The Crimes of Florida Death Row Inmate Emilia Carr

Emilia Carr, 26, was sentenced to death for her role in the murder of Heather Strong in what authorities described as a deadly love triangle. Case Summary Josh Fulgham and Heather Strong started dating when Strong was 15 years old. Their relationship was tumultuous from the beginning, but despite it they had two children together. In 2003 the family moved from Mississippi to Marion County, Florida. Their fighting continued and over the next several years the couple fought, broke up, and then reunited several times. In June 2008, during one of their separations, Strong decided she and the children would move in with the couples friend, Benjamin McCollum. The plan was that she would be the live-in nanny for McCollums two children, but after about three weeks their relationship became intimate. Fulgham did not like that Strong lived with McCollum, even though he engaged to Emilia Carr, who had three children and was pregnant with his child. Over the next six months Fulgham stalked and  harassed both Strong and McCollum repeatedly and threatened them both with a gun. According to friends, Strong seemed very happy with McCollum and with her new life. They found it surprising when she decided to leave McCollum and return to Fulgham in December 2008. Carr was also surprised by the couples reunion. A few weeks into December, she was told by Fulgham that their relationship was over and that she had to move out. She told friends that she loved Fulgham and did not know how she would live without him, especially since she was pregnant with his child. By December 26, Fulgham and Strong got married; however their honeymoon was a short one. Six days into the marriage, Strong had Fulgham arrested after he threatened her with a shotgun during a heated argument. Fulgham   was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and remained in jail for several weeks. During that time Carr visited Fulgham and they rekindled their relationship. His mother and Carr, both who were on friendly terms with Strong, tried to get her to write a letter on Fulghams behalf, but she refused. During one such attempt, witnesses said Carr became so enraged by Strongs refusal to help get Fulgham released from jail, that she pulled her hair and held a knife to her neck. She only relinquished the knife after being held in a choke-hold by a mutual friend, James Acome. Hiring a Hit Man James Acome once dated Carr and she believed he was the father of her youngest child, although he never acknowledged it. He was also friends with Strong and Fulgham. In early January, while visiting Carr who was in the advanced stage of pregnancy with Fulghams child, she asked Acome and his friend, Jason  Lotshaw, if they would kill Strong for $500. They rejected her proposal. She told another friend to help her put the word out that she would pay someone $500 to kill Strong. She said that she planned to use her income tax refund to pay for the job. No one applied for the job. Acome and Strong In mid-January, Acome and Strong began dating and moved into an apartment together on January 26, 2009.  A week later Fulgham was released from jail and he moved in with his mother. Strong Disappears On February 15, Fulgham asked his mother to help him compose a letter for Strong to sign, giving him custody of their two children. This was motivated by Carr, who informed Fulgham while he was still in jail that Strong was planning on leaving the state with the children.   On that same day Strong left work after receiving an emergency phone call about her children. Around mid-day on the same day, Fulghams mother saw her son and Strong driving away from her home. Later that evening Acome returned home from work and found that Strong and her children had moved out. He then received a call from Fulgham who told him that he and Strong were back together. Reported as Missing On February 24, 2009, Misty Strong contacted the Marion County Sheriffs office and reported that her cousin Heather Strong had disappeared. The investigation led to Carr and Fulgham who were brought in for questioning. Over the course of several days and multiple interviews, both Carr and Fulgham blamed each other for the murder of Heather Strong. The Murder According to investigators, Fulgham and Carr plotted together to kill Strong because of his earlier arrest and because she had refused Fulghams request for custody of their children and was planning to move them to another state. On February 15, Fulgham lured Strong to a mobile home that was being used for storage and that was located on the property where Carrs family lived. Fulgham told Strong that Carr had hidden money inside the storage trailer. Once the two were inside, Carr, who was seven months pregnant, entered the trailer as planned. Seeing Carr frightened Strong and she attempted to leave the trailer, but Fulgham wrestled her back inside. Fulgham then tied Strong to a chair from which she managed to escape. Then Carr used duct tape to tape her body and hands to the chair while Fulgham held her down. Strong began crying and begging to be released. Instead, Fulgham forced her to sign the custody letter that his mother had helped him prepare. Carr said Fulgham broke the flashlight that she was carrying, when he used it to hit Strong over the head. He then placed a garbage bag over her head while Carr pulled off enough duct tape to wind around Strongs neck, which tightened the bag. Carr then made two failed attempts to break Strongs neck. When that did not work, Fulgham