Latasha Norman, Jackson MS/ Stanley Cole Charged with Murder Trial set 9/22/08

[Pauli]

Mississippi Police Chief Says Missing Student Ignored Due to Race

http://www.foxnews.com/images/325638/2_61_norman_latasha.jpg (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312389,00.html#) AP

Missing Student Latasha Norman

JACKSON, Miss. — The newly named chief of Mississippi's largest police force says race is among the reasons the case of a missing Jackson State University student hasn't received national media attention.

Latasha Norman, who is black, was last seen Nov. 13 in one of her classes. Her car was left on the campus, but she never returned to her dormitory room when the afternoon class ended.

"As far as the interest by the national media in the story, I think race probably had an impact," said Jackson Police Chief Malcolm McMillin, who is white. "It's a small college in the South. It's the daughter of simple people who maybe are not important outside of their circle, and maybe we don't attach the same importance to them that we do for other people."

McMillin said the nation's eyes have been on a Chicago case in which a former police officer, Drew Peterson, is suspected in the disappearance more than three weeks ago of his wife, Stacy. The couple is white. Since Stacy Peterson disappeared, authorities have said they believe the death of the former officer's third wife three years ago was a homicide staged as a drowning accident.

"We need to show the same kind of concern for this," McMillin said of Norman's disappearance, adding that heightened exposure could help develop leads in the case.

Police have no suspects in the disappearance of Norman, a 20-year-old junior accounting major from the Mississsippi Delta city of Greenville. Her ex-boyfriend and her current boyfriend are among those police have questioned, said Luther Samuel, a detective with the campus police.

"We haven't ruled anyone out," Samuel said.

Norman's ex-boyfriend, Stanley Cole, was arrested Thursday on charges stemming from an incident last month. Cole was charged with simple assault after being accused of striking Norman with his fist Oct. 9 as the two argued in a restaurant parking lot in Pearl. Cole, who is a student at Jackson State, is free on bond.

Samuel said investigators have combed the campus and have been searching all over the state. He said police haven't received any sightings of Norman. He declined to elaborate on details of the investigation.

Norman's father, Danny Bolden, held his wife's hand tightly as he discussed his daughter. He said the last time they talked to her was the night of Nov. 12 as she traveled from her job at a craft shop in Jackson.

"We're not going to stop until we know something. We're going to be relentless," Bolden said. "I'll ask that God may touch whoever ... may have done this, that they may come forward and bring Tasha back to us because we love her very much."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312389,00.html

[Pauli]

Missing Woman Coverage a Black and White Issue?


<H2>Police Chief Wants Media Help in Finding Missing College Student


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Jackson Police Chief Malcolm McMillin, who is white, said he thinks the race of Latasha Norman, who is black, is one reason her missing person's case is not getting as much media attention as Stacy Peterson's disappearance. (AP Photo)



</H2>
Why does one missing woman get all the attention while another woman's story becomes a buried headline?

Jackson, Miss., Police Chief Malcolm McMillin, who has been heading a search over the past eight days for 20-year-old Latasha Norman, thinks he knows one reason why.

"As far as the interest by the national media in the story, I think race probably had an impact," the police chief said.

Norman, who is an honors student at Jackson State University, is black.
"It's a small college in the South. It's the daughter of simple people who maybe are not important outside of their circle, and maybe we don't attach the same importance to them that we do for other people," said McMillin, who is white.

The chief contrasted the lack of publicity over the Norman search to the widespread coverage of Stacy Peterson's disappearance. Peterson, who is white, is the 23-year-old wife of former Illinois cop Drew Peterson who vanished in late October. The media glare on the Peterson case has prompted police to reopen the criminal investigation into the death of Drew Peterson's third wife.

"We're looking for the media to give this case as much exposure as it can so that we can develop some leads," McMillin said.

Norman, an accounting major from Greenville, Miss., was last seen on Tuesday, Nov. 13 when she left a marketing class around 2:30 p.m. She was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans at the time.

Luther Samuel, an investigator for the Jackson State Department of Public Safety, said the department is limited in the details it can release, but said they have received a number of tips and that several areas, including the campus, have been searched.

Norman's boyfriend Stanley Cole, 23, was charged last week with assaulting Norman and released on $500 bond, The Clarion-Ledger of Mississippi reported Saturday. Norman told police in Pearl, Miss., that Cole hit her in the face during an argument in a restaurant parking lot. Cole, who is also a student at Jackson State, has not been named a suspect in Norman's disappearance.

Norman's family members, who described Norman Tuesday as focused and easygoing, pledged to keep searching for the young woman until she is found. "We're not going to stop until we know something," her father, Danny Bolden, said. "We're going to be relentless."

The Jackson State University Department of Public Safety, the Jackson police and the Hinds County Sheriff's Department are all working on the case. The FBI has also offered its assistance.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=3898158&page=1

[Pauli]

Campus holds prayer vigil for missing JSU student
Have you seen Latasha Norman?

