Man sentenced to 50 years to life for murdering girlfriend in Palm Springs
A man convicted of shooting his girlfriend in the head at their Palm Springs apartment and staging the scene to look like she took her own life has been sentenced to 50 years to life in prison.
James Beushausen, 35, was convicted in July of first-degree murder in the March 15, 2017, death of Jaylynn Amanda Keith, 27. Keith was found with a single gunshot wound to the center of her forehead in the bathtub of the Belardo Road apartment the couple shared.
Assistant District Attorney Michelle Paradise told jurors that Beushausen rendered Keith unconscious, placed the 27-year-old victim into the tub, then shot her while shielding himself from blood spatter behind a shower curtain.
Beuhasen told investigators, responding emergency personnel and a 911 dispatcher that Keith had shot herself while he was asleep. Beushausen and his attorney, Greg Johnson, alleged that Beushausen’s alcoholism, in addition to a debilitating illness Keith was suffering from, pushed her
suicide.
But according to Paradise, a head wound discovered by investigators occurred independently of the gunshot wound and hinted that Keith may have been assaulted in order to stage an apparent suicide.
At the defendant’s sentencing hearing, Keith’s family members conveyed how distraught they were over her death and said they would strive to someday forgive him, while Beushausen, who joined his family members in addressing the court, decried what they felt was an unfair trial and conviction.
The court heard impact statements from family and friends of both Keith and Beushausen, hoping to sway the judge.
“James will be able to see his family even if he is behind bars …as you know we have no visitation rights in heaven,” Lynn Hemphill, Jaylynn mother told the judge.
Beushausen was unapologetic, maintaining his innocence when addressing the court.
“I will not beg, I will not ask for leniency. I stand before all of you, innocent of this crime. In my mind and in my heart, I know the truth, I will not apologize for why we are all here today.”
Beushausen told the court that he felt at fault only for letting his alcoholism disrupt their relationship and drive him from understanding underlying issues Keith was suffering from.
“I will always wonder, had I lived the life of sobriety, would that have saved Jaylynn? Did alcohol cost me the love of my life?,” Beushausen said.
Beushausen also criticized his own attorney.
“You made it look like an adequate defense but you failed miserably. If you didn’t believe in me, you should have passed on my case. You more than anyone owe me my life back,” Beushausen said.
Outside the courtroom, both Baushasen’s and Keith’s mothers reacted.
“We will fight for him because we all, his family, know that he’s innocent,” said Mary Beushausen, James’ mother.
“I feel like I’ve had the weight of the world taken off my shoulders, it’s not gonna bring back my daughter, it’s not gonna put back our family,” Hemphill said. “We actually got the justice that we so deserve for Jaylynn.”
Beushausen and his family have 60 days to file an appeal, a route they said they plan on going down. Keith’s family say they don’t think they can’t withstand another trial.
Jakes Ingrassia was the only reporter in court today for Beushausen’s sentencing. Follow his up to the minute tweets from court below:
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046829528926937088″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Judge asks if there are any objections to destroying the firearm used to end Ms. Keith’s life – prosecutor objects. &#lt;br&#gt;Judge warns Beushausen owning his firearms is now a felony.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046829528926937088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046828277136908288″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Judge imposes total sentence of 50 years to life.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046828277136908288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046827491220807680″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Judge cannot legally impose life without parole sentence. “I do not make the law,” he says. “It is perfectly reasonable … to ask for (it).”&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046827491220807680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046827093156192259″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Reminder- the jury unanimously found Beushausen guilty back in July.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046827093156192259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046826912197177344″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Judge says it’s the decision of the jury to make a credibility decision (who to believe) and find Beushausen guilty — and based on the evidence, he was not compelled to overturn the case.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046826912197177344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046826484055203840″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;If it were the right decision to start the trial again, I would have, Judge Moore says.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046826484055203840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046825397831184384″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Defense Atty Johnson says after 3 hours of pre-trial cross-examining Beushausen, he was convinced by his tears and demeanor that he was innocent.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046825397831184384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046824781398462464″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Beushausen responds saying, it’s not the greatest thing to be doing drugs but it was the alcoholism that caused these problems.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046824781398462464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046824313762893824″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Discussion of Paradis’s “drug addict” comment follows – judge acknowledges some level of discussion of Beushausen’s problem with prescription drugs, but finds it worrying he isn’t as apologetic about it as he is for his alcoholism.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046824313762893824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046824031930834944″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;”Today he will be sentenced appropriately and justifiably for murder. And I will sleep just fine.” … Because I didn’t put an innocent person up there. Guilty as guilty comes, she says.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046824031930834944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046823560805736449″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Assistant District Attorney Michelle Paradise says Beushausen’s family’s animosity toward her is understandable and expected. She says Beushausen, an alcoholic and drug addict, single handedly executed/killed Jaylynn. “She was gonna leave him.”&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046823560805736449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046822264111390722″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Beushausen apologizes to Jaylynn, saying he’s sorry he didn’t detect her pain or protect her. &#lt;br&#gt;Taking long pauses and breathing deeply. He’s sniffling and speaking in a monotone voice, saying “my calm demeanor is in no way an admission of guilt, it’s just who I am.”&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046822264111390722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046821244866158592″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Beushausen says his defense attorney was the biggest failure of all – “if you didn’t believe in me you should have passed on the case” – saying he had 9 months to prepare and didn’t call a single witness. “What did you do for 9 months?” Wow.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046821244866158592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046820036546121728″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Hey says Jaylynn took her own life and in many ways, much of his life. Maintaining his innocence, he asks, “did alcohol cost me the love of my life?” &#lt;br&#gt;James’s alcoholism has been used as key evidence throughout this case. He is now apologizing for it.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046820036546121728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046819541295063040″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Beushausen is addressing the court.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046819541295063040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046819533619486721″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;My son is incapable of doing that, says Beushausen’s mom. &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/nqyrjp5KlR”&#gt;pic.twitter.com/nqyrjp5KlR&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046819533619486721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046816625394049024″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;”When she was alive, nobody gave a damn about her” – Beushausen’s mom making inflammatory statements…and Jaylynn’s family getting visibly and audibly uncomfortable&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046816625394049024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046816127710449664″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;James’s mother takes the lectern saying for the year Jaylynn lived in her home, her family never came to visit.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046816127710449664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046815993845018624″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;She mentions that in the motion for a retrial, the judge said he “couldn’t see why Jaylynn would kill herself” – she says the judge shouldn’t speculate and should base his decision on facts.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046815993845018624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046815399684128768″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Beushausen’s sister speaks about Jaylynn’s family in her statement – they rush out of the courtroom.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046815399684128768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046812523742162944″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;His sister describes him as a “gentle soul.”&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046812523742162944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046812220468817920″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Letters to be read from relatives of Beushausen, then some family members who are present will speak.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046812220468817920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046809293008207873″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Some of the statements are directed broadly to the court or Judge Moore about Jaylynn and her absence, others speak directly to James.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046809293008207873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046808810445189120″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;A reminder from the trial: family and friends have stated all along they never knew Jaylynn to be anything close to depressed or suicidal, a key point that led to Beushausen’s conviction.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046808810445189120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046808250220302336″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;A family friend of Jaylynn and her parents: I hope you (James) see every vivid detail of everything you did when you close your eyes to sleep in the big boy jail.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046808250220302336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046805991642169344″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Kylie Hopkins, best friend and ‘sister,’ takes lectern with support from her mother. “She never got to meet my son. She loved my daughter.” &#lt;br&#gt;Calls Beushausen a “leech, a sucker of her soul” … “you tried to take everything from her.”&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046805991642169344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046804779945492480″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Beushausen still and silent, no visible reaction to the witness impact statements of the family and friends of the woman he has been convicted of killing. &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/aL2Do8k33f”&#gt;pic.twitter.com/aL2Do8k33f&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046804779945492480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046804247872864258″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;In a written statement delivered by prosecutor, an older sister figure to Jaylynn says, “When you killed Jaylynn, you killed a piece of us.”&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046804247872864258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046803095148064768″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Mother of Jaylynn’s best friend gives the next statement. She says how difficult it was to watch James sit front row at the funeral, when she knew instinctively he had killed her.&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046803095148064768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046802022815563779″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Hemphill presents a photo of young Jaylynn holding her pet chicken, saying she always loved animals. &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/XsbEVbOTKj”&#gt;pic.twitter.com/XsbEVbOTKj&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046802022815563779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046801519465492480″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Lynn Hemphill, Jaylynn’s mom, is first to give a victim impact statement. Speaks through tears, saying James will be able to see his family even if it is behind bars. “We have no visitation rights in Heaven.” &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/iqt6AvMWUp”&#gt;pic.twitter.com/iqt6AvMWUp&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046801519465492480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
{“url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046800630503759879″,”author_name”:”Jake Ingrassia”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Court underway in the sentencing for The People vs. Beushausen. &#lt;br&#gt;⬇️Live tweet thread below &#lt;/p&#gt;– Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeKESQ/status/1046800630503759879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;October 1, 2018&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}
Assistant District Attorney Michelle Paradise told jurors that Beushausen rendered Keith unconscious, placed her into the tub, then shot her while shielding himself from blood spatter behind a shower curtain.
The defendant told investigators, responding emergency personnel and a 911 dispatcher that Keith had shot herself while he was asleep. According to Paradise, a head wound discovered by investigators occurred independently of the gunshot and hinted that Keith may have been assaulted in order to stage an apparent suicide.
The prosecutor questioned Beushausen’s statements regarding the morning of the shooting, particularly his account that he spent between 10 and 20 minutes searching for Keith after being roused from sleep by a “popping” sound that he believed might have been coming from their air conditioner. Paradise emphasized that the apartment was about 430 square feet and that the bathroom would have been easily visible from the couple’s bed. She also described Beushausen as “a gun enthusiast” who regularly went shooting and should have known what a gunshot sounds like.
The couple’s nearly five-year relationship deteriorated over Beushausen’s alcoholism, leading him to undergo rehab stints and triggering several arguments between the two.
Paradise quoted a Dec. 28, 2016, text from Keith to a friend, in which she wrote: “James has been drinking for the last four days. This might be the end for us. This tops it all.”
According to the prosecutor, Keith had come to the breaking point in their relationship and was going to leave if Beushausen wouldn’t stop drinking.
On March 14, the day prior to her death, Keith texted family members that Beushausen got “psycho on me” during an altercation in which he smashed his cell phone and screamed at her, Paradise said. Keith was going to tell him she was leaving him after he sobered up and said she was afraid things would get “physically bad” when she told him, according to the prosecutor.
In one text message, she relayed to a friend that Beushausen had taken a pistol out of his gun safe, which scared her and caused her to take the safe keys and hide them, Paradise said.
The prosecutor vehemently denied that Keith was suicidal and reported that even Beushausen told police that Keith had never expressed any suicidal feelings.
Beushausen’s attorney, Greg Johnson, argued that a bladder syndrome was causing Keith substantial pain and was another stressor on their relationship, pushing her to take her own life.
He said two internet searches were made on her cell phone referencing interstitial cystitis, one on March 12 on “IC depression” and another on March 15 on “IC suicide rate.” about 40 minutes prior to when Beushausen called 911,
Paradise countered that Beushausen used Keith’s phone to call 911 and was seen using her phone after investigators arrived at the apartment. The prosecutor called the searches “a red herring” and “an excuse to plant a
seed because this is supposed to be made up to look like suicide.” She said Keith’s doctor said her illness was “stabilized” and that medication was proving successful in controlling her pain.
But Johnson contended that Keith was in more pain — both physically and emotionally — then she let on to loved ones, and described her relationship with Beushausen as the final straw in a rough life that included losing her home, which burned down shortly following her father’s death.
In the months following his girlfriend’s death, Beushausen quit his job and moved back to his hometown of McAllen, Texas, where he was eventually arrested by Palm Springs investigators on Oct. 18 in the parking lot of a shopping center.
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Noticias en español: Telemundo 15
