3/20/12

Combs-LaFleur sentencing delayed | LoudounTimes.com

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Combs-LaFleur sentencing delayed

Friday, Mar. 9, 2012 by Laura Peters | 4 comments | Email this story

1 Wearing shackles and sporting a new hair cut and clean shaved, Steven Combs-LaFleur briefly looked into the packed courtroom before being seated. He appeared in court on March 9 before Loudoun County Circuit Court Judge Burke McCahill for final sentencing for the brutal murder of his wife. After more than two hours of cross-examination and closing remarks, McCahill decided to move the verdict date back to April. Steven Combs-LaFleur was convicted of first-degree murder by a jury on Nov. 18, 2011. The now 62-year-old was convicted of hitting his wife, Catherine Cacey Combs-LaFleur, seven times with a sledgehammer on Sept. 18, 2010. His defense attorney, Matt Snow, said her death was a mercy kill during the trial in November 2011. Steven Combs-LaFleur faces life in prison. Steven Combs-LaFleur said he was doing repairs on his home in Leesburg on the night of his wifes death when something knocked the ladder over he was standing on. When he became conscious, he saw his wife laying in the fetal position on the deck and stairs. The defendant then admitted to hitting her in the head with the hammer to end her misery. Snow had filed a motion at 9:41 a.m. March 9 to postpone the sentencing to another day. McCahill said he would hear the motion because of a formality - the commonwealth did not have sufficient time file an argument on the matter. Snow argued the preliminary sentencing report, put together by the defendants probation officer, David Farmer, was biased. You add up all these consistencies in this report from the probation officer ... Snow said. This is a developed theme. Instance after instance - its biased. Snow pointed out that Farmer added jokes said by the defendant during conversations. Snow also said that the report showed smart ass remarks. The probation officer is cherry picking of what he puts in his report, Snow said. Snow went page by page on the report asking Farmer to clarify and verify certain points he didnt feel were correct or biased. Snow also brought Peter Burnett, the lawyer in Cacey Combs-LaFleurs wrongful death lawsuit, to portray to the judge that the defendant didnt put up a fight in that case and fully cooperated. Gigi Lawless, Assistant Commonwealth Attorney, said that Steven Combs-LaFleurs behavior during the civil case was strategic and was meant for him to work in his favor. Moving back to the court case in question, Lawless pointed out that the defendant struck his wife in the head seven times. Seven times does not equal mercy, seven times equals rage, she said. The next hearing is set for April 10 at 4 p.m. 1
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3/20/12

Combs-LaFleur sentencing delayed | LoudounTimes.com

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Comments
Mon, Mar 12 at 01:34 PM by no way jose | Report this comment

According to the other paper.the lawyer wants them to throw out the verdict all together. This guy hit is wife 7 times to end her misery....no way. He killed her and he meant it. The jury did their job, now let the judge do his.
Sat, Mar 10 at 09:01 AM by s | Report this comment

Anyone ever heard of a sociopath? Look it up

Fri, Mar 09 at 08:45 PM by Jim | Report this comment

Why not ?
Fri, Mar 09 at 06:45 PM by Mark | Report this comment The Loudoun Times-Mirror

Im not convinced this guy did this

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