By LaRaye Brown

Family members of missing Jackson State University student Latasha Norman joined faculty and students in a prayer vigil at the university Friday evening. Norman has been missing since Tuesday. Her family and friends say it's unlike the accounting major from Greenville not to let them know her whereabouts. http://www.clarionledger.com/graphics/pixel.gif

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TO HELP
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Anyone who may have seen Latasha Norman is asked to call Jackson State at (601) 979-1659 or the Jackson Police Department at (601) 960-1210.
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A day after her ex-boyfriend was arrested for allegedly assaulting her last month, family and friends of Latasha Norman gathered Friday to pray for the Jackson State University student's safe return.

Norman has been missing since Tuesday. The 20-year-old junior accounting major from Greenville was last seen leaving class. Her car was left on the campus, and friends and family said they knew something was wrong when they didn't hear from her.

http://www.clarionledger.com/graphics/pixel.gif
Jackson State's Police Department is handling the investigation and has released little information about Norman. Chief Rebecca Coleman did not return calls Friday for comment.

On Oct. 9, Norman told Pearl police Stanley Cole hit her in the face with his fist as they argued in a restaurant parking lot. Cole left before officers arrived.

Capt. Ronnie Conerly said Pearl officers on Thursday picked up Cole, 23, at the JSU Police Department on a simple assault charge. He was released the same day on a $500 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Pearl City Court on the assault charge Nov. 29.

Cole, who gave police a Greenville address, could not be reached for comment Friday.

Norman's father, Danny Bolden, said he didn't learn about the incident in Pearl until coming to Jackson on Wednesday.

"She's been trying to break it off with him," Bolden said.

Norman's roommate Sade Aultman, a 21-year-old junior, said she last saw Norman on Tuesday morning. Aultman said she was shocked when campus police told her Norman was missing.

"She didn't bother nobody," Aultman said, earlier describing her friend of three years as nice and friendly.

A cousin, JSU student LaMarcus Norman, 22, said he's been too upset to go to class. "It's been difficult. I'm used to seeing her in the hall," he said.

Another cousin, Takesha Norman, 30, drove in from Greenville on Friday to be with the rest of her family. "We're just patiently praying together until something comes through," she said.

Others at the vigil didn't know the victim.

"Just for anybody to have to go through a situation like this is just sad, just not to know where she is," Germaine Tuckett, a 20-year-old student, said as she wiped tears.

Tuckett and other students are planning to distribute fliers carrying Norman's picture at today's game against Alcorn State University. Fliers have been distributed on the campus, as well.

Bolden said he's gotten very little information from JSU's Police Department or from the Jackson Police department, which is assisting campus police. "Because of all this turmoil that's going on between the mayor and his chief, they are slow," he said.

Jackson Police Cmdr. Lee Vance referred questions to the school's police department.
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071117/NEWS/711170374

[Pauli]

ABOUT JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY JUNIOR LATASHA NORMAN

http://www.jsums.edu/%7Eannouncements/latashacolorphotolarge.jpg






The Jackson State University Department of Public Safety, Jackson Police Department and Hinds County Sheriff's Department are continuing the search for missing JSU student Latasha Norman.
Latasha, a junior, has been missing since approximately 2:20 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13.

The 20-year-old accounting major from Greenville, Miss., is of medium-brown complexion, stands approximately 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs between 115 and 120 pounds. She was last seen wearing a white shirt and blue jeans.

To report information regarding Latasha’s whereabouts, call one of the following numbers:
JSU Public Safety, 601-979-1659
JSU Public Safety, 601-979-2580
JPD Missing Persons Bureau, 601-960-1210
Jackson Police Dept. 601-960-1234





JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS RELEASES
Nov. 27, 2007

http://pr.jsums.edu/show.asp?durki=717

[Pauli]

Not Normal For Norman To Not Call
http://media.amw.com/multimedia/fileRepository/db/472/165/Latasha_cnt.jpg
Cops say Latasha never made it home after class.


Latasha Norman, a 20-year-old accounting major at Jackson State University, went missing on November 13, 2007 after leaving her 2:30 p.m. class to go to her job at a Michael's craft store. Cops say she never came home that night, and when they went to visit her workplace, found that she had never made it to her job either.

Cops are working with neighboring law enforcement agencies and the FBI to track her cell phone records, but have not released any findings.

Latasha's ex-boyfriend, 23-year-old Stanley Cole, was arrested November 15, 2007 on an outstanding warrant for assault on Latasha. According to police, Cole allegedly struck Latasha in the face with his fist on October 9, 2007 after an argument in a restaurant parking lot in Pearl, Miss. Cole was released on a $500 bond. Cops say the couple had not been dating for some time. Her current boyfriend has also been interviewed.

Latasha's father, Danny Bolden, said that his daughter's tired had been slashed a couple weeks prior to her disappearance, and that a temporary license plate sticker had been stolen from her car. Latasha reported the incident to university police, but it has not been determined if the vandalism is related to her disappearance.

Now, family, friends, and police are doing their best to find out what happened to Latasha, and keep faith that she will come home safely.

http://www.amw.com/missing_persons/case.cfm?id=50994

[Pauli]

FBI Looking at Case of Missing Student
By SHELIA BYRD – 5 days ago
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) —

The 20-year-old college student has been missing for a week, and this city's police chief says her race is the reason her disappearance hasn't gotten more attention. Norman, who is black, was last seen Nov. 13, 2007 in one of her classes at Jackson State University. Her car was left on the campus, and the 20-year-old never returned to her dormitory room.