covered Strongs nose and mouth with his hand and suffocated her to death. Two days later, Fulgham returned to the trailer and buried Strongs body in a shallow grave nearby. Fulgham ended up disclosing the location of Strongs body to the detectives while he was being interviewed about her disappearance. He also told them that Carr was responsible for his estranged wifes death. Carr was being questioned at the same time and told detectives that Fulgham was the killer, but her story changed several times. Physical and forensic evidence found at the trailer, in the shallow grave and on Strongs body gave investigators enough to arrest both Carr and Fulgham and charge them with first-degree murder and kidnapping. Take Your Pick Unknown to Carr, Fulghams sister agreed to cooperate with the police. Carr trusted her and would often cry on her shoulder, not knowing her conversations were being recorded. What she told Fulgmans sister about the murder was completely different than what she told the police. At first she said she had not seen Strong since January 2009. Next she said she had information about Fulgham who she said told her that he killed Strong. That changed to discovering Strongs body inside the trailer a day after Fulgham committed the murder. She then admitted to seeing Fulgham kill Strong, which led to her final confession that she helped Fulgham carry out the plan to murder Strong. In her final admission before her trial, she provided investigators with information that proved her involvement; including an accurate description of a blanket and suitcase that she and Fulgham used when burying Strong, as well as a description of the clothing Strong was wearing when she was murdered. She also led police to Strongs shoes that had not been found on the body or in the grave. The Trial At her arraignment in April 2009 Carr waived her right to a speedy trial. Immediately afterwards, lead prosecutor Rock Hooker filed notice of his intent to pursue the death penalty. The trial began on December 1, 2010. State Attorney Brad King, the lead prosecutor, had built the case on circumstantial evidence. There was no real physical evidence found that proved Carr had anything to do with Strongs murder. However, several witnesses lined up to give testimony that they were asked by Carr to kill, or help her find someone to kill, her boyfriends estranged wife, Heather Strong. There was also testimony given about the time Carr held a knife to Strongs throat when she refused to drop charges against Fulgham after he threatened her with a shotgun. However, the most damaging evidence the prosecution presented were videos of Carr telling the police different versions of what happened the night of the murder.   He also presented the tape recordings of Carr talking to Fulgmans sister Michele Gustafson, who was working with the police. Carr supplied a detailed account of what inside the trailer, which contradicted her previous statements to police that she never entered the trailer on the night Strong was murdered. On the tape jurors clearly heard Carr talking about her attempts to break Strongs neck and how she thought it would be quick and painless. She also admitted to Gustafson that Strong fought off Fulgham, but that she helped him restrain her and that they duct taped her to a chair. She also said that she intended to tell authorities that Jamie Acome and Jason Lotshaw were responsible for the murder; although she left out that she had already implicated Fulgham. Carr described how Fulgham hit Strong hard on her head with the flashlight each time she said something that he did not like and finally how she placed the garbage bag over Strongs head and how Fulgham suffocated her to death. The jury deliberated for two and a half hours and found Carr guilty of kidnapping and first-degree murder. Penalty Phase During the penalty phase of the trial, defense attorney Candace Hawthorne spoke about the abuse Carr experienced as a child.  Members of Carrs family testified that she was traumatized as young child after being sexually abused by her father and grandfather. It had little impact on the jury who, in a slim 7-5 vote, recommended that Carr, age 26, receive the death penalty. Having remained silent since her arrest, Carr spoke out to the press after the jury voted for death. In yet another version of what happened, she said that she had never gone into the trailer and in fact did not even know that Fulgham and Strong were there. In reference to the secret tape recording that police had of her admitting her involvement to Fulgmans sister, she said that she was trying to get details about the murder to give to the State Attorney so that she could get immunity and get her children back. She needed details, so she made up stories. She said she felt pressure to make up things after the police threatened her with her children. In February 22, 2011, Circuit Judge Willard Pope formally sentenced Carr to life imprisonment on the kidnapping charges and death for the murder charges.  On February 23, 2011, Carr was moved to death row at Lowell Correctional Institution in Marion County, Florida. Fulgham Gets Off Easy Joshua Fulgham went on trial a year later. He was also found guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping. His defense lawyer asked the jury to consider a life sentence because he suffered from mental and sexual abuse. The jury returned an 8-4 vote for a life sentence. Circuit Judge Brian Lambert upheld the jurys decision and Fulgham was given a life sentence with the possibility of parole.

