~EMMA THOMPSON - 4 yo - Harris County/Houston TX
Page 2 of 2 • Share •
Page 2 of 2 • 
1, 2
Re: ~EMMA THOMPSON - 4 yo - Harris County/Houston TX
TomTerrific0420 on Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:31 am
Neighbors are reacting with outrage after a man charged in the death of
a four-year-old girl was allowed to walk out of jail Friday.
Lucas Coe was already out on bond, accused of seriously injuring a
young boy when Harris County homicide detectives say when they arrested
him for Emma Thompson's death. Now, a local crime victim's advocate
says he has been given yet one more chance to re-offend. At Coe's home in Magnolia, there's no sign of him. But neighbors are wary he could now be in their midst. "I'm amazed he got out of jail," said neighbor Bobby Hartman Coe and his girlfriend Abigail Young were arrested and charged last
month for felony injury to a child after her daughter's death.
Investigators say the four-year-old had dozens of bruises, a fractured
skull and a brain hemorrhage. A medical examiner also found evidence of
sexual assault. A judge initially ordered Coe held without
bond at the Harris County Jail, but Thursday, Judge Mary Lou Keel
reconsidered that decision. And Friday, Coe walked out of jail after
posting $100,000 bail. The news of his release outraged crime victims advocate Andy Kahan. "Whatever little strands of hair I had left shot up. I was absolutely
floored, stunned, I just thought it was preposterous," said Kahan. Kahan says Coe should never have been released. At the time of Emma's
death, he was already out on bond awaiting trial on allegations he beat
another girlfriend's young son. Kahan says this repeat offender just
got one more chance to strike again. "From my perspective, I'd certainly hope and pray that no other child meets the same fate," said Kahan. As a rule, judges don't comment on ongoing cases. But legal analyst
Joel Androphy believes the judge may have set a $100,000 bond,
believing Coe would never be able to pay it. Or, he said, the judge may
have doubts about the strength of the evidence.
a four-year-old girl was allowed to walk out of jail Friday.
Lucas Coe was already out on bond, accused of seriously injuring a
young boy when Harris County homicide detectives say when they arrested
him for Emma Thompson's death. Now, a local crime victim's advocate
says he has been given yet one more chance to re-offend. At Coe's home in Magnolia, there's no sign of him. But neighbors are wary he could now be in their midst. "I'm amazed he got out of jail," said neighbor Bobby Hartman Coe and his girlfriend Abigail Young were arrested and charged last
month for felony injury to a child after her daughter's death.
Investigators say the four-year-old had dozens of bruises, a fractured
skull and a brain hemorrhage. A medical examiner also found evidence of
sexual assault. A judge initially ordered Coe held without
bond at the Harris County Jail, but Thursday, Judge Mary Lou Keel
reconsidered that decision. And Friday, Coe walked out of jail after
posting $100,000 bail. The news of his release outraged crime victims advocate Andy Kahan. "Whatever little strands of hair I had left shot up. I was absolutely
floored, stunned, I just thought it was preposterous," said Kahan. Kahan says Coe should never have been released. At the time of Emma's
death, he was already out on bond awaiting trial on allegations he beat
another girlfriend's young son. Kahan says this repeat offender just
got one more chance to strike again. "From my perspective, I'd certainly hope and pray that no other child meets the same fate," said Kahan. As a rule, judges don't comment on ongoing cases. But legal analyst
Joel Androphy believes the judge may have set a $100,000 bond,
believing Coe would never be able to pay it. Or, he said, the judge may
have doubts about the strength of the evidence.
TomTerrific0420- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: ~EMMA THOMPSON - 4 yo - Harris County/Houston TX
kygirl09 on Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:47 pm
Lucas Coe, the 27-year-old Magnolia man accused of injury to a child in the death of 4-year-old Emma Thompson, now faces a new charge: that he also raped the young girl before her death in June.
Coe and Emma's mother, registered nurse Abigail Young, were arrested and charged with serious bodily injury to a child after the girl's June 27 death. At the time, Emma had a skull fracture, vaginal tearing and more than 80 bruises covering her body. She died two weeks after Texas Child Protective Services discovered the girl had tested positive for genital herpes.
On Oct. 29, Harris County grand jurors returned an indictment against Coe, accusing him of Emma's sexual assault. If convicted, he would face a minimum of 25 years in prison because the victim was under the age of 6.
The indictment comes about a month after the Harris County District Attorney's Office secured a sample of Coe's blood. It is not known if DNA from the blood ties Coe to the girl or whether prosecutors are using other evidence to support the indictment.
Emma was one of 91 children who died of abuse in Texas this year whose families had been previously investigated by CPS, according to a Houston Chronicle review. Roughly half of those children also were living with families known to CPS as having potential problems.
Coe's attorney says there is no evidence that connects his client to the sexual assault.
“I saw nothing in the file that would indicate how he could have perpetuated the crime he was indicted for,” said Bert Steinmann, Coe's attorney. “I am clueless as to how they are connecting him with committing the sexual assault.”