Those who know Latasha Norman describe her as a serious, smart student who was seen around Jackson State University with pad and pencil, covering stories for the campus newspaper.

They say it's out of her character to disappear without a word to her family and friends. She was last seen at the end of an afternoon class Nov. 13.

Campus and city police have fielded dozens of calls, to no avail. The FBI is now part of the investigation, bringing useful resources, especially if the search goes beyond Mississippi's borders, Special Agent Jason Pack said Wednesday.

"We're looking at the circumstances of the case, putting a fresh set of eyes on it and trying to come up with some leads so we all can bring her home safely," Pack said.

In recent weeks, Norman had been the target of attacks. Someone slashed her car tires and removed the vehicle's license plate. Her father instructed her to file reports with the campus police, and she did.

Last week, an ex-boyfriend of Norman's was charged with hitting her last month. He has withdrawn as a student from Jackson State, university officials said Wednesday.

Police say they have no suspects. Among those they have questioned are her current boyfriend and the ex-boyfriend.

Norman's father, Danny Bolden, is clinging to the hope that she will brought home safely. Bolden, a supervisor at a wastewater treatment facility, traveled from Greenville to Jackson as soon as he heard his daughter was missing.

Norman was 2 when her mother married Bolden, who said he's the only father she's ever known. Asked to describe Norman, he used the words "Christian," "humble," and "high morals."

The 20-year-old who grew up in the heart of the impoverished Mississippi Delta is working her way through school and has a job at a Jackson craft shop.

Bolden said she didn't receive a scholarship to college, but has a 3.5 grade point average at Jackson State.

Norman, a junior majoring in accounting, was assigned to the campus newspaper, The Blue and White Flash, as part of her work study, said Glenda Glover, dean of JSU's College of Business.

"Each time I saw her, she always had a stack of books," Glover said. "She's quiet. She didn't hang out."

Bolden said that during high school, Norman was involved in activities like band and the church choir.

But he added, "She really was a private type person, and she didn't associate with too many people. She wasn't like most young ladies that had a bunch of friend girls."

Andrell Harris, Jackson State's student body president, said he and Norman had been friends for about two years.

"We saw her on the yard a lot because (as a reporter) she was always in the public eye," Harris said. She said people could make Norman laugh "if you had a personality."

"I just hate for her family to go through a holiday season without her being there," she said.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hcuHLOIiPj8mlKdDMZKUcG0ryf_AD8T2DDDG0

[Pauli]

Professor Has High Praise for Missing Jackson State Student

By J. Samuel Cook-Dormoh
Black College Wire

One of Latasha Norman's professors described the junior accounting major as one of her most dedicated students and "an independent thinker" in an interview with Black College Wire. http://www.blackcollegewire.org/news/071119_jsu_missing/missing_flyer.jpgFliers are being circulated throughout the Jackson area.
Norman, 20, of Greenville, Miss., has been missing since Nov. 13, just one day after her ex-boyfriend, Stanley Cole, was arrested for allegedly assaulting her in the parking lot of a restaurant. Cole, 23, was arrested for the crime and is scheduled to appear in Pearl City Court in Pearl, Miss.

on a simple assault charge on Nov. 29.
Dr. Joann White, an assistant professor in the department of management and marketing, said Norman is enrolled in her Management 250 class, which teaches business computer applications.

White's class was the last one Norman attended before she disappeared.

"One of the remarkable things that I know about Latasha is that she was always there. Although it's a big class, I always made a point to check the seating chart and I would check the roll each day."

White said Norman's dedication paid off, because she did very well on her assignments and tests. "A lot of times the students would work together in groups, but Latasha tended to kind of work by herself. She pretty much could figure things out by herself, and that was remarkable. She was an independent thinker."

White became emotional as she discussed Norman's performance in her class. "A very nice young lady, very hard working, very caring, very respectful. Just an ideal student, and when I found out she was missing, I wanted to check to see if that was the Latasha Norman I had taught, and it was and I was very sad."

Stephen Wells, a detective with the Jackson Police Department's Special Victims Unit on Monday, Nov. 19, told Black College Wire the investigation was underway but had not turned up a suspect.

"The case is ongoing. We're still in the initial stages of it," Wells said. "Of course, there's not much to work with, but we've accumulated as much information as we can."

According to an article published in the Clarion-Ledger, Danny Bolden, Norman's father, admitted that the relationship between Cole and Norman had been rocky.

"She's been trying to break it off with him," Bolden stated in the article.
White said she also had heard that Norman had "a very controlling boyfriend."

[Pauli]

Jackson 11/27/07
Rumors Hampering Search for Missing Student
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By David Kenney
Tuesday marks two weeks since Jackson State student Latasha Norman vanished from campus. The story has gained national attention as investigators continue to search for clues in her case. Investigators say tips continue to come into their offices, but many are false, and are being spread throughout the community.

"We're having a problem with the public providing misinformation, so to speak," said Jackson police spokesman Jeffery Scott. "(In) a case like this, time is of the essence. The misinformation -- following leads that are not going anywhere -- that's just hurting the case."

