Wright found guilty of murder

The victim's twin brother asks for the harshest sentence.

By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer
Published December 14, 2007

A judge gave Christopher Michael Wright, 46, a life sentence.
	[Brendan Fitterer | Times]

NEW PORT RICHEY - Two juries have spoken: Daniel Lee Parbel and Christopher Wright ended John Jason Benjamin's life in 2005.

They held him against his will and beat him, a witness testified. They shared the knife that slashed and stabbed at him, the jurors learned. Then, the state said, they tried to destroy the evidence. They put Benjamin's body inside a blood-stained SUV and set both on fire.

Last month, Parbel was found guilty.

On Thursday, it was Wright's turn.

"I ask for the harshest sentence for what he has done to my brother," the victim's twin Robert Benjamin told the court, "for what he has done to my family and also to keep the streets of Pasco County safe."

Two separate trials made for a grueling month for the Benjamin family - but they would gladly sit through more. If there were any more.

There won't be. No one else has been charged in Benjamin's death. No one else has been accused of taking part in that violent act. But that doesn't mean the family doesn't hold just those two men responsible.

"There's a difference between knowing someone's guilty," the brother said, "and proving it."

* * *

Benjamin's family spent both trials learning about the events that led to his death.

From courtroom pews, they were introduced to the people the victim spent his last hours with.

The three who have not been accused of a crime.

There's Sherry Harris, who testified that Benjamin was taken captive while she tried to collect a $300 debt for cocaine from him.

There's Yusef "Voodoo" Wilson, who testified he stood by and watched in shock as Parbel and Wright attacked Benjamin and then destroyed the evidence.

There's Michael Lind, who Harris said wanted the $300 back from her. It was Lind, a witness said, who put a gun to Benjamin's head. And it was Lind who witness after witness called the leader of this drug ring.

Wilson and Lind are both serving time, but not for any crime connected to Benjamin's Sept. 25, 2005, death.

But the victim's family blames them all for helping feed Benjamin's drug addiction, one the 37-year-old father of two could not kick before his death.

"John was not always into drugs," the victim's sister, Teresa NaDell, told the judge. "Before he did he was an upstanding citizen, a father, an optician.

"He was very respected."

Lind wasn't called as a witness. Harris and Wilson were. Assistant State Attorney Mike Halkitis said their testimony helped seal the defendants' fates. And the victim's family accepted the reason why.

"Halkitis said it best," Robert Benjamin said. "To convict the devil, you have to go to hell to find your witnesses."

* * *

The defense came down to this: Don't believe those witnesses, don't listen to Harris or Wilson.

After all, "Voodoo" had a criminal record, as defense attorney Bjorn Brunvand repeatedly invoked Wilson's nickname to the jury. "Voodoo" wanted to duck a murder charge himself, the lawyer said.

But Wilson's story was consistent, Halkitis told the jury. While the defense was not.

Brunvand told jurors on Tuesday that Wilson took part in the slaying. But when Wright took the stand Wednesday, the client blamed Parbel for the murder.

Halkitis told jurors there were just four words missing from Wright's testimony: "Once upon a time."

It took the jury an hour and 45 minutes to agree with the prosecutor.

Circuit Judge William Webb then told Wright, 46, the same thing he told Parbel last month:

He would spend the rest of his life in prison.

Jamal Thalji can be reached at thalji@sptimes.com or 727 869-6236.

[Last modified December 13, 2007, 21:41:46]