Memphis Murders Pinned On Victim's Brother

Family Members Are Startled By News Suspect Was Uncle Of Slain And Wounded Children

(CBS/AP)  The brother of one of the six people killed in Memphis earlier this week has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Police said Saturday that 33-year-old Jessie L. Dotson was arrested Friday night and is the older brother of Cecil Dotson, one of the victims.

Police Director Larry Godwin announced Saturday that Dotson had been charged with six counts of first degree murder and three counts of attempted first degree murder after a four-day investigation into the homicides.

The bodies - four adults and two children - were discovered Monday at a small rental house where three other children also were found critically wounded.

Cecil Dotson, 30, was the father of the dead and injured children.

Authorities identified the other adult victims Wednesday as Hollis Seals, 33; Shindri Roberson, 20, and Marissa Rene Williams, 26.

Cemario Dotson, age 4 and Cecil Dotson, age 2, were the two boys found dead in the home.

Roberson's family told CBS News affiliate WREG they can't believe Dotson's brother is behind bars for the gruesome crime.

"Destroy your own brother and his kids and whoever else is around that is not a brother. That man is possessed by a devil," said Verle Jones, Roberson's aunt.

Jones added, "That's not a brother. He's just a cold blooded, cold hearted person."

Records show that Jessie Dotson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 1994 and spent 14 years in prison. He was released from prison in January.

Police say the four adults died from apparent gunshot wounds and the children suffered multiple injuries as result of stab wounds.

Neighbors who live the street where the murders occurred are also shocked. Many thought the crime had to be the work of a number of people, not just one person.

"It's just shocking to everybody. We're just trying to figure out what's going on in our neighborhood. We really don't know," Thomas Miles told WREG.

The surviving children are under police custody at a children's hospital and authorities refuse to give the extent of their injuries.

Susan Steppe of Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center won't talk specifically about this case but says in cases like Lester Street, "there is a watchful eye on those children every minute."

Steppe told WREG, "I realize to the public outside the hospital it may seem that these children are being deprived of important relationships that would be very important to them right now. But I want to assure you that every child at Le Bonheur is being tended to."

[nahgem-2009]

There were several wars in this world''s history that were faught using swords, knives, etc. before guns were ever made/invented. Still thousands, if not millions, of people died. What is your reasoning for this? Guns cannot be blamed. If guns were to be banned, the human race would just come up with some other weapon of choice, possibly one even more deadly than the gun. What will your argument be then? People make choices, most often they are bad ones. Your choice is to continue with your one track mind. Mine is to continue being a single mother who legally owns a firearm.

[billorights]

%u201CThey (ElMentiroso%u2019s chosen criminologists) say areas with more households with guns have more homicides and more suicides.%u201D

How does one explain why Washington, D.C., with the strictest gun control in the nation, has a firearm-related homicide rate more than double any other state in the nation (including neighboring states)? Could it be that unarmed victims make more appealing targets? Or, are the residents of D.C. just more violent than the rest of the country?

He further postulates %u201Cthe whole tragedy could have been prevented even if they had knives and gasoline for the fire but no guns%u201D

Amazing fantasy.

Why is there no mention that if this convicted murderer was still in prison (where he belonged) he wouldn%u2019t have been able to slaughter these people? Did guns cause him to stab the 2-year old and 4-year old boys to death, or was he just out of ammo? If so, are guns still to blame?

If a drunk driver kills someone while driving drunk, do you blame it on the car, or the booze? Obviously, the criminal is never responsible for their actions, using this type of illogic.

[msnooy79]

Why did he do it? How do we know it was the brother?

[gunownerdan]

Of course elcantante1 AKA schoollord AKA schoolmast1 won''t tell you that most people who are killed with guns are people who kill themselves.
You''d think they didn''t know what would happen if they put a gun to their head and pulled the trigger?
I believe suicide is very wrong but they made the choice to end their own lives, not the gun they used.
A large percentage of people who are murdered are also involved in drugs or other illegal activities as well!
But don''t let these facts get in the way of your agenda.

[nahgem-2009]

This is a tragedy, but are you people not reading the story? It says that some of the children were STABBED....what the heck does that have to do with a gun. If he had not had a gun, I''m guessing he would have just stabbed them all instead. And just so you know, if this guy served 14 years for murder, he is not allowed to have a gun, therefore he is not legally in possession of a firearm. Keep your BS "guns kill people, people don''t kill people" garbage out of here.

