24, 2008.

According to Norman's memo, Thomas allegedly said "(Expletive) that white girl. She don't mean nothing to me. You cops come into my neighborhood and kill us. Why should I get involved in something that's none of my business."

Sarcastically, Thomas' attorney Thomas Dillard asked Norman if he had a pen and paper in Lebanon, Kentucky when he talked to the defendant.

Further, the defense argued against its credibility based on the date of the interview being listed as the wrong year of 2008 rather than 2007 (PDF, caution: vulgar language), when the interview took place. Prosecutors chalked that up to a clerical problem and noted a correct version was being placed into evidence.

Prosecutor Leland Price told Judge Richard Baumgartner the statement shows motive. "The jury's going to wonder why anybody in that house would stay in that house, be around without doing anything, and this explains it directly."

Assistant District Attorney Takisha Fitzgerald said the statement is evidence, despite the shocking nature of it.  "I'm not trying to put race into it, but these are the facts, this is what he said."

To continue to prove their point about Thomas' disregard for the victims, the state hopes to present a phone call between the defendant and his girlfriend Stacy Lawson.

Prosecutors say Lawson asked why Thomas didn't help the couple, and the defendant responded, 'should've, could've, would've.'

"He should have, yes, he should have. He could have, he had the opportunity. And he would have if he cared about these victims," Price told the court.

Dillard fired back with what he said were at least 50 other Thomas phone calls where he denies knowing about the crimes.

Judge Richard Baumgartner is also considering whether or not the state can present letters between Thomas and co-defendant Letalvis Cobbins.

Fitzgerald told the judge if her friend got her into this kind of serious trouble, she would not want to have anything to do with that friend.  However, she argued, Thomas' continued loyalty to Cobbins shows he was voluntarily involved with the crimes.

Criminal responsibility is also a continued phrase in Thomas' hearings.  Fitzgerald said Thomas admitted to police he rode in Christian's SUV after the carjacking.  

Judge Richard Baumgartner has not made any decisions on any of the evidence.