James Hataway Trial for Attempted Murder on Rachel Clarke in 2008. Many believe he is responsible for Tracy Ocasio's disappearance./Found GUILTY of Attempted Murder

Jury Selection To Begin In James Hataway Trial

Hataway Trial Set To Begin
Posted: 9:54 pm EDT March 27, 2011
Updated: 8:37 am EDT March 28, 2011

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. -- Jury selection is set to begin Monday in the trial for James Hataway. He'll stand trial on charges of attempted murder after being accused of trying to strangle Rachel Clarke in Casselberry in 2008.
He's spent the past two years in the Seminole County Jail. During that time, he became a prime suspect in the disappearances of Tracy Ocasio and his own friend Chris George.
"I want to see him locked up forever, basically. He shouldn't be out in decent society," said Ocasio's mother, Liz Ocasio.
Hataway is not facing any charges in either case, but Tracy Ocasio's parents are still convinced he is responsible for her disappearance or at least knows where their daughter is. That's why they plan to follow Clarke's case closely.
"I made a vow to my daughter that I would go to every single appearance that he made," said Liz Ocasio.

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I feel so sad for the Ocasio family. I hope by some measure that Rachel and Tracy (who knows how many others) receive justice by a conviction and a lifetime in prison.

Testimony Begins In Hataway Attempted Murder Trial

Opening Statements In Hataway Trial To Be Heard
Posted: 6:09 am EDT March 30, 2011
Updated: 9:43 am EDT March 30, 2011

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. -- Opening statements will be heard Wednesday in the attempted murder trial of James Hataway.
He's accused of trying to break a Casselberry woman’s neck. Hataway is also allegedly connected to the disappearances of Tracy Ocasio and Chris George.


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Alleged Victim In Hataway Attempted Murder Trial Takes Stand
Posted: 12:08 pm EDT March 30, 2011
Updated: 3:29 pm EDT March 30, 2011

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. -- The alleged victim in the James Hataway attempted murder trial took the stand Wednesday morning. The woman gave the jury a demonstration of how she says Hataway attacked her.

ALLEGED VICTIM: Photos Of Injures
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SLIDESHOW: Alleged Victim Testifying
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ALLEGED VICTIM TESTIFIES IN COURT:
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ARCHIVE: Previous "James Hataway" Stories

Rachael Clarke said Hataway tried to break her neck three times. Clarke was the first witness to be called to the stand Wednesday morning.

In 2008, Clarke said Hataway tried to kill her and stole her keys. She showed jurors how he allegedly tried to break her neck after she gave him a ride home from a party. Clarke told jurors she ran for help after he tried to slam her head into the pavement.

While Clarke was on the stand describing the night in question, Hataway sat with no emotion.

"And are you saying anything as you are running?" the prosecutor asked.

"Yes, I was screaming, 'Someone help me! This guy is trying to kill me!'" Clarke replied.

Clarke's mother and a family friend cried during her testimony. At one point, Clarke's mother even grabbed her stomach.

Witnesses said they heard the attack and ran to help. One neighbor called 911.

“[I] heard screaming outside and, when we went there, and this girl, somebody was attacking her. I got her in my house. She said the guy tried to kill her. She's all bloody," one witness described in pre-trial testimony.

Hataway is also a suspect in the disappearance of Tracy Ocasio and Chris George.

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Attorney claims alleged victim misinterpreted James Hataway’s intentions

SANFORD --
A jury has been seated and the case against James Hataway is now under way.

The alleged victim, Rachael Clarke, was first on the stand.

Hataway's attorney, Jeff Leukel, told the jurors in his opening statement that it's obvious something happened to Clarke back in 2008.

However, he said Clarke may not remember things exactly as they occurred and she’s misinterpreting Hataway's intentions.

Hataway is accused of trying to break the woman's neck after she took him home from a party.

Photos taken of Clarke in the hospital showed the seriousness of her injuries.

Clarke came off the stand to show the court how she says Hataway tried to strangle her. Clarke clutched Assistant State Attorney Anna Valentini to show how Hataway grabbed a hold of her.

Clarke says there was no mistaking what was happening to her.

Watching in on this trial are the parents of Tracy Ocasio and Chris George.

Hataway is a suspect in the disappearance of both of them in 2009.

While the judge has ruled there is to be no mention of those cases, the jury is not being sequestered during this trial.

The trial is expected to take a few days to complete.
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Photos taken of Clarke in the hospital showed the seriousness of her injuries.

And, it's enough that she had to get on the stand and testify with that monster sitting right there.

Don't you know that we gals Always "misinterpret" when a man tries to kill us. We must be high or something.

James Hataway Found Guilty Of Attempted Murder
Posted: 12:23 pm EDT April 1, 2011
Updated: 7:21 pm EDT April 1, 2011

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. -- James Hataway, the man suspected in the disappearance of two people was found guilty of attempted first-degree murder on Friday. The defense said Hataway is only guilty of battery, but the jury found him guilty on all charges, including burglary, false imprisonment and attempted first-degree murder.

