'Guilty' in murder of wife
He faces life term in stabbing of wife
The prosecutor called it a classic domestic murder. The killer called it a mistake.
Thursday, a Jacksonville jury found Frederick Addison guilty of premeditated first-degree murder in the stabbing of his former wife. He will be sentenced to a mandatory life prison term May 4, a year and two days after murdering fifth-grade teacher Cynthia Addison.
"She's at peace now. She's at peace with Jesus," her sister, Bessie Abraham, said after the verdict she'd prayed for.
Abraham hugged and wept with two of her sister's colleagues from Brookview Elementary School outside the courtroom. She said they have supported the family emotionally the past year.
Wife's stabbing death an accident, suspect testifies (4/13/06)
3 say man admitted killing (4/12/06) Police say officers responded properly before fatal stabbing (5/5/05)
Her calls for help were not enough (5/4/05)
Frederick Addison, 47, stood motionless when the verdict was read after 70 minutes of deliberation. His lawyer said he expected to be punished for killing his ex-wife.
Jurors rejected his testimony that he accidentally stabbed her repeatedly. Cynthia Addison, 44, was stabbed mostly in her chest and had numerous cuts and punctures on her hands and arms.
Assistant State Attorney Libby Senterfitt said she hopes the murder awakens people to the seriousness of domestic violence. Cynthia Addison had been granted a divorce and had a temporary restraining order to keep her ex-husband away from her. But like many women, Senterfitt said, Cynthia Addison didn't think she would become a victim in her own home and didn't go to a battered women's shelter.
"This is, I'm afraid, a classic example of a domestic murder," the prosecutor said. "Women are most at risk when they are trying to leave."
Defense attorney Rodney Gregory said the decision whether to appeal would be Addison's alone. He said one objective before trial was keeping Addison from facing the death penalty. Prosecutors decided early on not to seek the death penalty due in part to Addison's lack of a criminal record, State Attorney Harry Shorstein said.
In closing arguments Thursday morning, Gregory urged the jury to acquit Addison or find him guilty of manslaughter. He said his client never planned to kill his wife.
"He made a mistake, a tragic one," Gregory said. "In the black of the night, he acted out of frustration."
But Senterfitt said the murder clearly was premeditated. She reminded jurors of Addison's videotaped confession, where he told detectives he had been thinking about killing his wife for at least a day and admitted trying to stab her in the heart. She contrasted that with his "ridiculous" testimony Wednesday that the multiple stabbing was accidental.
Even without his confession, the sheer number of knife wounds -- about 40 -- alone were evidence of premeditation, Senterfitt argued.
"He went on and on and on as he had planned to do," she told jurors. "The evidence is overwhelming that he committed first-degree premeditated murder."
Cynthia Addison, 44, passed away May 2, 2005. Carthage Chapel Funeral Home, Inc....
Published in the Florida Times-Union on 5/6/2005.
Cynthia S. Addison --> HARTSVILLE " Funeral services for Cynthia S. Addison will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 7, 2005, at New Jerusalem ...
Published in the Morning News on 5/6/2005.
He faces life term in stabbing of wife
The prosecutor called it a classic domestic murder. The killer called it a mistake.
Thursday, a Jacksonville jury found Frederick Addison guilty of premeditated first-degree murder in the stabbing of his former wife. He will be sentenced to a mandatory life prison term May 4, a year and two days after murdering fifth-grade teacher Cynthia Addison.
"She's at peace now. She's at peace with Jesus," her sister, Bessie Abraham, said after the verdict she'd prayed for.
Abraham hugged and wept with two of her sister's colleagues from Brookview Elementary School outside the courtroom. She said they have supported the family emotionally the past year.
Wife's stabbing death an accident, suspect testifies (4/13/06)
3 say man admitted killing (4/12/06) Police say officers responded properly before fatal stabbing (5/5/05)
Her calls for help were not enough (5/4/05)
Frederick Addison, 47, stood motionless when the verdict was read after 70 minutes of deliberation. His lawyer said he expected to be punished for killing his ex-wife.