On campus students say the lack of information and details of how Latasha disappeared is causing even more concern.
"Nobody don't know anything," said student Danica Brumfield. "Nobody haven't seen her or nothing like that, so I just pray she comes home safe."

Police have questioned Latasha's current boyfriend and her ex-boyfriend, who was arrested last month for attacking her in Pearl. Investigators say they're not ruling anyone out as a suspect at this point.

Andre Stewart says, "For nothing to be seen or not to be heard, it just kind of makes you wonder, just think in your mind is security, as well as everything else, up to par."

"It's sad she's gone or whatever," said student Terrica Monson. "If anybody knows something about it they need to come forward."

More attention is being drawn to Latasha's story with the use of digital billboards throughout the metro area. And there's national attention too. America's Most Wanted is shooting a segment in Jackson this week on the search.

Students have planned a candlelight vigil for Latasha Wednesday evening at 9:00.

http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=7417429&nav=menu119_2

[Pauli]

Missing JSU Student's Body Found

Posted: Nov 29, 2007 03:58 PM CST

Jackson Police have discovered the body of missing Jackson State Student Latasha Norman.

Her body was found Thursday in the area of Brown Street near Tougaloo in Jackson. The coroner arrived on scene shortly after Jackson police. Forensic evidence, as well as evidence at the scene, helped confirm the body's identity.

Norman's former boyfriend, Stanley Cole, is in JPD custody, charged with her murder. He was questioned by police much of the afternoon. Cole appeared in court this morning in Pearl. He was arrested earlier this month for assaulting Latasha.

http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=7428649&nav=menu119_3

[Pauli]

Ex-boyfriend charged in JSU student?s killing
The Clarion-Ledger

The ex-boyfriend of a JSU student missing since Nov. 13 has been charged with killing her, officials say.

Stanley Cole, 24, is suspected in the slaying of Latasha Norman.

A body found this afternoon off Brown Street in north Jackson is that of Norman, Jackson Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jeffery Scott confirmed late today.

The remains were found around 2 p.m. in a wooded area on Brown Street near County Line Road.

Cole, a criminal justice major at JSU, was in a Pearl court early Thursday for a hearing into charges he struck Norman Oct. 9 at a restaurant in Pearl. He was later taken into custody for further questioning in Norman?s disappearance.

Cole, whom Scott had termed ?a person of Interest? a few hours earlier, was formally charged with murder after Norman?s body was found.

Cole apparently led police to the body.
The university, which spearheaded vigils and other events to keep Norman?s disappearance in the news, has cancelled classes Friday in her honor.

?I want to extend my deepest and most profound sympathy to the Norman/Bolden family, Latasha?s friends and others who loved her,? JSU President Ronald Mason Jr. said. ?There are simply no words that can take away the anguish felt in the face of such a heinous and senseless act.?

The Jackson State Department of Public Safety has been investigating Norman?s disappearance along with the FBI, Hinds County Sheriff?s Department and the Jackson Police Department.

?We all worked around the clock, hoping that we could bring Latasha back safely,? said Chief Rebecca Coleman, director of the Jackson State Department of Public Safety. ?Now, our efforts must shift to seeking justice. We mourn with Latasha?s family and friends.?

A memorial service in memory of the junior accounting major is set for noon Monday in the Rose Embly McCoy Auditorium on the main campus.

Coroner Sharon Grisham Stewart said more testing would be needed for a positive identification of the body. It was badly decomposed, police said.

An autopsy is planned for tonight.

Norman, an accounting major from Greenville, had been the subject of a nationwide search.

Her story had been featured on CNN. Digital billboards leased by JSU for advertising purposes had for days flashed Norman?s picture and listed law enforcement contact numbers.

Producers of the popular TV show, America?s Most Wanted, were in Jackson on Wednesday, filming a segment on Norman.

Norman, 20, was described as a serious student who kept to herself.

JSU student Jerry Zigler worked with Norman on the school yearbook. Zigler was the editor in chief, and Norman worked on the campus life section, he said.

?Tasha was sort of quiet but not shy,? he said.

Norman had a good sense of humor, he said, and she loved having her photo taken.

?She maybe wasn?t always the first person to go out and talk to people, but she would be the first one to get in the photo,? Zigler said.

Zigler said he remembered one yearbook photo in particular in which Norman was caught off guard.

?It was a bad picture,? he said. ?But she wanted it in there.?

Zigler had taken the photo out of the section, but Norman went back and put it back in.

?I told her we would take it again, but she wanted that one,? he said.

Jackson State is offering counseling to students, faculty and staff experiencing difficulty coping with Norman?s death. For more information, call 601-979-2580.

http://clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071129/NEWS/71129039

[Grande]

Stanley Cole Indicted
by Adam Lynch
Photo by Kenya A. Hudson
February 6, 2008

A Hinds County grand jury has indicted former JSU criminal justice student Stanley Cole in the death of JSU accounting major Latasha Norman, 20. Police arrested Cole, 24, last November after he eventually led police to Norman’s body 16 days after she went missing on Nov. 13. Police said Cole was a person of interest in the case early on. Investigators found blood and other DNA samples in the trunk of a car traced back to Norman.