[ranger1948]

I USED TO BE THE TYPE WHO WOULD FIGHT IF INSULTED. nOW SINCE CONVERTING TO Budhism i try to talk things out and if necessary walk away froma situation. I really hope i never have to hurt anyone again. I still have much to learn about the Budhist faith, but learning is a never ending experience to an open mind.

[ranger1948]

elcantante1
I enjoyed talking with you even though we disagree. I also appreciate the fact that our conversations remained civil. I think this is the sort of exchange people can learn from. I wish you the best.

[ranger1948]

Budhists are taught that what you do in life will come back to you tenfold, good or bad.I think this is a good principle to live by, that and being faithful to your beliefs.

[nofearinlove]

Posted by ranger1948 at 11:33 PM : Mar 09, 2008

If what you are tell''in me is true I''LL say again Jesus deals with self on a permanent basis. The core of a needful heart! Not a maybe woulda shoulda!

[ranger1948]

I personally believe that God, Allah, Buddha, or whatever you prefer to use as his name, that we are all talking about the same entity. I think if we coukld sit down and talk together we could learn to live together. The exception being the radicals who call themselves Muslims think they have to kill everyone who is not Muslim. Here in southern Thailand the terrorists are blowing up buildings and killing people daily in the name of their religion. The problem i have with this is the area where this is happening is all Muslim and thy are killing their own people so i do not see what they think they are accomplishing.

[ranger1948]

nofear inlove
I have the same faith in Budha. I have had five esperiences with cobra''s and believe Budha protected me each time. I was bitten two weeks ago in my kitchen by a young cobra. I received what is called a dry bite where no or little poison is injected. The only ill effect i had was the nerves in my hand have been very sensitive since the bite. Last month i was walking down the stret and came close to a king cobra that i didn''t know was there. He struck hitting the bag i was carrying. It was my fault if you give them space they will leave you alone. I got too close unknowingly.

[nofearinlove]

Jesus is God in the flesh period.

[ranger1948]

nofearinlove
i found the christain religions also taught what you should or should not believe and do. I have two sons who are Catholic, a daughter who is Muslim, and a daughter who is Baptist. I respect their rights to their beliefs. I respect all religions with one exception, Jehovah Witness. I cannot accept their beliefs and was told because i was a profesional soldier i would not be welcome in their kingdom hall.

[nofearinlove]

Other religions teach what you must do. Christ teaches you can do all things with him in you. The reality here is he must back up what he says when the self part of us ask for his help. This is real Christianity not a fantasy based off of frustration and no answers!

[nofearinlove]

Posted by ranger1948 at 10:55 PM : Mar 09, 2008

I do not simply believe I experience a daily walk with Christ? He deals with the core of the heart. The self part! I am not just a Christian in talk but in walk with his power and strength and love. Not my power or strength or love! Jesus lives in me I do not try to live with my initiative.

[ranger1948]

elcantante1
You say most gun deaths are not related to criminals. If a person kills someone with a gun or any other means then they are a criminal unless it is self defense.

[ranger1948]

I believe experience is a better teacher than books, although putting the two together is a better combination.

[ranger1948]

nofearinlove
the problem i have with that is he didn''t give his victims the opportunity to get right with their maker. I converted from christianity to Budhism because i couldn''t accept all the beliefs of christianity. I changed to Budhism while living in Thailand. The people here live what they believe. They also believe people are reincarnated after dath if they have not learned their lessons completely in the first life, sometimes as a person and sometimes reborn as an animal. They believe in living in harmony with all people and all creatures. I have found more soul in most animals than a lot of people i know. I came back from the war not wanting to hurt or kill anyone or anything again. When i return to the states i will obtain a permiot to carry so to protect my family from all the crazy people still running loose.

[ranger1948]

elcatante1
Although i disagree ith your opinions fior the most part, i do respect your right to have diferent opinions from anyone else. You said you believe in rehabilitation but it doesn''t work because the system sucks. Why do you believe in something you admit doesn''t work ?

[nofearinlove]

The death penalty finalizes a persons earthly decision to take a life brings consequences, their comeupins. It also gives the killer time to get right before his maker. Thus there is an end to this life but grace to find the Lord before the next. See its that simple!