Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 29, 1995 TAG: 9505010041
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium
The jury convicted Moyler on Thursday. On Friday, he could have received the death penalty for raping, brutally beating and strangling 14-year-old Chernise N. ``Lady'' Simmons on Dec. 11, 1993.
Instead, the jury recommended two life terms.
In a rambling, 20-minute soliloquy Friday, the 35-year-old truck driver insisted he was innocent. He said there was a conspiracy among the Chesapeake detectives to frame him.
Ignoring his lawyers' advice to remain silent, Moyler confessed Friday to the jury that he had sex with the girl hours before her murder because ``she wanted to have sex with me. She was infatuated with me.''
Moyler did not testify during the trial; he spoke to the jury only during sentencing.
``Once I found out she was 14 years old, I was afraid,'' Moyler said. ``She wanted it, not me. ... I'll go [to jail] because I shouldn't have fell into this young girl's trap.''
His admission confirmed the DNA evidence presented at the trial. Scientists had testified that sperm found in the victim matched genetic materials from blood samples taken from Moyler.
Moyler said Miss Simmons, a cheerleader and honor student at Indian River Middle School, liked his sports car and wanted to drive it the day of her death. He said they drove around, parked and had sex, then he returned her to her cousin's home.
``I couldn't have hurt no child,'' Moyler said. ``I've got a 14-year-old daughter myself. I stand convicted of a crime I did not commit. I just want y'all to know that I didn't do it.''
by CNB