The search for Norman gathered considerable attention from the Jackson community last November. JSU canceled classes and held a vigil after police found her body.

Cole has no trial date set.

http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/comments.php?id=16177_0_4_0_C

[Pauli]

Judge grants murder suspect $4K for expert

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Cole

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Norman


Hinds County taxpayers will have to pay $4,000 to hire a forensic pathologist for the man accused of killing Jackson State University student Latasha Norman last year.

Hinds County Circuit Judge Swan Yerger granted Stanley Cole's defense motion to hire a forensic pathologist from Alabama.

"The defendant shall be granted funds out of the Hinds County treasury not to exceed $4,000 for the sole purpose of hiring a forensic pathologist to examine any remaining forensic evidence and the reports of the state's experts in this cause," Yerger said in the order filed last week.

Norman, 20, was reported missing after attending an afternoon class Nov. 13. Her badly decomposed body was discovered Nov. 29 in a wooded area in north Jackson, the same day Cole, 24, was arrested and charged with murder in her slaying.

Police said they found blood residue and other DNA evidence traced to Norman in the trunk of a Dodge Neon. Cole admitted he had possession of the vehicle, belonging to his current girlfriend, the day Norman, his ex-girlfriend, disappeared.

Cole's murder trial was set for June 9, but it has been pushed back to Sept. 22 and could be delayed further.

Cole's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Matthew Eichelberger, argued in his motion that failure to provide Cole with the funds would be a violation of due process and fairness and would constitute reversal error in an appeal if he is convicted.

Eichelberger argues in the court document that his client "is indigent and cannot afford to hire any expert; that the cause of death is a critical issue in this case, and Stanley Cole has a right to have the funds provided to him to hire an expert."

Eichelberger said the state had Norman's body examined by Steven Hayne, a forensic pathologist, and Marie Danforth, a forensic anthropologist at the University of Southern Mississippi.

"Stanley Cole anticipates the state will offer expert testimony at the trial of this matter concerning the cause of death, and that this testimony will be of high importance to the trier of facts," Eichelberger said. "As a result, Stanley Cole is entitled to the funds necessary to rebut this anticipated testimony."

District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith said hiring a forensic pathologist is a waste of taxpayer money. But, he said, "They can hire all the experts they want. The evidence will be the same: He killed Latasha Norman."

During a police interview, Cole told authorities he picked up Norman from JSU in the car. He said at some point the two got into a physical altercation and he struck her in the head, knocking her unconscious while they were in the vehicle somewhere near the Battlefield Park area, Jackson police Detective Juan Cloy testified during Cole's preliminary hearing.

"He said he struck Latasha in the head and knocked her unconscious. He said blood came running out of her nose and he wasn't able to revive her," Cloy testified.

Cloy said during the hearing that forensic evidence in the case didn't agree with Cole's version of how Norman was killed.

Cloy said the autopsy appeared to show a puncture or stab wound in the left upper ribs. An anthropologist examination also confirmed the puncture or stab wound.

A month before she died, Norman filed a simple assault charge against Cole for allegedly slapping her at an eatery in Pearl. By the time Cole appeared in court on the case, Norman was dead.

Norman's stepfather, Danny Bolden of Greenville, said Thursday that he had not heard of Cole being allowed to hire a forensic pathologist.

Bolden said he and his wife have been advised not to discuss the case.
"It has been a lot of controversy," Bolden said. "My wife and I are trying to heal."

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080530/NEWS/805300349/1001/news

[grammybears]

I really feel bad for this poor girls family. How hard it must be for them. I am sure that things are not going to get any better until the case is closed. I remember reading bits and pieces about this case shortly after it happened and wondered why there was not much coverage on this girl. It is really sad that some cases get more coverage then others. I will be keeping an eye out for when the trial starts.

jmoo

[Faith]

Woman's slaying 'hard trying to deal with'


November 15, 2008
BY KENDRICK MARSHALL kmarshall@scn1.com

In quiet moments, Antonio Norman's mind wanders to what happened to his first cousin a year ago.

The North Chicago resident remembers being glued to the television and receiving updates from family members and co-workers after word spread that Latasha Norman, 20, was missing.

Norman was a student at historically black Jackson State University in Mississippi when she was first reported missing Nov. 13, 2007.

After several rounds of searches by authorities, and even interest from the TV show "America's Most Wanted," Norman's body was discovered in a wooded area just north of Jackson, Miss.

Jackson police charged Norman's ex-boyfriend, Stanley Cole, with first- degree murder. It is believed Cole killed Norman because he was jealous after the two ended their relationship.

"It was heartbreaking, man," Antonio Norman said. "It is hard to think about what happened to her."

Norman said he met Cole during a visit to Mississippi and came away with the impression that he was an "all right guy." Norman said he never figured Latasha would die at the hands of her one- time boyfriend.

"It has been hard trying to deal with. We just hope justice is served in this case," he said.

Norman said the toughest part of the ordeal is not being able to talk to and hang out with one of his favorite relatives.

"I am going to miss her smile," he said. "Thanksgiving and Christmas are not going to be the same now that Latasha is not here. I want to tell young women who might be in an abusive relationship to tell someone about it and get out."