The Advantage of School Uniforms Essay - 752 Words

Did you know that as many as twenty-five percent of the nation?s pubic elementary, middle, and junior high schools have successfully implemented a school uniform policy? (Isaacson, 1998) School uniforms greatly benefit both the students and faculty by creating an atmosphere in which the students are able to get the most out of their education. I believe that all students should wear school uniforms regardless of whether or not the school is public. Below are clear-cut arguments in favor of school uniforms. First, one of the chief benefits of school uniforms is their ability to make schools safer. Studies have shown that they help to reduce gang influences. (Isaacson, 1998) Many gang members wear particular types of colors and clothes†¦show more content†¦Second, school uniforms helps to eliminate socio-economical barriers. Many students come from diverse backgrounds; however, inside the walls of the school, economic advantages and disadvantages are no longer obvious. (R, 2000) Parents? incomes no longer determine how well his or her son or daughter dresses the next day at school. Uniforms help to erase the tense cultural and economic differences among the students. Not only do students and teachers benefit from the wearing of uniforms, but parents do as well. Parents are no longer pressured to buy the latest fashions; therefore they spend less money on clothes and fashionable apparel. Third, school uniforms help to promote structure and discipline inside of the classroom. This structure creates a strong learning environment and improves the students? behavior and attitude towards schooling. In 1998 a study done by The National Association of Elementary School Principals and Land?s End discovered that schools with an active uniform policy had almost a twenty percent better discipline rate than that of a non-active uniform policy. Studies also showed that student achievement was increased by ten percent. (NAESP, 1998) Because of the learning atmosphere created by uniforms, students are more likely to concentrate on their schoolwork and strive for great grades. Over the many years of this ongoing debate there has only been one case in which the state lost the courtroom ruling,Show MoreRelatedAdvantages Of School Uniforms1095 Words   |  5 PagesSchool Uniforms: The Drawbacks A young female student tears an envelope open and skims through it. The note told that the town was going to vote on whether school uniforms should be issued or not in schools. Then, she swiftly darts for her parent’s bedroom, swerving through her four siblings in the process, to alert her mother and father of the newly received letter. She worried if the town agreed to add in school uniforms, for her parents could not afford five school uniforms. Her family was onRead MoreEssay on The Advantages of School Uniforms530 Words   |  3 Pagesgood view early in the morning. That’s why the school should implement a uniform policy. Uniforms should be mandatory in school. Uniforms make the school appear more professional. Also with uniforms students won’t compare themselves with each other. Moreover uniforms can help students save time. Additionally parents won’t have to waste so much money on clothes hence will have a better budget. A major reason that schools should have uniforms is because students will get along better. TheyRead MoreEssay on Implementation of School Uniforms635 Words   |  3 PagesImplementation of School Uniforms The topic of school uniforms has been highly debated for many years. Many would think it would be the teachers versus the pupils in this debate but they would be wrong, this argument has members from both sides fighting for and against it. In this essay I will look at the topic from both sides and be un-objective in my writing. Many of the arguments made in favour of school uniforms have something to do with the safety of the school communityRead MoreShould School Uniforms Be Mandatory?918 Words   |  4 PagesShould schools have the right to make uniforms mandatory for their students? Some people don’t think so and they argue against the civil liberties that such a mandate would violate. While the opposing opposition thinks that school uniforms belong in the school system, in order to help reduce some of the issues students may face because of their clothes. Although school uniforms for students may have many negative effects, school uniforms may help with reducing the amount of distractions, thereforeRead MoreSchool Uniforms Should Be Implemented Throughout K 12 Public Schools1258 Words   |  6 PagesBobby Mishra Mrs. Bezemek Apps of Comp 24 November 2014 School Uniforms According to a study done by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) said that the popularity of school uniforms are clearly on the rise. Now more schools have uniforms rising from 28 percent to 49 percent in thirteen years (Tucker). School uniforms can help improve behavior leading to safer schools and safer communities. School uniforms can also lead to an increase in academic behavior leading to betterRead MoreWhat s The Whole Point Of School Uniforms?801 Words   |  4 Pagesthe whole point of school uniforms? Do we really need to spend billions of dollars on them? Let’s express our style with the clothes and the colors we wear by getting rid of school uniforms! School uniforms make the school plain and we need to express our own style, make it colorful! School uniforms don’t change the way people act, and you can still bully others. Proponents say that school uniforms are an advantage on how to judge an intruder, but opponents say that scho ol uniforms are a disadvantageRead MoreBenefits Of School Uniforms In School798 Words   |  4 PagesBeneficial Clothing for Schools Around the world, several schools require their students to wear school uniforms. Many students do not adore this idea, but do they truly know how it benefits them. Some wonder if these uniforms actually improve their learning and experiences in school. Numerous questions have arisen when schools consider this idea. The debate today is growing, as schools try to figure out how they can enhance their school. There are various improvements in school systems when they reachRead MoreSchool Uniforms And The School Uniform Policy964 Words   |  4 Pageslearning-oriented schools for their children. In 1996, President Bill Clinton challenged schools that â€Å" †¦ if it means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms.