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Emotions flow after guilty verdict in murder trial: Judge calls defendant 'pure evil,' a 'father's worst nightmare'
By Bill Conrad, bconrad@starlocalnews.com
Emotions ran high on both sides after Terrance Black was convicted of the capital murder in the April 2011 death of Susan Loper.
The nine-day trial ended with Judge John Roach sentencing Black, 50, to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The verdict was greeted with a flood of tears from the victim's friends and family, who said they could finally begin the healing process.
As expected, all of the reactions were not joyous. As she was leaving the court room, Wendi Black proclaimed her brother's innocence and said Loper's boyfriend at the time of her death, Jayson Hayes, was the real killer.
"You are a girl's father's worst nightmare," Roach told Black. "When you didn't get your way the true Terrance Black reared his evil head. You stalked and obsessed about an innocent daughter and mother. You sir, are pure evil."
Roach added that in this case good prevailed over evil, and that it was with great satisfaction that he passed down the sentence.
A victim's impact statement was read by Marla Malone, Loper's best friend since the two were 15-year-old high school freshmen in Wichita Falls. While delivering the statement, Malone was flanked by Loper's mother, Catherine Miller.
"You picked the easy way out by jumping into the Grand Canyon, but a higher power stepped in and changed your fate," Malone read. "It is time you have to answer for what you have done. You have taken a beautiful woman from this world. Your actions of selfishness put a permanent scar on the lives of so many. You have left a little boy without a mother. You have left aging parents without a daughter. You have left hundreds of friends and family members without the beautiful smile that brightened their days."
The state did not seek the death penalty, a move Malone said was supported by Loper's parents. She said Loper's family felt life in prison was a greater punishment.
"We hope you have many years to sit in prison and think what you have done," she read. "Day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute. Some may say justice has been served, but for those of us left behind [justice would only be served] if it was your life, not hers, that was ended. The one thing you cannot take away are all of the wonderful memories we have of Susan. She will live on in all of our hearts forever. You, Terrance Deering Black, will be forgotten and left to rot away in a cell at a Texas state prison for the rest of your pitiful life."
After the verdict, prosecutor John Schomburger said he felt justice was done in this "terrible, terrible murder." He also disputed Wendi Black's comments, as well as the defense team's theory, that Hayes was involved in the murder.
"We knew Jayson Hayes had nothing to do with this case," Schomburger said. "We thought it was a smokescreen to divert the jury from the strong evidence we had in this case. In the end, I think the jury's verdict said we were right."
Members of the jury and the defense team were not available for comment after the verdict.
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