23 November 2003

Death Cases - Reactions in Court:

(1) The parents of a murdered teenager blurted out an emphatic “Yes!” on Wednesday as a judge read a jury's recommendation that their daughter's killer die by lethal injection.

(2) As his DNA sample was discussed, in relation to the road rage incident he was charged with, his anger boiled over as he shouted: "Your police boys framed me for that s***." At that point Waite's mother Iona stood up and started yelling at her son to be quiet.

Mr Justice Hughes agreed with Mrs Waite's sentiment, but not the way she had expressed herself so vocally, and demanded order in the court.

By this time Waite's family and friends were finding it difficult to remain quiet and were virtually having a conversation with the murderer who sat weeping in the dock.

As he left for a life behind bars Waite shouted one last outburst to the court: "The lot of you will suffer."

As his family left the court room, under police supervision, Waite's brother Lincoln shouted abuse at the jury before Mrs Waite pointed at and harangued Rita Dixon.

(3) The judge should have declared a mistrial in this case:
Mack’s sister, Luviser “Tweety” Thomas, yelled, kicked and screamed after watching video footage of the crime scene, where her brother and Johnson were filmed on the ground covered with yellow tarps.

Tweety Thomas yelled, “Oh my God, oh my God,” as two bailiffs quickly carried her out of the courtroom.
(4) The defendant's mother, Helen Smith, collapsed moments after the verdict was read. "No, no, no," she moaned.

Other relatives left the courtroom in tears.

Deputies helped Helen Smith to her feet and were escorting her from the courtroom when she began yelling.

"Missy, you know Danyel took care of that baby better than you!" she bellowed. Missy is the nickname of Marsha Collins, the child's mother. Helen Smith then yelled a threat to Collins, and was surrounded by deputies.

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