† (Boutelle 36). As a result, the Manual on School Uniforms was issued by the government to provide guidelines for those considering establishing a sch ool uniform policy. Ever since, proponents and opponents of mandated school uniforms haveRead MoreShould School Uniforms Be Mandated?944 Words   |  4 PagesShould School Uniforms Be Mandated in Public Schools? Educators and parents, alike, want safe, respectful learning-oriented schools for their children. In 1996, President Bill Clinton challenged schools â€Å"to teach character education, †¦ And if it means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms.† (Boutelle 36). As a result, the Manual on School Uniforms was issued by the government toRead MoreSchool Uniform Is Good Or Bad?966 Words   |  4 PagesSCHOOL UNIFORMS The school uniform is good or bad? This is a question debated in many schools. School uniforms have many advantages and disadvantages; it depends on the thought and opinion of each person. Some people think that school uniforms display the discipline, obedience of students and it helps students can save time in choosing the outfit every day; it helps poor students have equality with everyone in school; it helps students be distinct from other people and it makes students feel proud

Gay Parenting Essay Example For Students

Gay Parenting Essay The conception that lesbians and gay men may be parents is frequently perceived in todays society as impossible or immoral. Gay men and lesbians are often viewed as excluded from having children because sexual reproduction is related to men and women only. My approach to this uniquely controversial topic of Gay Parenting Essay will be that of attempting to analyze the Pro side first. Gays and lesbians are human too and who is to say that they dont deserve equal rights in society. Society has to realize that the modern family has developed into many different forms in recent years in that the nuclear family is not necessarily the most common form anymore. Then I will attempt to analyze the Con side which expresses the fact that two people of the same sex should not be raising and rearing children together. Many believe that if the couple is unable to produce children together, then they shouldnt be raising them as parents. Children need a balance in their lives and different sexed parents can provide that balance efficiently. Each parent (mom or dad) socializes the child differently and the child needs to be introduced to both worlds. I will then proceed to critique both sides on strengths and weaknesses, based on facts, studies, and my own opinion, and then draw some of my own conclusions on this controversial topic of Gay Parenting. Pro Position There is no valid reason for refusing to call lesbian and gay headed household families. They fall under every conceivable criterion for identifying families and the concept of a Family. They are groups of coresident kin providing jointly through income-pooling for eachothers need of food and shelter. They socialize children, engage in emotional and physical support, and make up part of a larger kin network. (O Brien and Weir, 128). There are also many homophobic ( the irrational fear or hatred of homosexuality or gay people, Biery 88) individuals in todays society who are the main cause of negative stereotypes against lesbians and gay parents. These negative stereotypes all prove to be untrue and irrational, revealing that gay and lesbian parents could be equally as fit to straight parents. The accusation that majority of gay men are child molesters has been rejected in that the overwhelming majority of child sexual abusers area heterosexual men, who abuse both boys and girls. The fear that children of lesbian and gay parents will become lesbian or gay is irrational in that studies show that the sexual orientation of the parents has no effect whatsoever on sexual orientation of youths. The concern that the children of gay and lesbian headed families will not develop so called appropriate gender identity or gender behaviour has been introduced. This was proved incorrect in that when comparing children of gay parents to children of straight parents, there was no significant difference in these two areas. The last stereotype involving the fear that emotional damage will effect the child due to coping with the issue of having lesbian or gay parents. Once again this was proved to be false and the general psychological well being of children in gay and lesbian households matches that of children of heterosexual parent households. (O Brien and Weir, 129). These common stereotypes heard frequently in todays society have all been proved incorrect and ignorant. Therefore they illustrate that gay and lesbian parents are continually stereotyped against unfairly and unjustly. Lesbians and gay men are popularly and commonly thought of by society to have a negative influence on children. This places an enormous strain and great pressure on lesbian and gay headed families, which is totally unnecessary. When we assume male-headed nuclear families to be central units of kinship, and all alternative patterns to be extensions or exceptions, we accept as aspect of cultural hegemony instead of studying it. Adversity Essay Because a person could go straight to hell for committing such a bad sin than why should America cater to such a horrible thing? Just because its common to see a gay couple does not make it right. .

