Cherish McCullough was 19 when she was booked and charged with first-degree murder. Her case could soon swirl with controversy over a community’s value of human life.
McCullough has pleaded not guilty of stabbing 27-year-old LaShanda Callaway after an argument in a convenience store at 2601 N. Hillside. At her trial, which begins next week, the public is expected to see for the first time a security video of the stabbing that raised concerns beyond the crime itself.
Soon after Callaway’s death on June 24, 2007, Wichita police chief Norman Williams told Eagle columnist Mark McCormick that the video showed people continuing to shop, some even snapping cell-phone pictures of the fallen woman.
Jury selection is expected to start Monday. Richard Ney will represent McCullough for the defense. C.J. Rieg is prosecuting.
5 Comments
I think the obvious remark here is how we as a society should handle this. The value of life as decreased so much to the point that some do not care whether or not another human being dies right at their feet? I was amazed a few weeks ago when I drove up on an accident an no one was stopping. The ironic thing that I am seeing is if you have a situation where a pretty young girl has a flat tire, you see cars lined up to help her. If the same thing happens to a minority, no one stops. It seems society assigns a value to human life. Pretty young girls are assigned the highest value while the average person of color does not come near to the same value. What a shame and I suppose I could be guilty of this too. I wish I knew what the answer was besides the obvious.
I remember when this happened. That store is right down the street from the elementary school my daughter attended. The EMTs arrived but couldn’t help because the scene had not been secured by LEOs yet, and in the meantime valuable time passed as the woman bled to death. At least, that’s what I remember from what I read in the Eagle. Mark McCormick wrote more than one column about it.
Article 32.–PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL LIABILITY
Article 32.–PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL LIABILITY
The justification described in sections 21-3211, 21-3212, and 21-3213, is not available to a person who: (1) Is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping from the commission of a forcible felony; or (2) Initially provokes the use of force against himself or another, with intent to use such force as an excuse to inflict bodily harm upon the assailant; or (3) Otherwise initially provokes the use of force against himself or another, unless: (a) He has reasonable ground to believe that he is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm, and he has exhausted every reasonable means to escape such danger other than the use of force which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm to the assailant; or (b) In good faith, he withdraws from physical contact with the assailant and indicates clearly to the assailant that he desires to withdraw and terminate the use of force, but the assailant continues or resumes the use of force. History: L. 1969, ch. 180, § 21-3214; July 1, 1970
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