Whitfield, caught by Cameron police in the act of attacking the woman, pleaded guilty to first-degree felony aggravated sexual assault after a jury was seated in the guilt-innocence phase Monday morning. Whitfield, 39, a Cameron resident, a state prison parolee and registered sex offender, was composed Monday.
Tuesday morning, Whitfield forewarned the Milam County jail administrator and defense council Jack Holmes of Temple that they had better shackle him before the verdict was announced in the punishment phase in the event he received life in prison.
20th District Judge Ed Magre ordered the defendant shackled before he announced the jury’s decision, and additional law officers were stationed in the courtroom. Magre also sent the jury out of the courtroom before he pronounced sentence.
When Magre sentenced Whitfield to life in prison, the defendant began slapping the table and yelling. Whitfield fought law officers as they restrained him and moved him out of the courtroom. Whitfield became calm when he left the courtroom, with seven peace officers surrounding him and escorting him slowly out of the courthouse west door to a patrol car. He was driven to the Milam County Law Enforcement Center to await his transport to a state penitentiary.
Whitfield had pleaded innocent to the first-degree felony charge, but after a jury was seated Monday changed his plea to guilty. Jurors heard testimony in the punishment phase Monday afternoon, and the trial resumed at 9 a.m. Tuesday with final arguments. The jury left the courtroom with the charge at 9:55 a.m., and returned with a verdict at 10:20 a.m.
Milam County District Attorney Kerry Spears said she is pleased that the jury assessed a life sentence. Whitfield will not be eligible for parole for 30 years, Mrs. Spears said.
The victim said after the trial that she “is glad it’s over ... I feel relief that he got what he deserves.”
Juror Tom Wiley of Cameron said after the trial that the choice of assessing a life sentence was “a slam dunk.”
The jury found that Whitfield had a prior conviction for sexual assault from Tarrant County.
Holmes said after the trial that the jury heard the evidence and made the call, and “we have to respect the jury’s verdict.” Whitfield told Holmes that he was upset and “we told the judge, who took special precautions for the safety of everybody in the courtroom.”
Cameron police arrested Whitfield at the crime scene in the act of sexually assaulting a Cameron woman. Detectives Doug Smith and Kris Stringer said they were pleased with the verdict, and praised the victim as a very remarkable, brave lady.
“Hopefully, this verdict will send a message,” Stringer said.
jwilliams@temple-telegram.com
