JASPER PHILLIP RUSHING | White Supremacist Prison Killer Who Severed Penis Of Victim Sentenced To Death | Was serving a sentence of LWOP for 25 years for the 2001 murder of his stepfather when he attacked and killed his cellmate | Lot of 2 ALS | SEALED

Jasper Rushing. Lot of 2 ALS. Handwritten in beautiful cursive. Pmks: August 3, 2015 and August 10, 2015. SEALED. Content unknown. Pristine.

Summary

Rushing had fashioned a bludgeoning device out of a soft covered book and a sheet. He had also obtained a disposable razor and wrapped cellophane around it to make a handle. As Palmer lay on the bunk in the cell, Rushing struck him in the head with the bludgeoning device, knocking out one of Palmer’s teeth, breaking his nose and causing internal bleeding of the brain. Rushing took the razor and cut Palmer’s throat. He then cut off Palmer’s penis and threw it on the floor. Palmer was still alive when Rushing told the correctional officer he had killed his cellmate. Staff at the facility attempted life saving measures, but Palmer died after about 40 minutes without regaining consciousness.

Shannon was found unconscious but alive, lying face up on the bunk with his throat "clearly" cut and "his head and his left arm kind of draped over on the ground." His "face had been smashed in ... like he had been bludgeoned. His no[se] was flattened out against his head." His severed penis was found on the floor.

A Grand Jury indicted Rushing on November 16, 2010 on one count of first degree murder. On March 2, 2011, the State filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning a guilty verdict. After the subsequent aggravation and penalty phases, the jury deliberated four-and-a-half hours before reaching a verdict to sentence Rushing to death.ⁱⁱⁱ

Murder

In August 2010, Rushing and victim Shannon P. were imprisoned in the Lewis Prison Complex. They were temporarily housed together in an isolation cell after each expressed safety concerns with his prior assigned housing. The cell was designed for one person. It had one bed, but prison staff provided a floor mattress so each man had a place to sleep.

On September 10, Rushing killed Shannon while in their cell. There were no witnesses. Corrections officer Joel Valdovinos said nothing seemed unusual when he conducted hourly welfare checks of the inmates that morning. And when Rushing was temporarily removed from the cell around 10:30 am for a prisoner count, he was calm and pleasant.

Valdovinos served lunch by opening the "food trap" in the cell door just before 1:00 pm. It was dark inside the cell, as it had been all morning, making it impossible for him to see. The cell light was damaged, according to an investigation's findings. Rushing, "putting his face to the trap," instructed, "You need to call IMS (Inmate Management System). My cellie may have just been murdered. Rushing said, "No... I beat him up and I think I killed him," in response to Valdovinos' inquiry as to whether Rushing was being serious or lying. Valdovinos lit up the cell with a flashlight and discovered Shannon on the bed with a "large gash in his throat." Rushing was questioned by Valdovinos regarding the weapon he had used to cause the wounds, and Rushing said he used "a razor blade he had on the sink."

Rushing was instructed to turn around so that Valdovinos could handcuff him through the trap door after calling for assistance right away. "Can I have a sip of coffee real quick," a rushing reply was given. Following Valdovinos' "(n)o dude.... Look at what you just did, man," Valdovinos commanded Rushing, who nevertheless "took a sip, turned around, and put his hands through the trap." Rushing was then handcuffed.

Rushing was taken out of the cell after additional officers showed up. Shannon was discovered face up on the bunk, face smashed in, "like he had been bludgeoned," his throat "clearly" cut, and "his head and his left arm kind of draped over on the ground," according to an officer. His nose was pressed firmly up against his head. On the ground, his severed penis was discovered. Shannon passed away on the way to the hospital because he could not be revived. The cause of Shannon's death was later determined to be "blunt force and sharp force injury," though the order in which his head, face, neck, and penis were hurt was not known. ⁱⁱⁱ

Archiving Protocol:

• Handled with White Gloves ab initio

• Photo Pages/Sheet Protectors: Heavyweight Clear Sheet Protectors, Acid Free & Archival Safe, 8.5 x 11 Inches, Top Load

• White Backing Board – Acid Free

Shipping/Packaging: Rigid Mailer 9.5 x 12.5 inches. White, self seal, stay flat, kraft cardboard, no bend. Each rigid mailer is made of heavy cardboard, which has strong resistance to bending and tearing. Thicker that the USPS mailers. Shipping cost never more than it absolutely has to be to get it from me to you.