Saturday, May 14, 2011

Not-so-Safe Minnesota; Another Gun Death

Later this weekend I'll try to reconstruct the missing posts.

In the interim, from the May 14th 2011 STrib:
Woman guilty of first-degree murder in pawn shop robbery
by Abby Simons

A Hennepin County jury convicted a woman of murder for her role in a 2009 pawn shop robbery that left a customer dead.Rosalyn McDonald-Richards, 58, was found guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder. The jury delivered its verdict at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday after deliberating about 12 hours.

McDonald-Richards only bowed her head when the verdict was read, while her attorney, Philip Leavenworth, gently patted her back to console her. Her family, including siblings who testified on her behalf, only looked on.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 19. A first-degree murder conviction carries a life sentence.

McDonald-Richards was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the September 2009 robbery at Avi's Pawn and Jewelry in Richfield. She was accused of helping to plot the robbery and serving as a getaway driver for her boyfriend, Calvin Anderson, and the shooter, Johnny Perry. Perry shot customer Malcolm Cowens, 33, as Cowens and clerk Antonio Culpepper as they tried to flee the store during the robbery. Cowens, who was shot in the back, died. Culpepper survived.

"There are really no winners today," said Cowens' twin sister, Christina Cowens-Gholson. "More than a few hundred dollars was taken that day, and in a way the system has made the defendant pay for that day."

Prosecutors contend that although McDonald-Richards didn't set foot in the store during the robbery, her role made her just as culpable as Anderson, the alleged mastermind, and Perry, who pulled the trigger. All three were charged with first-degree murder. Perry pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last year and received a 33-year sentence in exchange for testifying against his co-defendants. Anderson has not yet gone to trial.

McDonald-Richards, who took the stand in her own defense, contended throughout the trial that she did not know Anderson and Perry's intentions when she drove them to Avi's that evening and waited outside. She initially told police Anderson had taken her car that night, but later admitted to lying because she was scared, although she said she had nothing to do with the robbery. She contended that Anderson was abusive and manipulative, and she was planning to leave him the day before the robbery occurred. She had been in the pawn shop that morning, she said, and claims she told Anderson in passing about a $4,000 transaction she saw. Later that day, Anderson asked her to pick up Perry and drive them to Avi's.

Leavenworth said he plans to appeal McDonald-Richards' conviction.

"Ms. Richards, from the first day I met her, maintained her innocence. I believed her then and I believe her now, but the jury has the last word and they have spoken," he said.

Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Judith Hawley declined comment, as did McDonald-Richards' family.


A Hennepin County jury convicted a woman of murder for her role in a 2009 pawn shop robbery that left a customer dead.Rosalyn McDonald-Richards, 58, was found guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder. The jury delivered its verdict at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday after deliberating about 12 hours.

McDonald-Richards only bowed her head when the verdict was read, while her attorney, Philip Leavenworth, gently patted her back to console her. Her family, including siblings who testified on her behalf, only looked on.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 19. A first-degree murder conviction carries a life sentence.

McDonald-Richards was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the September 2009 robbery at Avi's Pawn and Jewelry in Richfield. She was accused of helping to plot the robbery and serving as a getaway driver for her boyfriend, Calvin Anderson, and the shooter, Johnny Perry. Perry shot customer Malcolm Cowens, 33, as Cowens and clerk Antonio Culpepper as they tried to flee the store during the robbery. Cowens, who was shot in the back, died. Culpepper survived.

"There are really no winners today," said Cowens' twin sister, Christina Cowens-Gholson. "More than a few hundred dollars was taken that day, and in a way the system has made the defendant pay for that day."

Prosecutors contend that although McDonald-Richards didn't set foot in the store during the robbery, her role made her just as culpable as Anderson, the alleged mastermind, and Perry, who pulled the trigger. All three were charged with first-degree murder. Perry pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last year and received a 33-year sentence in exchange for testifying against his co-defendants. Anderson has not yet gone to trial.

McDonald-Richards, who took the stand in her own defense, contended throughout the trial that she did not know Anderson and Perry's intentions when she drove them to Avi's that evening and waited outside. She initially told police Anderson had taken her car that night, but later admitted to lying because she was scared, although she said she had nothing to do with the robbery. She contended that Anderson was abusive and manipulative, and she was planning to leave him the day before the robbery occurred. She had been in the pawn shop that morning, she said, and claims she told Anderson in passing about a $4,000 transaction she saw. Later that day, Anderson asked her to pick up Perry and drive them to Avi's.

Leavenworth said he plans to appeal McDonald-Richards' conviction.

"Ms. Richards, from the first day I met her, maintained her innocence. I believed her then and I believe her now, but the jury has the last word and they have spoken," he said.

Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Judith Hawley declined comment, as did McDonald-Richards' family.

5 comments:

  1. Cry me an EFFING RIVER.... hang out with dogs expect to get fleas..She was accused of helping to plot the robbery and serving as a getaway driver for her boyfriend,..no sympathy whatsoever, she is getting what she deserved, shared responsibility and all.

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  2. According to the complaint, Mcdonald-Richards had been to the pawn shop earlier in the day and drew a layout of the pawn shop on an envelope for Perry and Anderson. Mcdonald-Richards drove Perry and Anderson away from the scene after they committed the crime.

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  3. I don't believe "felony murder" should be the same as "1st degree murder."

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  4. Horse-crap, you want to paint all gun owners with a really broad brush why not a murderer she participated in the crime, helped to prepare for the crime, she deserves life in prison when her well laid plans got an innocent man killed.

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  5. I don't paint all gun owners with the same broad brush, and I don't paint all who are accused of murder with the same one either.

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