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There is a video (can't embed) at the above link of Hataway testifying and also of the victim testifying.

HATAWAY TESTIFIES: Part 1
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Part 2
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WOMAN'S TESTIMONY: Part 1 Of 2
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Part 2
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ALLEGED VICTIM: Photos Of Injures
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On The Stand
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ARCHIVE: Previous "James Hataway" Stories
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Wow, that sure didn't take long, did it? He knew he was toast. And, I have No clue what any of these women saw in him as IMO, he is not in the least bit attractive.

I hope that Rachel gets Some form of redemption now. And, I also hope the Ocasio's and anyone else this monster abused and/or murdered feel like they also won in court.

Attempted-murder sentencing Monday in Seminole in James Hataway case

By Mary Shanklin, Orlando Sentinel
10:20 p.m. EDT, May 8, 2011

Sentencing is set for Monday in the attempted-murder case of James Hataway, who faces life in prison.

Jurors deliberated less than three hours in early April before finding James Hataway guilty on all counts — including attempted murder — in an attack on a women who gave him a ride home in August 2008.

The three-man, three-woman jury also found Hataway guilty of robbery, false imprisonment and burglary with battery in the attack on Rachael Clarke.

Hataway is the only named suspect in the disappearance of Tracy Ocasio.

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Thanks, Lisette!! I hope he gets life w/no possibility of parole, and admits to killing Tracy Ocasio. That poor family has been through enough!!

That monster can rot in hell.

James Hataway gets life in prison after apologizing for attack on woman
By Gary Taylor, Orlando Sentinel
3:31 p.m. EDT, May 9, 2011

SANFORD — James Hataway, the only named suspect in the disappearance of Tracy Ocasio, was sentenced today to life in prison in an unrelated case in Seminole 'County.

Hataway was found guilty in April on charges of attempted first-degree murder, robbery, false imprisonment and burglary with battery – in the attack on Rachael Clarke in August 2008.

Circuit Judge Donna L. McIntosh today handed down the life sentence in the attempted-murder charge, making it clear she was only considering the circumstances of the attack on Clarke.

McIntosh also sentenced Hataway to 30 years in prison for burglary with battery, 15 years in prison for robbery and five years in prison for false imprisonment, with the sentences to run concurrently. He was given credit for the 1,062 days he has been in jail since his arrest on the Seminole charges.

Defense attorney Jeff Leukel immediately announced that he would appeal the sentence. He had urged McIntosh to sentence Hataway to 12 to 15 years in prison followed by probation of five to 10 years.

He told McIntosh that his client's charges and criminal past do not justify a life sentence.

"This while case sat dormant until the Ocasio investigation began," Leukel said.

"They didn't convict him in the disappearance of Tracy Ocasio," he said.

He accused the state of filing the "most extreme cases they could" against Hataway, something prosecutor Anna Valentini said offended her.

Leukel called four witnesses who testified on Hataway's behalf and read a letter from his father, Virgil Hataway, who was is deaf and was in court using an interpreter to following the proceedings.

Hataway also spoke briefly before being sentenced.

"I do realize her injuries were my fault," he told McIntosh. "I do apologize." And, just as he testified during the trial, Hataway denied that he tried to kill Clarke.

Clarke also spoke during the sentencing hearing, speaking softly in words that were hard to hear. She talked about the stress she has been under and called the time since her attack "the worst three years of my life."

Hataway is better known as a suspect in the disappearance of Ocasio, who was last seen leaving a MetroWest bar with Hataway on May 27, 2009.

He has also been linked to disappearance of Onda "Chris" George -- two people who disappeared after crossing paths with Hataway.

Ocasio's parents and George's mother were in the courtroom to hear the verdict.

"It's not justice for Tracy, but he can't do it to anyone else," Liz Ocasio said.

Seeing Hataway put away for life does nothing to dampen her drive to see the disappearance of her daughter solved, she said. "We still have to find Tracy."

George called the life sentence "something I've been praying for."

She said she is not convinced that Hataway is responsible for her son's death, but she thinks he played some role.

George also disappeared in 2009, and Apopka police recently recovered bones that have tentatively been identified as George's.

Hataway has not been charged in either case.

Overcome by emotion,Tiffany Rodriguez, 30, left, of Orlando, hugs Joe Ocasio, the father of Tracy Ocasio as other people hug Liz Ocasio, second from right, after James Hataway was sentenced Monday, May 9, 2011 to life in prison for attempted murder of Rachel Clarke. (Red Huber, Orlando Sentinel / May 9, 2011)

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That is wonderful news!!!

Some also believe he is behind the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse as well.

Like Raine said...May he Rot!! :woot:

p.s. If Hattaway would get such a stiff sentence, I hope Casey Anthony will get more of the same, and worse!!