FAST FACTS:
april.thompson@wreg.com
(Memphis 11/10/2009) 26-year-old Tarence Nelson is quite aware of the charges he faces in the death of his pregnant girlfriend.
So he waived his preliminary hearing in court Tuesday and sent the case straight to the grand jury.
"It's a pretty circumstantial case. There is no direct evidence we know of. He doesn't even live here. He lives in Mufreesboro, Tennessee," says Stephen Leffler, Nelson's attorney.
But police say Nelson traveled to Arlington, Tennessee back in September and got into an argument with his 35-year-old girlfriend, school teacher Tonya Johnson.
They say Nelson didn't want her to have the baby. Johnson was shot several times. She and the baby died.
Nelson was arrested for the killings.
"It makes it a double homicide. The fetus was viable outside the womb at 8 months or 36 weeks how ever a long she was. It makes it a double homicide. There are some raw emotions, people have to hear it because there was an unborn child involved, so close to being born." says Prosecuting Attorney Karen Cook.
Outside court, Tarence Nelson's mother offered sympathy.
"I have no comment. God bless everybody, the family. We thank God and ask God to be with everybody. We are sorry for the family's loss. No other comment." she said.
Tonya Johnson's family left court without commenting, but counselors working closely with them say re-living the case is hard.
"Hearing about it, re-living it over and over. That's the traumatic part about it. It's hard to even think about bringing some closure when you have to continually re-live it over and over." says Yvonne Becton, with Victims to Victory.
It could be a month before the Grand Jury gets this case.
- Tarence Nelson waives preliminary hearing in death of pregnant girlfriend
- Case now goes to grand jury
- Nelson's mother offers sympathy to victim's family
april.thompson@wreg.com
(Memphis 11/10/2009) 26-year-old Tarence Nelson is quite aware of the charges he faces in the death of his pregnant girlfriend.
So he waived his preliminary hearing in court Tuesday and sent the case straight to the grand jury.
"It's a pretty circumstantial case. There is no direct evidence we know of. He doesn't even live here. He lives in Mufreesboro, Tennessee," says Stephen Leffler, Nelson's attorney.
But police say Nelson traveled to Arlington, Tennessee back in September and got into an argument with his 35-year-old girlfriend, school teacher Tonya Johnson.
They say Nelson didn't want her to have the baby. Johnson was shot several times. She and the baby died.
Nelson was arrested for the killings.
"It makes it a double homicide. The fetus was viable outside the womb at 8 months or 36 weeks how ever a long she was. It makes it a double homicide. There are some raw emotions, people have to hear it because there was an unborn child involved, so close to being born." says Prosecuting Attorney Karen Cook.
Outside court, Tarence Nelson's mother offered sympathy.
"I have no comment. God bless everybody, the family. We thank God and ask God to be with everybody. We are sorry for the family's loss. No other comment." she said.
Tonya Johnson's family left court without commenting, but counselors working closely with them say re-living the case is hard.
"Hearing about it, re-living it over and over. That's the traumatic part about it. It's hard to even think about bringing some closure when you have to continually re-live it over and over." says Yvonne Becton, with Victims to Victory.
It could be a month before the Grand Jury gets this case.
