July 26, 2008

Dangerous Liaisons

How Far Would You Go For Love?

    • Timothy

      Timothy "Tracey" Humphrey  (CBS)

    • Sandra Rozzo

      Sandra Rozzo  (CBS)

    • Ashley Laney

      Ashley Laney  (CBS)

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(CBS)  Tracey Humphrey also had an explanation for one of the most incriminating elements of the state’s circumstantial case: those 22 cell phone calls he and Ashley exchanged in the hours leading up to and after the murder.

"Anytime that Ashley and I were apart, we had numerous calls," Tracey Humphrey said. "We talked a lot. We like to talk to each other. We were still in the stage of our relationship where you watch the phone like it’s the TV."

Tracey Humphrey said they spent most of those phone calls arguing about Ashley’s jealousy over one of his female clients.

In an effort to prove just how manipulative Tracey Humphrey could be, the prosecution used his own words against him.

"In fact, you had written other women and told them you love them," the prosecutor stated.

"I think I wrote… yeah," Tracey Humphrey replied.

While still professing his love for Ashley, Tracey Humphrey sent a series of letters to ex lovers after he was arrested, proposing marriage - and even asking for a loan.

Despite evidence to the contrary, Tracey Humphrey still claims he is simply a victim of circumstance.

He's been called a master manipulator, a liar, someone who beats women. Asked how he sees himself, Tracey Humphrey says he hadn't thought of that.

"I mean, are you basically a good guy who got screwed by his wife?" Maher asks.

"A lot of wrong places at the wrong time," Tracey Humphrey replies.

Hoping that Tracey Humphrey has finally run out of time, the prosecution takes one final shot at him during closing arguments.

"Timothy Humphrey had a firearm. And that firearm that he pointed at Sandra was Ashley Humphrey. And he pulled that trigger on Ashley Humphrey. And he fired eight times and took care of his problem," the prosecutor said during closing arguments.

The jury deliberated just four hours and returned with a verdict of guilty of first degree murder.

"Who did he think he was that he could think that he could get away with this. Did he think he was so high and mighty that he could do something like this and get away with it," Sandee's mom remarked.

Asked if he was surprised by the verdict, Tracey Humphrey says, "Not at that point. When I walked out of the room after the jury left, I walked into the holding cell in the back and I said, 'It’s over.'"

Just two days after the verdict, Tracey Humphrey returned to the same courtroom, to be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Sandee's mother believes justice has been served. "I think it’s better than the death penalty 'cause he’s got to suffer every day and think everyday what he did."

Tracey Humphrey’s punishment aside, Sandee’s mother says she has finally found some peace, knowing that her daughter’s death has likely saved other women from Tracey Humphrey’s deadly grip.

"She put her life on the line knowing what the consequences could be. She put a message out there not to let anybody do something like this to your and get away with it and stop it before they can hurt you," her mother said.



Tracey Humphrey appealed his conviction, and lost.

Ashley Humphrey will be 46 when she is released from prison.




Produced by Chuck Stevenson, Marty Zied and Chris Young
©MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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