Sowell sat motionless throughout the statements given by 13 people, with his eyes closed and appearing as if he were sleeping.

By JAMES W. WADE III

Staff Reporter

Family members of the murder victims of the Imperial serial killer Anthony Sowell had a chance to speak out against him. The heartbreak felt by those impacted by the horrific crimes of Sowell was expressed in court during victim impact statements given prior to his sentencing. During the proceedings Sowell sat silently and kept his eyes closed while waiting to hear if a judge would sentence him to death.

“Anthony Sowell, I don't want to give you the satisfaction of standing up here and telling you how you destroyed our family,” said Donita Carmichael, who spoke on behalf of the family of Tonia Carmichael, the first victim identified in Sowell's Imperial Avenue home. "You are an animal and hell awaits your arrival,” she added.

Carmichael went on to say, "I'll never forgive you. The way you sat here during these court proceedings without an ounce of remorse. The only time you showed some type of emotion was when your family, who had to be subpoenaed to speak on your behalf, tried to defend you or talked about some sentimental memory that brought a tear to your eye. Little do you know we have been crying since Nov. 10, 2008.”

Sowell sat motionless throughout the statements given by 13 people, with his eyes closed and appearing as if he were sleeping.

Denise Hunter, a family member of Amelda Hunter, Sowell's fifth murder victim, spoke of the evil that Sowell represents.

“We now know the predator who severed up such evil,” said Hunter. “We now know how you preyed upon your victims. It was you and you alone. You gave them no mercy, no compassion. And you stand there with your hatred and you listen to their pleas to live. You heard them cry for their lives.” Hunter added, “You and you alone had a chance to stop this madness, yet you continued.”

Florence Brey, the mother of murder victim Crystal Dozier and the aunt of murder victim Amelda Hunter, spoke of Sowell impending execution. “From what time you have left on this earth, I hope you never have peace,” said Brey. “Because one thing for sure is that you will have to answer to God for what you have done.”

In addition to the many family members of victims who spoke in court, two women, Shawn Morris and Gladys Wade Thomas, survivors of attacks by Sowell inside the Imperial Avenue home, also spoke.

Morris was first to speak saying, “And now it is time to reap what he has sown... and I forgive him.” Thomas also chose to forgive Sowell and added, “I just want to say that he didn't kill me, but he killed what I was.”

Following the statements, Judge Dick Ambrose asked Sowell if he wanted to speak. Sowell remained silent and never looked at the judge.

Judge Ambrose later established Oct. 29, 2012, as the date, pending appeals, that Anthony Sowell will die.

A document filed in a Cleveland court shows attorneys for the serial killer sentenced to death last week, plan to request a new trial, alleging juror misconduct.

A motion filed says the jury forewoman was prejudiced against Sowell. The attorneys cite comments made by the forewoman after the trial, including her statement that Sowell winked at her at one point.

The appeal is a premature, due to the fact that Judge Ambrose has yet to submit all of his paper work for the sentencing. The defense has to wait 14 days after the sentencing before they can request a new trial.

Looking back to before the trial even began; the State Supreme Court kicked Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold off the case after defense lawyers questioned if she could be fair. Next, Judge Timothy McGinty took himself off the trial after defense lawyers raised questions about him releasing records.

In addition to all of that, during trial, Judge Dick Ambrose held a big part of jury selection behind closed doors, an act Anthony Sowell never agreed upon. Defense lawyers also made an issue of an interrogation that went on for hours, videotaped without Sowell's permission. Prosecutors even asked for a mistrial.

Could there even be an argument of ineffective counsel because of issues with Sowell's own defense lawyers who didn't call any witnesses as the jury considered guilt or innocence. An appeals court won't look at what Sowell did, but how the system treated him.