"I also pray for (Cole's) family, too," Norman said. "I know they are going through a lot."

Cole, 25, is scheduled to go to trial Jan. 12.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1280930,5_1_WA15_NORMAN_S1.article

[Faith]

New laws tackle domestic violence
Legislation aims to make reporting crimes easier

Elizabeth Crisp • elizabeth.crisp@clarionledger.com • April 7, 2009

Advocates against domestic violence say they hope new legislation that goes into effect this year will encourage more victims to come forward.

Advertisement

The laws - including House Bills 989 and 883 and Senate Bill 2925 - widen the protections provided for victims and increase funding for efforts to fight domestic abuse.

Mazie Smith, policy coordinator for the Mississippi Domestic Violence Coalition, said the key is to let victims know that it's OK to report their abusers.

"It just seems like victims come to a stone wall when they go to the courthouse or to law enforcement," Smith said. "Anything that strengthens their abilities to report these crimes is a good thing."

Increased access and standardization of proceedings were two concerns the state Commission for the Study of Domestic Abuse Proceedings identified in its report issued in December.

Under the new legislation, which was recently signed into law by Gov. Haley Barbour:

# A person arrested for violating a domestic abuse order will have to appear before a judge before he can be bailed out of jail.

# Protections will be extended to victims of stalking and sexual assault who are not in a relationship with their assailant and children who live with the abuser but are not related.

# Fees will be assessed to convicted abusers to go toward the Domestic Violence Division of the state attorney general's office and the state's Victims of Domestic Violence Fund.

New law also clarifies instances when officers must file a complaint on behalf of a victim who is afraid to go forward with charges.

Most of the new laws go into effect July 1.

Smith said the most important thing is for victims to feel safe coming forward to report the crimes, rather than waiting until it's too late.

Several tragedies in metro Jackson in recent years have highlighted the deadly, and often-times escalating, nature of domestic violence.

In many of the cases, the victims had reported previous instances of abuse.

Latasha Norman, a 20-year-old Jackson State University student, was found dead in Jackson in November 2007 after being missing more than two weeks.

Her former boyfriend, Stanley Cole, has been charged with murder and is awaiting trial. He also had been accused of assaulting her in October.

George Bell III is serving a life sentence for killing his 28-year-old girlfriend, Heather Spencer, in September 2007.

Spencer previously had reported being beaten by Bell.

In October, Justin Sandifer was convicted of manslaughter in the death of his 25-year-old ex-girlfriend, Tijuana Austin. She was found shot to death outside a Byram apartment complex in November 2007.

"Domestic violence is such a personal and emotional issue," Smith said. "Sometimes it's hard for a victim to know what to do in that situation."

The attorney general's office estimates its Domestic Violence Division will be able to reap at least $500,000 a year through a $1 fee on certain domestic-violence-related convictions.

"The state funding will not only increase the amount of training we are able to do for law enforcement, prosecutors, judges and other court personnel, but it will also make our office less dependent on continued federal funding for salaries," Attorney General Jim Hood said in a news release. "As a result, we will be able to use any available federal funds to help expand other projects."

A separate $10 fee will benefit the state's 12 domestic abuse shelters.

"That assessment will go a long way," Smith said. "Already, we don't have enough shelters in the state. We're getting more victims all the time."

Smith said additional enacted legislation reflects adjustments that needed to be made to reassure victims' faith in the laws.

Hood's office has called efforts to expand protection to those who are not in a relationship with their abuser an "important measure to ensure that these victims have access to the courts without a financial barrier." Under Senate Bill 2925, the victim is exempt from paying any fees related to seeking court action for protection against the abuser. This new law took effect March 20, when Barbour signed the bill.

Domestic violence protection also was extended to children who are living in the home with but are not related to their abuser, including children of an unmarried intimate partner.

"These children are often victims of abuse, but under the current definition, an assault against such a child would not be considered 'domestic violence' for charging and arrest purposes," the attorney general's office said.

Smith said the new law that requires a court appearance before someone accused of domestic violence can be released on bail will give victims an added sense of security.

"This way the victims know that (their abusers) will have that extra time in jail," Smith said. "It gives them a little more time."

It also gives a judge a chance to set special conditions in writing, based on the dangers posed to victims.

"The fear of retaliation is one of the biggest things that will keep a victim from going forward with a charge," said Regina Meadors, victims assistance coordinator with the Hinds County Sheriff's Department.

Though many officers already likely were operating under the practices, the law clarifies any officer who finds probable cause when investigating a domestic violence complaint must file an affidavit on behalf of the victim.

To comment on this story, call Elizabeth Crisp at (601) 961-7303.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090407/NEWS010504/904070345/1001/news

[Faith]

Murder Sparks Domestic Violence Meeting
Panelists Educate Community On Domestic Awareness

POSTED: 9:23 pm CDT April 25, 2009
UPDATED: 1:47 pm CDT April 26, 2009

JACKSON, Miss. -- Saturday at Zion Travelers Missionary Baptist Church, purple balloons filled the sky -- each in honor of a victim of domestic violence and all in memory of Latasha Norman.

