Post by KC on Mar 7, 2006 0:04:39 GMT -5
03/06/2006 - BOONVILLE, Ind. -- The responses of the two families to last night's guilty verdicts in the murder trial of former Indiana State Police trooper David Camm reflected their deeply held beliefs about the case.
Camm's family, led by his uncle, Sam Lockhart, reacted with anguish, sobs and anger at the convictions that they have said from the beginning.
On the night of the murders, "Dave was with me," Lockhart said.
But the family and friends of Frank and Janice Renn, parents of Kimberly Camm, who have said all along that they believe David Camm killed his wife and their two children, heaved a collective sigh of relief at the jury's decision.
Frank Renn said, "I think my heart kind of went to my stomach again, but not in the bad way. I just felt a ton of relief. It's a pretty happy thing to hear when that man said guilty."
After the verdicts were read, Julie Hogue, David Camm's sister, said in an anguished voice: "Oh, God." Other members of his family sat quietly while a few began to cry and sob.
At the same time, members of Kimberly Camm's family embraced, slapped each other on the back and hugged members of the prosecution team.
That reaction bothered Donnie Camm, David Camm's brother, who at one point shouted angrily: "They can celebrate somewhere else."
After Camm had left the courtroom for jail, Katharine Liell, one of his lawyers, came back to his family, saying, "David is fine. David is OK. He has not lost it. Don't do anything to make it worse. We have a plan. It is all going to be better."
A pale, shaken Lockhart said his family isn't about to quit. "We're not done. We'll be back," he said, adding that nothing has changed his belief in his nephew's innocence.
He criticized Judge Robert Aylsworth for permitting the prosecution team to submit testimony that suggested that David Camm had molested 5-year-old Jill.
"They had absolutely no evidence of … molestation," Lockhart said, but he believed it swayed jurors.
"When they let that in, that polluted the jurors," he said. "It was hard to overcome."
Lockhart said he doesn't know how his family can survive yet another setback. Camm was convicted earlier in the same case, but that conviction was overturned on appeal.
"It's like a nightmare that never ended. I wouldn't wish this on anybody," Lockhart said.
Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson expressed a similar feeling about Kimberly Camm's family, saying he did not believe any family should have to go through what the Renns had to endure during two trials.
Janice Renn, Kimberly Camm's mother, said prayers and support got the family through the ordeal.
At a news conference, Frank Renn said, "Bradley, Jill and Kim can rest a little easier" after the verdicts.
Debbie Karem, Kimberly Camm's sister, who is seriously ill, was asked by a reporter whether she is worried about an appeal of the verdicts.
"I don't know," Karem said, "I'm just going to hang onto this day. I don't want to think too far ahead."
Camm's family, led by his uncle, Sam Lockhart, reacted with anguish, sobs and anger at the convictions that they have said from the beginning.
On the night of the murders, "Dave was with me," Lockhart said.
But the family and friends of Frank and Janice Renn, parents of Kimberly Camm, who have said all along that they believe David Camm killed his wife and their two children, heaved a collective sigh of relief at the jury's decision.
Frank Renn said, "I think my heart kind of went to my stomach again, but not in the bad way. I just felt a ton of relief. It's a pretty happy thing to hear when that man said guilty."
After the verdicts were read, Julie Hogue, David Camm's sister, said in an anguished voice: "Oh, God." Other members of his family sat quietly while a few began to cry and sob.
At the same time, members of Kimberly Camm's family embraced, slapped each other on the back and hugged members of the prosecution team.
That reaction bothered Donnie Camm, David Camm's brother, who at one point shouted angrily: "They can celebrate somewhere else."
After Camm had left the courtroom for jail, Katharine Liell, one of his lawyers, came back to his family, saying, "David is fine. David is OK. He has not lost it. Don't do anything to make it worse. We have a plan. It is all going to be better."
A pale, shaken Lockhart said his family isn't about to quit. "We're not done. We'll be back," he said, adding that nothing has changed his belief in his nephew's innocence.
He criticized Judge Robert Aylsworth for permitting the prosecution team to submit testimony that suggested that David Camm had molested 5-year-old Jill.
"They had absolutely no evidence of … molestation," Lockhart said, but he believed it swayed jurors.
"When they let that in, that polluted the jurors," he said. "It was hard to overcome."
Lockhart said he doesn't know how his family can survive yet another setback. Camm was convicted earlier in the same case, but that conviction was overturned on appeal.
"It's like a nightmare that never ended. I wouldn't wish this on anybody," Lockhart said.
Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson expressed a similar feeling about Kimberly Camm's family, saying he did not believe any family should have to go through what the Renns had to endure during two trials.
Janice Renn, Kimberly Camm's mother, said prayers and support got the family through the ordeal.
At a news conference, Frank Renn said, "Bradley, Jill and Kim can rest a little easier" after the verdicts.
Debbie Karem, Kimberly Camm's sister, who is seriously ill, was asked by a reporter whether she is worried about an appeal of the verdicts.
"I don't know," Karem said, "I'm just going to hang onto this day. I don't want to think too far ahead."