Tiffanie Lucas: Relatives want death penalty for Kentucky mom accused of shooting dead her two sons
KENTUCKY, UNITED STATES: Tiffanie Lucas, accused of killing her minor sons by shooting them, appeared in court with a stony expression, and which infuriated the boys' relatives, one of whom wanted to see her "put to death."
The 32-year-old mother from Kentucky maintained a somber expression during her Monday court appearance as she entered a not guilty plea to two counts of capital murder of the boys - Jayden Howard, 9, and Maurice Baker Jr, 6.
According to court records, Lucas previously spent a month in jail for a drug possession conviction.
Stepmother advocates for death penalty for Tiffanie Lucas
Maurice's stepmother Michelle Rice believes Lucas ought to be executed.
"We want the death penalty, but if it goes to trial, it will be a drawn-out process unless she strikes a deal for life in prison. That is our goal."
In a lengthy interview, Rice, overcome with emotion, told Law & Crime, "She deserves to die."
After the hearing, Bobbie Baker, one of the deceased boy's aunts, told WAVE, "She just looks like she doesn't have a care in the world."
She remarked, “I think her sitting in jail for the rest of her life is a cakewalk,” in reference to Lucas's "unemotional" look. In the end, the aunt stated that “for her to be put to death,” would be the only appropriate punishment.
Last month, a neighbor of Shepherdsville's Lucas found her sons, 9-year-old Jayden Howard and his younger brother Maurice Baker Jr, covered in blood next to a gun in the family's bedroom.
This led to Lucas's arrest. The boys died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Aunt Baker added, “They won’t ever have the opportunity to … be who they were supposed to be.”
Will Tiffanie Lucas get the death penalty?
According to WDRB, Commonwealth's Attorney Bailey Taylor stated on Monday that if Lucas is found guilty on both counts, she could be subject to the death penalty, New York Post reported.
Her bond was set at $2 million.
Baker continued, "The family’s strife in the wake of the boys’ deaths has been compounded by troubling mix-ups with the coroner’s office."
The bereaved aunt alleged, ”[Maurice] had his visitation, and we got Jayden’s body instead.”
The Norton Children's Hospital was in charge of identifying and labeling the boys' bodies, Jefferson County Coroner JoAnn Farmer said to The Post on Tuesday.
She clarified, "The Jefferson County Coroner's Office did not [bag or tag] these two boys," adding that the family's complaint is being "handled" by the hospital's meeting department. A request for comment from Norton Children's Hospital was not immediately answered.
Baker continued, "The children's relatives feel that Child Protective Services has failed them as well."
Jayden's elder paternal half-brother stated shortly after Maurice and Jayden's deaths that over time, a number of family members attempted to notify authorities of their worries regarding the children.
"We wanted them. We would have taken them with open arms."
At the time, Durrell Howell remarked, "We loved them so much."
How did police decribe the case?
Bullitt County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Col Alex Payne reportedly said to reporters, "We did all we could. There were two victims in the bedroom. They were covered in blood and a gun on the bed."
"Whether you think it's mental illness, just pure evil, a combination of both, it could be substance abuse, any combination thereof. Pick your poison. None of it's good. The result is horrific," he went on.
Payne stated that the children who passed away were half brothers and continued, "The father of one of the victims is deceased. The father of the other victim is unknown. Whereabouts are unknown. Other family members, we got hold of and made notification."