Jurors rejected his testimony that he accidentally stabbed her repeatedly. Cynthia Addison, 44, was stabbed mostly in her chest and had numerous cuts and punctures on her hands and arms.
Assistant State Attorney Libby Senterfitt said she hopes the murder awakens people to the seriousness of domestic violence. Cynthia Addison had been granted a divorce and had a temporary restraining order to keep her ex-husband away from her. But like many women, Senterfitt said, Cynthia Addison didn't think she would become a victim in her own home and didn't go to a battered women's shelter.
"This is, I'm afraid, a classic example of a domestic murder," the prosecutor said. "Women are most at risk when they are trying to leave."
Defense attorney Rodney Gregory said the decision whether to appeal would be Addison's alone. He said one objective before trial was keeping Addison from facing the death penalty. Prosecutors decided early on not to seek the death penalty due in part to Addison's lack of a criminal record, State Attorney Harry Shorstein said.
In closing arguments Thursday morning, Gregory urged the jury to acquit Addison or find him guilty of manslaughter. He said his client never planned to kill his wife.
"He made a mistake, a tragic one," Gregory said. "In the black of the night, he acted out of frustration."
But Senterfitt said the murder clearly was premeditated. She reminded jurors of Addison's videotaped confession, where he told detectives he had been thinking about killing his wife for at least a day and admitted trying to stab her in the heart. She contrasted that with his "ridiculous" testimony Wednesday that the multiple stabbing was accidental.
Even without his confession, the sheer number of knife wounds -- about 40 -- alone were evidence of premeditation, Senterfitt argued.
"He went on and on and on as he had planned to do," she told jurors. "The evidence is overwhelming that he committed first-degree premeditated murder."
Cynthia Addison, 44, passed away May 2, 2005. Carthage Chapel Funeral Home, Inc....
Published in the Florida Times-Union on 5/6/2005.
Cynthia S. Addison --> HARTSVILLE " Funeral services for Cynthia S. Addison will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 7, 2005, at New Jerusalem ...
Published in the Morning News on 5/6/2005.
'Guilty' in murder of wife
He faces life term in stabbing of wife
The prosecutor called it a classic domestic murder. The killer called it a mistake.
Thursday, a Jacksonville jury found Frederick Addison guilty of premeditated first-degree murder in the stabbing of his former wife. He will be sentenced to a mandatory life prison term May 4, a year and two days after murdering fifth-grade teacher Cynthia Addison.
"She's at peace now. She's at peace with Jesus," her sister, Bessie Abraham, said after the verdict she'd prayed for.
Abraham hugged and wept with two of her sister's colleagues from Brookview Elementary School outside the courtroom. She said they have supported the family emotionally the past year.
Wife's stabbing death an accident, suspect testifies (4/13/06)
3 say man admitted killing (4/12/06) Police say officers responded properly before fatal stabbing (5/5/05)
Her calls for help were not enough (5/4/05)
Frederick Addison, 47, stood motionless when the verdict was read after 70 minutes of deliberation. His lawyer said he expected to be punished for killing his ex-wife.
Jurors rejected his testimony that he accidentally stabbed her repeatedly. Cynthia Addison, 44, was stabbed mostly in her chest and had numerous cuts and punctures on her hands and arms.
Assistant State Attorney Libby Senterfitt said she hopes the murder awakens people to the seriousness of domestic violence. Cynthia Addison had been granted a divorce and had a temporary restraining order to keep her ex-husband away from her. But like many women, Senterfitt said, Cynthia Addison didn't think she would become a victim in her own home and didn't go to a battered women's shelter.
"This is, I'm afraid, a classic example of a domestic murder," the prosecutor said. "Women are most at risk when they are trying to leave."
Defense attorney Rodney Gregory said the decision whether to appeal would be Addison's alone. He said one objective before trial was keeping Addison from facing the death penalty. Prosecutors decided early on not to seek the death penalty due in part to Addison's lack of a criminal record, State Attorney Harry Shorstein said.
In closing arguments Thursday morning, Gregory urged the jury to acquit Addison or find him guilty of manslaughter. He said his client never planned to kill his wife.