Donna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the prosecutors, declined to comment on the case.
Young, Coe's girlfriend, also has genital herpes, according to the 33-year-old's attorney, Colin Amann.
“She does not know where she got it,” he said. “She may have gotten it from Emma.”
Neither Amann nor Coe's attorney would say whether Coe also has genital herpes, though Steinmann said “medical records from previous doctors” don't indicate that he does.
Coe is in the Harris County Jail in lieu of $300,000 bail. No trial date in this case has been set.
Steinmann has asked that state District Judge Mary Lou Keel remove herself from the trial because the defense team believes there is a perception of bias in the case. A hearing on that motion is tentatively set for Nov. 12.
On Wednesday, state District Judge Suzanne Stovall in Montgomery County set a Feb. 1 trial date for Coe in an unrelated 2007 case involving a child related to a previous relationship.
In that matter, Coe is charged with injuring another child.
Young, free on $50,000 bail, has said that before she left her three girls with Coe so she could go shopping at a supermarket, Emma was fine. Young said when she returned, Coe met her at the door with Emma in his arms. He said that Emma was sick, Young said.
She has said she took the girl, put her in the car and began driving to the hospital. When Emma became unresponsive, Young said she called 911 and an ambulance met her car, down the street from her house.
As soon as Young and Emma left for the hospital, Coe took Young's other two children and his daughter to the next-door neighbor, where he left them and then left the family's Spring home.
Coe and Emma's mother, registered nurse Abigail Young, were arrested and charged with serious bodily injury to a child after the girl's June 27 death. At the time, Emma had a skull fracture, vaginal tearing and more than 80 bruises covering her body. She died two weeks after Texas Child Protective Services discovered the girl had tested positive for genital herpes.
On Oct. 29, Harris County grand jurors returned an indictment against Coe, accusing him of Emma's sexual assault. If convicted, he would face a minimum of 25 years in prison because the victim was under the age of 6.
The indictment comes about a month after the Harris County District Attorney's Office secured a sample of Coe's blood. It is not known if DNA from the blood ties Coe to the girl or whether prosecutors are using other evidence to support the indictment.
Emma was one of 91 children who died of abuse in Texas this year whose families had been previously investigated by CPS, according to a Houston Chronicle review. Roughly half of those children also were living with families known to CPS as having potential problems.
Coe's attorney says there is no evidence that connects his client to the sexual assault.
“I saw nothing in the file that would indicate how he could have perpetuated the crime he was indicted for,” said Bert Steinmann, Coe's attorney. “I am clueless as to how they are connecting him with committing the sexual assault.”
Donna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the prosecutors, declined to comment on the case.
Young, Coe's girlfriend, also has genital herpes, according to the 33-year-old's attorney, Colin Amann.
“She does not know where she got it,” he said. “She may have gotten it from Emma.”
Neither Amann nor Coe's attorney would say whether Coe also has genital herpes, though Steinmann said “medical records from previous doctors” don't indicate that he does.
Coe is in the Harris County Jail in lieu of $300,000 bail. No trial date in this case has been set.
Steinmann has asked that state District Judge Mary Lou Keel remove herself from the trial because the defense team believes there is a perception of bias in the case. A hearing on that motion is tentatively set for Nov. 12.
On Wednesday, state District Judge Suzanne Stovall in Montgomery County set a Feb. 1 trial date for Coe in an unrelated 2007 case involving a child related to a previous relationship.
In that matter, Coe is charged with injuring another child.
Young, free on $50,000 bail, has said that before she left her three girls with Coe so she could go shopping at a supermarket, Emma was fine. Young said when she returned, Coe met her at the door with Emma in his arms. He said that Emma was sick, Young said.
She has said she took the girl, put her in the car and began driving to the hospital. When Emma became unresponsive, Young said she called 911 and an ambulance met her car, down the street from her house.
As soon as Young and Emma left for the hospital, Coe took Young's other two children and his daughter to the next-door neighbor, where he left them and then left the family's Spring home.
kygirl09- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: ~EMMA THOMPSON - 4 yo - Harris County/Houston TX
TomTerrific0420 on Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:59 pm
A Magnolia man accused in the June beating death of a 4-year-old
Harris County girl also has been indicted on an additional charge of
sexual assault.
But Woodlands attorney Bert Steinmann, who
represents Lucas Ruric Coe, 27, said he has “no idea” why Coe was
indicted Oct. 29 of raping Emma Thompson.
“Upon reviewing the
file, I found no evidence that shows he sexually assaulted her,”
Steinmann said. “There was no evidence of any DNA or any object found.”
Coe
and Thompson’s mother, Abigail Young, were arrested and charged with
felony injury to a child after Emma died June 27 at Memorial Hermann
The Woodlands Hospital. Young had called 9-1-1 after her daughter
vomited before losing consciousness.