Norman was a student at Jackson State University. She was killed last year in an act of domestic violence, police said.

"We are doing this in memory of her, to let family know that she is not forgotten, that we are still trying to tackle this problem," organizer Eva Jones said. "She could have been my child. And to be honest, she's everyone's child."

Jones leads Women's Ministries at the church and organized a domestic violence town hall meeting.

Volunteers assembled a panel of experts, victims and media advisors. WAPT's Joseph Pleasant was one of them.

Organizers said the goal was to start a conversation that attendees can keep going at home.

"It's one of those things that people tend to keep behind closed doors," said church member Daniel Watkins. "It's our job to bring it out, address it and recommend solutions."

Mississippi has the ninth-highest rate for single female homicides.

http://www.wapt.com/news/19292163/detail.html

[Faith]

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll116/helpfindthemissing/cole.jpg

[Faith]

No venue change in slaying trial
Case against man accused of killing JSU student stays in Hinds

• February 25, 2009

The trial of the man accused of killing Jackson State University student Latasha Norman will stay in Hinds County, although no date for it has been set.

Circuit Judge Swan Yerger on Tuesday denied a defense motion to move the trial of Stanley Cole because of pretrial publicity.

But Yerger delayed ruling on another defense motion to exclude from a jury Cole's Nov. 29, 2007, statement telling authorities where to find Norman's body.

The two issues were the subject of two days of hearings.

Cole, 25, often sat looking down, occasionally glancing toward a witness or his attorneys.

Norman's parents, Danny and Patricia Bolden of Greenville, also were in the courtroom. They wouldn't comment after Tuesday's hearing.

No new date has been set for Cole's trial since it was postponed from Jan. 12. The new date was pending the pretrial motions.

Cole's attorney, Hinds County Assistant Public Defender Matt Eichelberger, had argued extensive media coverage would preclude Cole from getting a fair trial.

"No question there has been a substantial amount of publicity in this case - from print and broadcast media," Yerger said.

But Yerger said most of the publicity came during the time Norman went missing until d shortly after her body was found.

Yerger said he believes a fair and impartial jury can seated despite the publicity.

The last criminal trial moved from Hinds County because of pretrial publicity was the 2000 capital murder trial of Willie "Truck" Martin.

Martin's trial was moved to Hancock County. Martin was one of three people police said carried out the Nov. 6, 1994, kidnapping, torture and shooting death of Nathaniel "Steve" Steverson, 44, of Jackson.

In Cole's case, he allegedly killed his ex-girlfriend after the two left the Jackson State campus in November 2007.

Norman, 20, was reported missing after attending an afternoon class Nov. 13, 2007.

Her decomposed body was discovered 16 days later in a wooded area in north Jackson off Brown Street. Cole is from Greenville, as was Norman.

Jackson police detectives testified Tuesday that Cole told them where to find Norman's body after he was arrested and brought to the Jackson Police Department.

But Cole later told Detective Crystal Tillman and another detective where to find Norman's body.

Testimony showed Cole initially told Detective Juan Cloy he didn't want to talk to police after being advised of his Miranda rights.

Eichelberger argues Cole's constitutional rights were violated after other detectives interviewed him when he had told Cloy he didn't want to talk to him.

But Tillman testified that Cole freely talked to her and didn't invoke any rights under the law.

During testimony, there was no mention of Cole ever asking to have a lawyer present.
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009902250339

[Faith]

Judge Sets Bond for Stanley Cole

Posted: Jan 7, 2008 02:18 PM

http://wlbt.images.worldnow.com/images/7588901_BG1.jpg

A Hinds County judge has set bond for the man accused of killing Jackson State University student Latasha Norman.

Norman's disappearance claimed national attention when her story appeared on America's Most Wanted. She was last seen alive on the JSU campus November 13. Her body was found about two weeks later.

Police say her ex-boyfriend, Stanley Cole, admitted to them he had killed her in the midst of a physical altercation. He has been in custody ever since.

Judge William Barnett set bond at $250,000. That bond has not yet been posted.

http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=7588901

[Faith]

http://mylifeofcrime.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/stanley-cole.jpg?w=300&h=300

http://mylifeofcrime.wordpress.com/2007/11/29/latasha-norma-murder-111307-jackson-ms-ex-boyfriend-stanley-cole-charged-with-her-murder/

[Nut44x4]

Cole's Statements Become Evidence In Trial
Norman Killed In 2007

UPDATED: 5:10 pm CDT October 26, 2009

JACKSON, Miss. -- It's been nearly two years since the body of Jackson State University student Latasha Norman was found in a wooded area near Tougaloo College. In February, her ex-boyfriend, Stanley Cole, 25, will go on trial in connection with her slaying.

A statement Cole gave to investigators in November 2007, two weeks after Norman was reported missing, will serve as exhibit 7 at the trial. In it, Cole said an argument between him and Norman turned deadly.

Cole told police that he and Norman left JSU and went riding around. That's when the fight started, he said.

“One thing just led to another. We were just fighting and just cussing and it just really got out of hand. Before I knew it, I hit her too hard and knocked her out,” Cole told investigators according to court documents.

