MARCUS HILL - 4 yo (12/10) - /Convicted: Stepfather, Jeremy Coleman - Bessemer, AL

03-05-2014, 06:36 PM


A Bessemer man is on trial this week for capital murder in the 2010 death of his 4-year-old stepson.

If convicted, 37-year-old Jeremy Coleman could face a possible death sentence. Testimony began Tuesday in the trial before Bessemer Cutoff Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge David Hobdy.

Coleman is charged in the death of his stepson, Marcus Hill, who was a special needs student.

"He (Coleman) absolutely denies any involvement," said Yusuf Salim Olufemi, who along with Ed Tumlin represents Coleman.

Assistant Jefferson County District Attorneys Leslie Schiffman and Jill Ganus Veitch are prosecuting the case.

Marcus was discovered dead by his mother on the morning of Dec. 2, 2010, according to court records. Coleman was arrested several days later after an autopsy by Jefferson County Medical Examiner Robert Brissie, who died last year. The child died from injuries to his head, according to court records.

Coleman had told police that when he put Marcus to bed about 11 p.m. the night before, Murcus was happy and playing, according to one court record. Brissie, however, reported that after having the injuries, the child would not have been able to eat, play or act normal in any way, according to the court record.

When Marcus left school, he had been playing and "appeared perfectly normal," according to the court record. Brissie also reported that the child would have slowly died after the injuries, according to the court record.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2014/03/..._for_capi.html

3-25-2014, 02:38 PM

Bessemer man found guilty of felony murder in 2010 beating death of 4-year-old stepson

BESSEMER, Alabama - A jury late this morning found a Bessemer man guilty of felony murder in the 2010 beating death of his 4-year-old stepson.

Jeremy Coleman, 37, had been charged with capital murder, but the jury found him guilty of the lesser charge of felony murder after nearly three days of deliberations.

Coleman was charged in the Dec. 2, 2010 death of his stepson, Marcus Hill, a 4-year-old special needs student.

"I'm thankful to the jury for all of their hard work on this case and I am so glad that there is justice for Marcus," said Assistant Bessemer Cutoff Jefferson County District Attorney Leslie Schiffman.

One of Coleman's attorneys, Yusuf Salim Olufemi, said Coleman maintains his innocence and will appeal the verdict. He said Coleman was truthful in a polygraph test performed by a retired FBI agent.

Polygraph tests are not admissible in a trial, but would have been during the sentencing phase if the jury had found Coleman guilty of capital murder, Olufemi said.

Olufemi also questioned Bessemer Cutoff Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge David Hobdy on Wednesday giving the jury what's called a "dynamite charge" to continue their deliberations after they reported they were deadlocked. "Clearly it was a compromised verdict," he said.

Posecutors say Marcus died early that morning from injuries that night and Coleman was the only one who could have done it. Defense attorneys argued that the injuries were from an accidental fall down stairs on Nov. 30, 2010.

Schiffman and Jill Ganus Veitch prosecuted the case. Defense attorney Ed Tumlin also represents Coleman. The trial had begun March 3 and the jury began deliberations on Monday afternoon.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2014/03/...ilty_of_f.html

Yesterday, 07:50 PM

Bessemer man sentenced for murder conviction in death of 4-year-old step son

BESSEMER, Alabama - A 37-year-old Bessemer man was sentenced Monday to spend the rest of his life in prison for his conviction in the death of his 4-year-old stepson.

Jeremy Coleman was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole by Bessemer Cutoff Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge David Hobdy. The sentence was pronounced at the end of an emotional hearing that included testimony from

Coleman's family and relatives of his stepson.

Coleman, who maintained his innocence at today's hearing, was convicted March 13 of felony murder in the Dec. 2, 2010 death of Marcus Hill, a 4-year-old special needs student.

"Please do not grant him any leniency in this case," said Anthony Stewart, the grandfather asked the judge. Stewart called Coleman a "cold-hearted killer."

Stewart and another family member said they didn't want Coleman to have another opportunity to harm another child.

Coleman's family, however, told the judge that Coleman didn't kill the child.

"My son is not a murderer," said Patricia McDole. "Jeremy loved Marcus," she said in pleading for the judge to give her son another chance.

Assistant Bessemer Cutoff Jefferson County District Attorney Leslie Schiffman told Hobdy that Marcus Hill did not have a second chance and asked for the judge to give Coleman a life without the possibility of parole sentence.

"I'm extremely happy and I think justice was served," Schiffman said after the hearing. "I just hope that the family can have some closure and move on and that Mr. Coleman will not have an opportunity to harm another child."

Coleman apologized to Marcus' family but maintained his innocence during the sentence hearing.

Yusuf Salim Olufemi submitted a lie detector test given Coleman by a retired FBI agent. The test showed that Coleman did not lie when he denied killing Marcus, he said.

Lie detector tests are not admissible at trial but he successfully argued that it could be entered to the judge at the sentencing phase.

Olufemi also argued that the jury had decided against convicting Coleman on a capital murder charge, which could have led to a potential death sentence. The jury instead convicted him on a lesser charge of felony murder, which he said shows the jury's lack of confidence in Coleman's guilt.

Olufemi also told the judge that the verdict appeared to be a compromise because someone had to be responsible for the child's death.

Posecutors argued at the trial that Marcus died from injuries sustained the previous night and that Coleman was the only one who could have done it. Defense attorneys argued that the injuries were from an accidental fall down stairs several days before.

Defense attorney Ed Tumlin, who also represented Coleman, said he believes the prosecution and conviction came down to two unexplained hours the night before Marcus died. "We're very disappointed," he said after the hearing.

In sentencing Coleman, the judge considered the fact that Coleman had four previous felony convictions - two involving drugs, plus one third-degree robbery charge and one count of obstructing justice.

Coleman's attorneys said that there would be an appeal. They have already filed a motion for a new trial. Hobdy set a hearing for July 30 to consider the motion and appointed Coleman a new attorney for the purposes of appeal.

Marcus' mother, Tynecia Stewart, is awaiting trial now slated for this fall on a charge of child abuse-failure to protect. If convicted, she could face up to 10 years in prison. Stewart had testified for the prosecution at Coleman's trial.

Assistant Jefferson County District Attorney Jill Ganus Veitch also prosecuted the case.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2014/06/...l#incart_river