PHUKET: In a dramatic moment in Phuket Provincial Court today, Briton Lee Aldhouse confessed to murdering former US Marine Dashawn Longfellow.
The confession opens the way to a speedy sentence and an end to a long pursuit and trial that has engaged emotions on Phuket and on both sides of the Atlantic.
To heighten the drama, the girlfriends of both men met in the courtroom today and hugged each other.
The judge asked Aldhouse, dressed in Phuket Prison garb and wearing shackles: ''Did you do it? Did you kill Mr Longfellow?''
Aldhouse, reversing his previous not guilty plea, said: ''Yes I did.''
The prosecutor held up a photograph of a knife and asked: ''You killed him with this knife?''
Aldhouse: ''Yes, yes, yes.''
Police and the prosecutor's office have some additional questions for Dashawn Longfellow's girlfriend, who was with him when Aldhouse ambushed and killed the American on August 14, 2010.
Sentencing is likely as early as September 2, with the Prosecutor warning Aldhouse today that even with a guilty plea halving the normal sentence, he will probably face 50 years.
On the night of the killing, Aldhouse and Longfellow fought a fist fight at the Freedom Bar in Rawai, southern Phuket. Aldhouse started the fight, but lost.
Soon after, a security camera filmed Aldhouse grabbing knives from a local 7-Eleven before following Longfellow home and stabbing him to death.
Aldhouse speedily fled Thailand and was arrested days later when he landed at London's Heathrow Airport. A long court battle ensued to have him sent back to Thailand to face justice.
In December, Aldhouse became the first prisoner extradited from Britain to Thailand, even though a treaty between the two countries had been in place for 101 years.
His return to Phuket, escorted by Thai officials, reignited interest in the case, especially among his family and friends in the US.
Anxious for justice, Longfellow's mother Tammy wrote on a memorial Facebook site just days ago:
''My dear son iam so very sorry i cant believe it's been 3yrs that no good scum took u from me dashawn there are so many days i just want to give up so i can just see ur face and to hold u one more time it's so damn hard not being there in court when they say to that trash rot in hell i feel so helpless down here doing nothing i feel like a bad mom bubba i love so damn much iam so mad he took u from me iam so lost without u i love u my dear angle love mom.''
She is expected to be delighted with Aldhouse's change of heart today.
Footage from inside the 7-Eleven can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvuYakEINGg
CNN coverage with Phuketwan can be viewed at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/17/thailand.kickboxing.killer/?hpt=T2#fbid=j8b3WNTelG3&wom=false
The confession opens the way to a speedy sentence and an end to a long pursuit and trial that has engaged emotions on Phuket and on both sides of the Atlantic.
To heighten the drama, the girlfriends of both men met in the courtroom today and hugged each other.
The judge asked Aldhouse, dressed in Phuket Prison garb and wearing shackles: ''Did you do it? Did you kill Mr Longfellow?''
Aldhouse, reversing his previous not guilty plea, said: ''Yes I did.''
The prosecutor held up a photograph of a knife and asked: ''You killed him with this knife?''
Aldhouse: ''Yes, yes, yes.''
Police and the prosecutor's office have some additional questions for Dashawn Longfellow's girlfriend, who was with him when Aldhouse ambushed and killed the American on August 14, 2010.
Sentencing is likely as early as September 2, with the Prosecutor warning Aldhouse today that even with a guilty plea halving the normal sentence, he will probably face 50 years.
On the night of the killing, Aldhouse and Longfellow fought a fist fight at the Freedom Bar in Rawai, southern Phuket. Aldhouse started the fight, but lost.
Soon after, a security camera filmed Aldhouse grabbing knives from a local 7-Eleven before following Longfellow home and stabbing him to death.
Aldhouse speedily fled Thailand and was arrested days later when he landed at London's Heathrow Airport. A long court battle ensued to have him sent back to Thailand to face justice.
In December, Aldhouse became the first prisoner extradited from Britain to Thailand, even though a treaty between the two countries had been in place for 101 years.
His return to Phuket, escorted by Thai officials, reignited interest in the case, especially among his family and friends in the US.
Anxious for justice, Longfellow's mother Tammy wrote on a memorial Facebook site just days ago:
''My dear son iam so very sorry i cant believe it's been 3yrs that no good scum took u from me dashawn there are so many days i just want to give up so i can just see ur face and to hold u one more time it's so damn hard not being there in court when they say to that trash rot in hell i feel so helpless down here doing nothing i feel like a bad mom bubba i love so damn much iam so mad he took u from me iam so lost without u i love u my dear angle love mom.''
She is expected to be delighted with Aldhouse's change of heart today.
Phuketwan Exclusive Coverage
Footage from inside the 7-Eleven can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvuYakEINGg
CNN coverage with Phuketwan can be viewed at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/17/thailand.kickboxing.killer/?hpt=T2#fbid=j8b3WNTelG3&wom=false
Semper Fidelis Dashawn. Lee confession does not grant you forgiveness.
Posted by Robin on August 28, 2013 12:33