"He made a mistake, a tragic one," Gregory said. "In the black of the night, he acted out of frustration."
But Senterfitt said the murder clearly was premeditated. She reminded jurors of Addison's videotaped confession, where he told detectives he had been thinking about killing his wife for at least a day and admitted trying to stab her in the heart. She contrasted that with his "ridiculous" testimony Wednesday that the multiple stabbing was accidental.
Even without his confession, the sheer number of knife wounds -- about 40 -- alone were evidence of premeditation, Senterfitt argued.
"He went on and on and on as he had planned to do," she told jurors. "The evidence is overwhelming that he committed first-degree premeditated murder."
Cynthia Addison, 44, passed away May 2, 2005. Carthage Chapel Funeral Home, Inc....
Published in the Florida Times-Union on 5/6/2005.
Cynthia S. Addison --> HARTSVILLE " Funeral services for Cynthia S. Addison will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 7, 2005, at New Jerusalem ...
Published in the Morning News on 5/6/2005.
He faces life term in stabbing of wife
The prosecutor called it a classic domestic murder. The killer called it a mistake.
Thursday, a Jacksonville jury found Frederick Addison guilty of premeditated first-degree murder in the stabbing of his former wife. He will be sentenced to a mandatory life prison term May 4, a year and two days after murdering fifth-grade teacher Cynthia Addison.
"She's at peace now. She's at peace with Jesus," her sister, Bessie Abraham, said after the verdict she'd prayed for.
Abraham hugged and wept with two of her sister's colleagues from Brookview Elementary School outside the courtroom. She said they have supported the family emotionally the past year.
Wife's stabbing death an accident, suspect testifies (4/13/06)
3 say man admitted killing (4/12/06) Police say officers responded properly before fatal stabbing (5/5/05)
Her calls for help were not enough (5/4/05)
Frederick Addison, 47, stood motionless when the verdict was read after 70 minutes of deliberation. His lawyer said he expected to be punished for killing his ex-wife.
Jurors rejected his testimony that he accidentally stabbed her repeatedly. Cynthia Addison, 44, was stabbed mostly in her chest and had numerous cuts and punctures on her hands and arms.
Assistant State Attorney Libby Senterfitt said she hopes the murder awakens people to the seriousness of domestic violence. Cynthia Addison had been granted a divorce and had a temporary restraining order to keep her ex-husband away from her. But like many women, Senterfitt said, Cynthia Addison didn't think she would become a victim in her own home and didn't go to a battered women's shelter.
"This is, I'm afraid, a classic example of a domestic murder," the prosecutor said. "Women are most at risk when they are trying to leave."
Defense attorney Rodney Gregory said the decision whether to appeal would be Addison's alone. He said one objective before trial was keeping Addison from facing the death penalty. Prosecutors decided early on not to seek the death penalty due in part to Addison's lack of a criminal record, State Attorney Harry Shorstein said.
In closing arguments Thursday morning, Gregory urged the jury to acquit Addison or find him guilty of manslaughter. He said his client never planned to kill his wife.
"He made a mistake, a tragic one," Gregory said. "In the black of the night, he acted out of frustration."
But Senterfitt said the murder clearly was premeditated. She reminded jurors of Addison's videotaped confession, where he told detectives he had been thinking about killing his wife for at least a day and admitted trying to stab her in the heart. She contrasted that with his "ridiculous" testimony Wednesday that the multiple stabbing was accidental.
Even without his confession, the sheer number of knife wounds -- about 40 -- alone were evidence of premeditation, Senterfitt argued.
"He went on and on and on as he had planned to do," she told jurors. "The evidence is overwhelming that he committed first-degree premeditated murder."
Cynthia Addison, 44, passed away May 2, 2005. Carthage Chapel Funeral Home, Inc....
Published in the Florida Times-Union on 5/6/2005.
Cynthia S. Addison --> HARTSVILLE " Funeral services for Cynthia S. Addison will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 7, 2005, at New Jerusalem ...
Published in the Morning News on 5/6/2005.
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