LIFE IN PRISON FOR SUSPECT IN BRUTAL MURDER OF MEMPHIS MOM ELIZA FLETCHER
The man charged in the brutal kidnapping, rape and murder of Tennessee teacher Eliza Fletcher changes his plea after prosecutors seek the death penalty. Cleotha Abston, 40, was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
Abston was sentenced to 80 years in a separate rape case. A sexual assault kit was submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation two days after the alleged rape, but no request was made for expedited analysis. The kit sat for months in line with other cases waiting for testing. The kit was finally processed and once the initial report was completed, the information was then entered into the FBI DNA database on 29 August. A positive match came back three days after Fletcher was kidnapped.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
Matthew Mangino - Attorney, Former District Attorney (Lawrence County), Former Parole Board Member, Author: "The Executioner's Toll: The Crimes, Arrests, Trials, Appeals, Last Meals, Final Words and Executions of 46 Persons in the United States", MattMangino.com, Twitter: @MatthewTMangino Caryn Stark - NYC Psychologist, CarynStark.com, Twitter: @carynpsych, Facebook: "Caryn Stark" Lisa M. Dadio - Former Police Lieutenant, New Haven Police Department, Annie Le Lead Detective, Senior Lecturer, Director of the Center for Advanced Policing and Graduate Program Coordinator, Investigations program, University of New Haven Rachel D. Fischer - Registered Nuse, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), Expert Witness, Private Investigator, Author: "Taking Back the Pen", Forensic Nursing Consulting and Education LLC, LegalRNConsult.org Dr. Kristen Mittelman - Chief Development Officer, Othram Inc., DNAsolves.com, Twitter: @OthramTech Dave Mack - Crime Online Investigative ReporterSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.