Reginal Potts talks for first-time since kill arrest
CHICAGO (WLS) — Convicted killer Reginald Potts spoke out in their own defense for the first time Friday during his sentencing hearing in 2007 death of ex-girlfriend Nailah Franklin.
Potts, 39, is actually facing existence in prison for destroying the pharmaceutical representative.
Potts didn’t testify during his murder trial, but he’d loads to state tuesday, speaking for approximately 40 moments. All week prosecutors posses portrayed Potts as a cunning manipulator just who develops enraged and aggressive whenever their lies were revealed. But Potts today mentioned he is the target of a narrative which is false.
“I did not stalk Nailah. I did not murder Nailah. Years,” Potts stated.
Potts was found guilty in November. Prosecutors say Potts murdered Franklin after she left him. But Potts refused that Franklin is their sweetheart.
“I didn’t have anger toward Nailah Franklin. I happened to be maybe not crazy along with her. I became not stalking this lady,” Potts said.
Throughout five-day sentencing hearing, prosecutors labeled as multiple witnesses whom outlined a routine of criminal activity and assault by Potts inclined to females and members of police force.
“i will be a very blunt people. You’ve probably heard that. Your own deputies have heard that. I talk my personal notice. I’m not a violent people,” Potts stated.
Potts grew mental after talking about their upbringing, developing up in a broken house but surrounded by warm household, at one-point referencing Thursday’s results declaration given by Franklin’s mom.
“creating a mom and hearing Ms. Franklin’s mommy speak about the end result that her daughter’s demise have upon this lady, that more than such a thing through the sentencing hearing and throughout this demo moved me,” Potts mentioned.
But Potts also advised the assess on Friday he wouldn’t stalk the victim, but he requested Franklin to cease phoning your. Potts informed the courtroom that Franklin also referred to as the mother of his kids and told her Potts desired to posses a young child with Franklin.
Potts also defended their record of infractions while in prison. The guy contended which he is targeted by protections over the last eight many years because however maybe not accept poor cures as various other inmates create.
Potts in addition argued that his kids mummy Natalie Figueroa wasn’t a battered woman, but which he leftover her after she duped on him as he was in jail. The guy said another woman which testified against your, Ina Dorsey, was actually enraged because the guy outdated this lady but never shared with her he had been married.
Potts did admit to throwing a door in while discouraged about being able to check out his young children. Potts subsequently study a message from Dorsey and asked the assess, “Does this seem like a battered woman?”
Potts also mentioned he blamed the mass media the “narrative” of him stalking Franklin.
“we liked just how living was actually supposed. I’d not need thrown that away,” Potts mentioned. “we remain just before, and I also point out that i will be simple.
“This judge can be sure to demand a phrase, but I am not saying gonna be in someone’s jail rotting out,” he mentioned. “And wait until a court of analysis discusses this example and perhaps create an alternative choice.”
“we inquire once again it is off compassion and compassion,” Potts mentioned in the phrase. “i can not require forgiveness for some thing I didn’t create.”
Thursday’s testimony concluded with Potts’ dad, exactly who finished a portrait of a young child from a damaged room just who was raised becoming an intelligent parent of two babes just who the guy really likes really. Their testimony was a student in response to some remarkable victim-impact statements.
“Nightmares still taunt me with her shouting, moaning and trying, asking on her lifetime. But not one folks are there to save the girl. None of are there to listen their whines,” said Ashlee Allen, Franklin’s sibling.
“There had been two deaths, Nailah along with her father. The guy died as a result of this. He quit eating along with his health dropped,” said Maria Maner, Franklin’s mother.
The judge also read from two state’s attorneys investigators whom in depth a routine of assault by Potts against female.
Richard Lombard testified this 1 of Potts’ previous girlfriends informed him Potts choked the lady during a stay in a fresh York town lodge.
“the guy choked their, choked the woman away, and put their on sleep. She managed to phone lodge safety in which he fled,” mentioned Lombard.
Potts was actually convicted in Franklin’s 2007 murder. The 28-year-old pharmaceutical agent was asphyxiated after breaking up with Potts.
Cook County Jail head Tarry Williams affirmed that Potts provides dedicated more than 200 violations while in guardianship, like placing a fire inside the mobile and sabotaging plumbing work.
He was expected in which Potts rated compatible partners among evil inmates.
“within my career, he is have got to end up being top ten,” Williams stated.
The hearing got postponed due to some inquiries concerning a mobile phone that was within some papers that Potts provided their lawyers earlier recently. Potts stated the telephone was not their.
Judge Thomas Gainer claims he’s going to sentence Potts on Tuesday.