Dakota Valkyrie
December 21st, 2008, 12:00 PM
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Carla Hughes, victim Avis Banks and her fiance, Keyon Pittman
This occurred in November of 2006 but came up again because she was once again denied bail and scheduled for trial in February.A Jackson woman has been charged with two counts of capital murder in the death of 27-year-old Avis Banks and Banks' unborn child.
Police say 25-year-old Carla Hughes was involved in burglarizing the woman's home, then shooting and stabbing her in the garage.
Banks was shot and stabbed to death and her throat was cut in the garage of her home. Her fiance, Keyon Pittman, called police that night, saying he discovered the body.
No weapons were found at the scene, but police say they now have the .38 caliber gun that was used. They wouldn't say where they found it.
Hughes' attorney, state Sen. Johnnie Walls, said he has known Hughes all her life and he's not aware of any evidence linking her to the murders.
Police continue to investigate whether anyone else may have been involved and the nature of any relationship between Hughes and Pittman. Both were teachers at Chastain Middle School. Hughes resigned after her arrest.
http://www.wtok.com/home/headlines/4869516.html
Keyon Pittman was subpoened to testify during Carla Hughes’ arraignment .
Pittman admitted that he’d been having a sexual relationship with Hughes, a coworker at Chastain Middle School.
He testified that students would sometimes carry love notes between them. He also said Banks knew about the affair but they still planned to marry.
Police arrested Hughes after her cousin came to them with a gun he accused of borrowing from her the week Banks was killed.
The gun matched the half-dozen bullet wounds on Banks’ body.
During a search of Hughes’ apartment, investigators found tennis shoes that matched footprints found at the crime scene with what appeared to be blood spatters on the side.
A love note, signed with the initials K.P. was also found.http://www.wapt.com/news/10660605/detail.html
Former Jackson Public Schools teacher Carla Hughes faces the death penalty, if convicted, and will remain in jail without bond until her Feb. 18 capital murder trial.
Hughes' attorney, Johnnie Walls, renewed his request that Hughes not face the death penalty because she is African American and a descendant of slaves who had experienced overt and cruel discrimination on the basis of race.
Chapman rejected Walls' motion because he said there is no authority in law to allow it. Chapman said he was sticking to his earlier ruling denying Hughes' bail. Typically, bond isn't allowed for a person charged with capital murder.
Hughes is accused of killing Banks in the carport of the Ridgeland home Banks shared with her then-fiance, Keyon Pittman.
Police said it appeared to have been a surprise attack.
Police interviewed Pittman the night of the slaying and at one point classified him as a suspect because he would not agree to a follow-up interview.
Authorities later said there was no evidence to tie Pittman to the slaying.http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20081220/NEWS/812200347/1001/news
(http://www.wapt.com/news/14064848/detail.html)
Carla Hughes, victim Avis Banks and her fiance, Keyon Pittman
This occurred in November of 2006 but came up again because she was once again denied bail and scheduled for trial in February.A Jackson woman has been charged with two counts of capital murder in the death of 27-year-old Avis Banks and Banks' unborn child.
Police say 25-year-old Carla Hughes was involved in burglarizing the woman's home, then shooting and stabbing her in the garage.
Banks was shot and stabbed to death and her throat was cut in the garage of her home. Her fiance, Keyon Pittman, called police that night, saying he discovered the body.
No weapons were found at the scene, but police say they now have the .38 caliber gun that was used. They wouldn't say where they found it.
Hughes' attorney, state Sen. Johnnie Walls, said he has known Hughes all her life and he's not aware of any evidence linking her to the murders.
Police continue to investigate whether anyone else may have been involved and the nature of any relationship between Hughes and Pittman. Both were teachers at Chastain Middle School. Hughes resigned after her arrest.
http://www.wtok.com/home/headlines/4869516.html
Keyon Pittman was subpoened to testify during Carla Hughes’ arraignment .
Pittman admitted that he’d been having a sexual relationship with Hughes, a coworker at Chastain Middle School.
He testified that students would sometimes carry love notes between them. He also said Banks knew about the affair but they still planned to marry.
Police arrested Hughes after her cousin came to them with a gun he accused of borrowing from her the week Banks was killed.
The gun matched the half-dozen bullet wounds on Banks’ body.
During a search of Hughes’ apartment, investigators found tennis shoes that matched footprints found at the crime scene with what appeared to be blood spatters on the side.
A love note, signed with the initials K.P. was also found.http://www.wapt.com/news/10660605/detail.html
Former Jackson Public Schools teacher Carla Hughes faces the death penalty, if convicted, and will remain in jail without bond until her Feb. 18 capital murder trial.
Hughes' attorney, Johnnie Walls, renewed his request that Hughes not face the death penalty because she is African American and a descendant of slaves who had experienced overt and cruel discrimination on the basis of race.
Chapman rejected Walls' motion because he said there is no authority in law to allow it. Chapman said he was sticking to his earlier ruling denying Hughes' bail. Typically, bond isn't allowed for a person charged with capital murder.
Hughes is accused of killing Banks in the carport of the Ridgeland home Banks shared with her then-fiance, Keyon Pittman.
Police said it appeared to have been a surprise attack.
Police interviewed Pittman the night of the slaying and at one point classified him as a suspect because he would not agree to a follow-up interview.
Authorities later said there was no evidence to tie Pittman to the slaying.http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20081220/NEWS/812200347/1001/news
(http://www.wapt.com/news/14064848/detail.html)