Subliminal Messages Essay Example

Subliminal Messages Paper After reading the article, what hypothesis do you think the researchers were testing in this study? Looking at the article of Merikle and Skanes, they analyzed the relationship revolving around the actual effects of subliminal tapes on the way it enhances or helps users in their problems pertaining to various health reasons. â€Å"The present study was a direct attempt to evaluate possible placebo effects that may occur following regular listening to subliminal audiotapes† (Merikle and Skanes, 1992, p. 773) In their study though, the two did not mention any hypothesis concerning the relationship of subliminal tapes in achieving a placebo effect among its patrons. Due to this, after reading the article, a probable hypothesis that the researchers used in testing the study revolved around establishing the relationship and actual effect of subliminal tapes and the placebo effect among its users. In addition, the hypothesis may have been geared towards such claim due to the fact that in their analysis and discussion, the two pointed out that subliminal message/s in audiotapes have no relationship whatever to persons achieving a placebo effect and creating improvements in their certain problems. â€Å"The results of the present study provide no evidence whatsoever that subliminal audiotapes are an effective means for modifying behavior† (Merinkle and Skanes, 1992, p. 775) We will write a custom essay sample on Subliminal Messages specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Subliminal Messages specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Subliminal Messages specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer For what reason were researchers interested in testing this hypothesis; what do you think was their purpose in doing so? In the analysis of Merikle and Skanes, the researchers pointed out the importance of conducting this study. There had been various researches that emphasize the positive effects of subliminal tapes in achieving a placebo effect among patients. â€Å"Recent studies in which the efficacy of subliminal and placebo audiotapes has been compared are unanimous in showing no advantage for subliminal tapes relative to comparable placebo tapes† (Merinkle and Skanes, 1992, 772). In their own way of understanding, the authors used such contention to create a standpoint or view that subliminal tapes have no direct relationship in achieving placebo effect contrary to what other researches have been pointing out. Another reason of interest revolves around the notion that the author’s wanted to disprove the notion of many researches conducted by the producers of subliminal tapes towards the aim of achieving a placebo effect among patients. It is through this that they tried and tested their own analysis using data gathering and experimentation techniques. The authors in the study pointed out that there have been no striking differences in weight loss among the volunteer respondents. Seeing this, the purpose of Merinkle and Skankes is to create awareness among patrons to think again of purchasing these subliminal tapes. This is due to the results presented by the authors and several studies concerning the two concepts relationship. With this, the notion of the impact of subliminal tapes shall be lessened and its credibility is addressed and questioned appropriately. Briefly state the results After the respondents were tested using various research instruments, the study reported several findings that second the claim made by previous studies that indeed subliminal messages do not facilitate the creation of a placebo effect. Seeing the results, it revolved around the answers posted on postexperiment questionnaires, the loss of weight gained after using the subliminal device and the differences in the practices of their relative vices and problems. In postexperiment questionnaires, it showed a striking relation between the answers among respondents. It was said that â€Å"the answers that the subjects gave on the postexperiment questionnaires indicated that the three groups were roughly equivalent in terms of listening habits and life-style changes during the course of the study† (Merinkle and Skanes, 1992, 774). With regards to the issue surrounding weight loss and differences in practice, the results showcased little changes that can be characterized to be drastic in the analysis. It was mentioned that â€Å"a similar number of subjects in each group reported an increase in the number of times they participated in weekly exercises, and no more than 1 subject across all three groups reported a decrease in weekly exercise, a cessation in the use of tobacco, or a change in the use of oral contraceptives† (Merinkle and Skanes, 1992, 774). How could you apply the results of this study to helping students improve their marks in this (or any other) course? Applying this paper in the realm of student education, there are lessons that can be exhausted from their analysis. The first important facet that students must learn is to be critical about the information they gain. It is not sufficient for them to absorb information; they must synthesize these issues to create better understanding and personal development. In addition, by thinking critically about issues, students can gain advantage on how properly to address them – through research and testing. On the other hand, the results also point out that improvement must come from the individual. He/she does not need any instruments that will motivate him/her to pursue such actions. Only with the proper willpower can such issue be addressed appropriately and effectively. Can you think of any way this study could have been improved, or extended? A way this study can be extended is by allowing the time frame of the study to be longer than the usual. The objective of this is to actually determine in the long run if such subliminal tapes affect the creation of placebo effect. Also, better gauges, results and measurements can be established that can set a better outcome for the study. Reference Merikle, P. M. and Skanes, H. E. (1992) Subliminal Self-Help Audiotapes: A Search for Placebo Effects in Journal of Applied Psychology. 77 no. 5 Retrieved July 16, 2008. pp. 772-776.