“I just panicked and just put her in the trunk and just rode around and tried to figure out what I was going to do. After a couple of hours, I checked on her and there wasn't a pulse, so I just rode around for a couple more hours. It was late at night and I just saw a couple of abandoned houses and trees and woods and just dropped her off and just covered her up," Cole told investigators.

Police said they found Norman’s body in a wooded area after Cole directed them to the location.

One of JSU’s counseling centers has been named in Norman’s honor. On Monday, as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Week, JSU handed out dating pledge cards to students that say: “I pledge to always treat my girlfriend or boyfriend with respect.”
http://www.wapt.com/news/21430676/detail.html

[Nut44x4]

Trial begins in JSU student's death

Monday, Feb. 08, 2010

JACKSON, Miss. -- More than two years after the body of then-missing Jackson State University student Latasha Norman was found in a wooded area, her alleged killer is scheduled to go on trial Tuesday.

Twenty-six-year-old Stanley Cole faces life in prison if convicted in the death of Norman, a former girlfriend.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin in Hinds County Circuit Court Tuesday and take two days to complete. Court officials tell The Clarion-Ledger that the trial could last two weeks and jurors won't be sequestered.

Link: http://www.clarionledger.com
The 20-year-old Norman was reported missing after attending an afternoon class Nov. 13, 2007. Her badly decomposed body was discovered Nov. 29 in a wooded area of north Jackson, the same day Cole was arrested and charged with murder.

http://www.sunherald.com/218/story/1930479.html

[Nut44x4]

JSU student's slaying trial opens
February 17, 2010

Opening statements begin today in the murder trial of the man accused of killing Jackson State University student Latasha Norman.

After an exhaustive five days of jury selection, eight women, four men and two alternates were chosen late Tuesday afternoon to hear the case against her ex-boyfriend, Stanley Cole, 26.

For two weeks in November 2007, Norman was missing. Her disappearance drew local and national attention.

Since her death, a counseling center at JSU was named after Norman. Also, her case was cited in the passage of two new laws to widen the protections provided for domestic violence victims and increase funding for efforts to fight domestic abuse.

A month before she died, Norman filed a simple assault charge against Cole for allegedly slapping her at a Pearl restaurant. By the time Cole appeared in court in that case, Norman was dead.

Jury members chosen Tuesday include a substitute teacher, a chemist, a program manager, a Nissan technician, a retiree and an unemployed person. They will be sequestered during the trial, which is expected to conclude next week.

Jury instructions followed by opening statements are set to begin at 9 a.m. today.

If convicted, Cole faces life in prison.

Norman, 20, was reported missing after attending an afternoon class Nov. 13, 2007.

On Nov. 29, 2007, Norman's badly decomposed body was found in a wooded area of north Jackson near Tougaloo College. That same day, Cole was arrested and charged.

Jackson police detectives have said Cole told them where to find Norman's body the day he was arrested.

Circuit Judge Swan Yerger already has ruled that Cole's statement to police will be allowed in the trial.

"Cole, without any coercion, knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily provided information through his interview" with two detectives, the court order said. "Cole was aware of his Miranda rights, admitted he understood those rights, and without invoking his right to silence, willingly spoke with Detective (Crystal) Tillman about the location of Norman's body."

During a police interview, Cole told authorities he picked up Norman from JSU. He said the two got into a physical altercation and he struck her in the head, knocking her unconscious while they were in the vehicle somewhere near Battlefield Park, Jackson police Detective Juan Cloy testified during Cole's preliminary hearing.

"He said he struck Latasha in the head and knocked her unconscious. He said blood came running out of her nose and he wasn't able to revive her," Cloy testified.

But Cloy said the autopsy appeared to show a puncture or stab wound in the left upper ribs. A forensic anthropologist's examination confirmed the wound.

The defense hired its own forensic pathology expert with taxpayer money. Yerger granted a defense motion to spend up to $4,000 to hire the expert.

The defense is expected to challenge the claim Norman suffered a puncture or stab wound.

Cloy is on the witness list for the prosecution.

The defense indicated it had potentially 100 witnesses, but on Tuesday the number that would actually be called to testify appeared significantly less when both the prosecution and defense had to provide their witnesses before the jury was finally seated.

Initially, about 300 Hinds County residents were summoned for the case.

Neither Norman's parents nor Cole's relatives were present during the jury selection.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20100217/NEWS/2170372/1001/JSU-student-s-slaying-trial-opens

[Nut44x4]

wow.....that was quick
WOOHOO! JUSTICE!! May he rot behind bars and miss his freedom every single minute for the rest of his miserable life. Another waste of oxygen off the streets.

Stanley Cole found guilty of murder

Updated: Feb 22, 2010 3:15 PM EST
JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - A jury has found Stanley Cole guilty of murdering Latasha Norman. The jury reached a verdict after deliberating a little more than an hour.

Norman's body was found in north Jackson, off Brown Street, in November of 2007. Cole led police to the body after he confessed to killing Norman.

During the trial, Cole's attorney told the jury that Cole accidentally killed Norman, then panicked, and dumped her body.

But during jury instruction, Judge Swan Yerger refused to allow the jury to consider a Manslaughter verdict.

Yerger sentenced Cole to life in prison.

http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=12024780