After
hearing the results of Thompson’s autopsy in August, Montgomery County
Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Edie Connelly ruled her death a
homicide and also that the girl died from blunt abdominal trauma. There
were bruises to Thompson’s body and stomach.
Young and Coe
bonded out of the Harris County Jail, but Coe was sent back to jail two
days later, Sept. 14, when he failed to provide a urine sample and
232nd state District Judge Mary Lou Keel revoked his bond. Steinmann
previously said his client had a medical condition that prevented him
from urinating on command.
Coe remains in jail on a $300,000
bond, Steinmann said. Coe also is charged with felony injury to a child
in Montgomery County, stemming from a 2007 incident when he allegedly
struck a boy on the head.
A trial date of Feb. 1 has been set in
that case in the 221st state District Court, an official with the
Montgomery County District Clerk’s Office said.
Coe and Young
each face five to 99 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000 on the
injury to a child charges. Coe also faces up to life in prison, with a
minimum sentence of 25 years based on Thompson’s age, in the
first-degree felony charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child.
About
three weeks before Thompson’s death, Harris County Child Protective
Services received a call from Thompson’s pediatrician saying that she
had blisters on her mouth, fingers and genitalia area, a CPS
spokeswoman previously said. On June 12, doctors confirmed that the
blistering was a result of genital herpes, a sexually transmitted
disease.
Young told officials she didn’t know how her daughter had contracted the disease and that she did not have it.
“All previous medical records do not show he (Coe) has herpes,” Steinmann said.
Steinmann
has filed a motion to recuse Keel from the case, citing bias. He claims
Keel specifically told prosecutors what language they should use in the
search warrants for the case and what objections they should make
during court proceedings.
He also said Keel, feeling pressure from the public in the case, decided Sunday to set a hearing the following day.
A hearing on Steinmann’s recusal request has been set for Nov. 12, he said.
No
date has been set, he said, for a hearing regarding a subpoena
Steinmann filed Aug. 27 seeking names and electronic websites of 35
people who commented on Thompson’s death on The Courier’s website.
Attorneys for Houston Community Newspapers, The Courier’s parent company, have filed a motion to quash the subpoena.
Harris County girl also has been indicted on an additional charge of
sexual assault.
But Woodlands attorney Bert Steinmann, who
represents Lucas Ruric Coe, 27, said he has “no idea” why Coe was
indicted Oct. 29 of raping Emma Thompson.
“Upon reviewing the
file, I found no evidence that shows he sexually assaulted her,”
Steinmann said. “There was no evidence of any DNA or any object found.”
Coe
and Thompson’s mother, Abigail Young, were arrested and charged with
felony injury to a child after Emma died June 27 at Memorial Hermann
The Woodlands Hospital. Young had called 9-1-1 after her daughter
vomited before losing consciousness.
After
hearing the results of Thompson’s autopsy in August, Montgomery County
Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Edie Connelly ruled her death a
homicide and also that the girl died from blunt abdominal trauma. There
were bruises to Thompson’s body and stomach.
Young and Coe
bonded out of the Harris County Jail, but Coe was sent back to jail two
days later, Sept. 14, when he failed to provide a urine sample and
232nd state District Judge Mary Lou Keel revoked his bond. Steinmann
previously said his client had a medical condition that prevented him
from urinating on command.
Coe remains in jail on a $300,000
bond, Steinmann said. Coe also is charged with felony injury to a child
in Montgomery County, stemming from a 2007 incident when he allegedly
struck a boy on the head.
A trial date of Feb. 1 has been set in
that case in the 221st state District Court, an official with the
Montgomery County District Clerk’s Office said.
Coe and Young
each face five to 99 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000 on the
injury to a child charges. Coe also faces up to life in prison, with a
minimum sentence of 25 years based on Thompson’s age, in the
first-degree felony charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child.
About
three weeks before Thompson’s death, Harris County Child Protective
Services received a call from Thompson’s pediatrician saying that she
had blisters on her mouth, fingers and genitalia area, a CPS
spokeswoman previously said. On June 12, doctors confirmed that the
blistering was a result of genital herpes, a sexually transmitted
disease.
Young told officials she didn’t know how her daughter had contracted the disease and that she did not have it.
“All previous medical records do not show he (Coe) has herpes,” Steinmann said.
Steinmann
has filed a motion to recuse Keel from the case, citing bias. He claims
Keel specifically told prosecutors what language they should use in the
search warrants for the case and what objections they should make
during court proceedings.
He also said Keel, feeling pressure from the public in the case, decided Sunday to set a hearing the following day.
A hearing on Steinmann’s recusal request has been set for Nov. 12, he said.
No
date has been set, he said, for a hearing regarding a subpoena
Steinmann filed Aug. 27 seeking names and electronic websites of 35
people who commented on Thompson’s death on The Courier’s website.
Attorneys for Houston Community Newspapers, The Courier’s parent company, have filed a motion to quash the subpoena.
TomTerrific0420- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Page 2 of 2 • 1, 2
Permissions of this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum