Kent Jermaine Jackson
Date of Birth: Sept. 18, 1981
Sex: Male
Race: Black
Entered the Row: Jan. 14, 2002
District: Newport News
Conviction: Capital murder and robbery
Virginia DOC Inmate Number: 318275
Kent Jermaine Jackson was arrested on Aug. 28, 2001 for killing Beulah Mae Kaiser, 79, of Newport News more than a year earlier.
On April 18, 2000, Kaiser was found in her apartment beaten, stabbed and anally sodomized with her cane. Sixteen months later, DNA testing of saliva on a cigarette butt found at the crime scene led police to Gary Gaskins. Gaskins in turn led police to Jackson and Joseph M. Dorsett, who had been roommates at an apartment across the hall from Kaiser.
Jackson admitted to being a party to Kaiser’s murder but during trial asked that that his admission of guilt be quashed. Jackson claimed that his confession had not been freely given because “it was not the product of his free and unconstrained will.” Detective Larry P. Rilee testified that Jackson had been informed of his Miranda rights and chose to verbally waive his rights.[i] The trial court allowed the self-incriminating confession into the trial record.
Both Jackson and Dorsett maintained that they were not responsible for stabbing or molesting Kaiser, even if each had confessed to being involved in the crime. During forensic testing, DNA of a sock at the crime scene linked six of eight loci to Jackson. However, criminal DNA testing usually examines 13-16 loci.[ii]
Prior to the trial’s conclusion, one of two defense lawyers asked permission from the court to withdraw due to “irreconcilable differences” with Jackson. The court consented—a possible violation of petitioner’s constitutional right of counsel.
On the basis of Jackson’s confession and DNA evidence, he was found guilty by a Newport News jury of capital murder. Dorsett was also found guilty of murder and sentenced to 135 years. Jackson, on the other hand, received the death penalty.
On Oct. 31, 2003, the Virginia Supreme Court upheld Jackson’s death sentence. [iii] Jackson has been on death row since January 14, 2002.
[i] Kent Jermaine Jackson V. Commonwealth of Virginia. Oct. 31, 2003.
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Richmond Times- Dispatch. Nov. 1, 2003.