Clayton Whittemore found guilty of murder
- Clayton Whittemore was found guilty Friday of second-degree murder
- The defense was hoping for a manslaughter conviction%2C but the jury opted for the more serious charge%2C instead
- Whittemore will face a prison term between 15 years to life and 25 years to life
- He is scheduled to be sentenced by Justice Daniel Doyle on July 15
Jurors deliberating the fate of accused killer Clayton Whittemore needed only a little more than two hours over two days to return to state Supreme Court and render their decision: guilty of second-degree murder.
In the moments that followed Friday's verdict, as the courtroom's back rows full of reporters sent the news out to the world via their smartphones, Becky Kogut, the mother of victim Alexandra Kogut, tweeted out five poignant words: "Justice for my sweet baby."
Now 22, Whittemore could be sentenced by state Supreme Court Justice Daniel Doyle to 25 years to life in prison at an upcoming hearing on July 16. Jurors rejected a defense plea to convict the former Utica-area high school hockey star on a lesser first-degree manslaughter charge, which carries a lighter sentence. Jurors determined that his childhood of severe abuse at the hands of his father was not a mitigating factor in the murder.
Calm and emotionless as the jury forewoman affirmed the unanimous verdict, Whittemore was taken from court in handcuffs as his mother Sandra Whittemore exited weeping and Kogut family members hugged and cried.
Over three weeks of testimony, with 35 witnesses questioned and hundreds of individual, often graphic photographs and pieces of evidence painstakingly introduced, District Attorney Sandra Doorley built her case that the early morning Sept. 29, 2012, slaying inside 17-year-old Kogut's dorm room at The College at Brockport was a domestic violence killing fueled by Whittemore's rage and anger. She established that Whittemore had a volatile temper and a pattern of rough, aggressive behavior with his ex-girlfriends.
She said the verdict was just.
"This was one of the most brutal and violent murders I have seen in my career," she said. "You know, the more I do this, the more personal these cases become for me. I really felt connected to the victim. I needed to be her voice in the courtroom and I needed to fight for Alex. And, I did."
Paige Whitney, a friend of Alex Kogut's when they both attended New Hartford High School in Oneida County and when they were both students at Brockport, said the end of the trial was bittersweet.
"Yes, justice has been served, but this does not bring back my friend," she said. The tragedy united people of New Hartford and Brockport, she said, and the purple ribbons hung in both communities in Alex's memory will remain for much time to come as work begins on healing.
In the aftermath of the slaying, Whitney's mother Sandra Whitney founded the Purple Pinkie Charitable Foundation in Alexandra Kogut's honor to help raise awareness of dating violence, eradicate its stigma and encourage teens and young people to report these crimes and seek counseling and treatment.
While Whittemore's trial is over, said Sandra Whitney, there are still many families affected every day by domestic abuse and its repercussions.
"We need to find ways to protect and support those who are touched by domestic violence," she said.
Doorley echoed that sentiment.
"I think this case strikes at the heart of domestic violence," she said. "These were adolescents, just beginning their dating life and it shows that anyone can be a victim. We need to send the message to our sons and daughters that they have got to be aware in their relationships and be able to stand up for themselves."
Kogut and Whittemore family members leaving the courtroom on Friday declined to comment. Becky Kogut, who left the courtroom in tears during opening statements on May 14, did not attend throughout the trial.
Defense attorney Mark Curley said he and his client were disappointed by the jury's finding.
In a written statement, The College at Brockport President John R. Halstead thanked the law enforcement community for their work in the case and said the verdict is in important step in bringing closure to the community. "No verdict can bring back Alex Kogut or alleviate the grief of her family," he said.
MCDERMOT@DemocratandChronicle.com
Domestic violence resources:
According the Rochester/Monroe County Domestic Violence Consortium, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes, and at least 70 percent of such incidents go unreported.
In the Monroe County Safe Community Coalition's 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, nearly 1 in 10 of the teen respondents reported that they were hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend during the past 12 months.
If you need help or have concerns about your intimate partner or someone you know, Alternatives for Battered Women offers assistance to anyone. Their hotline number is (585) 232-7353.
Other resources:
• The Rochester/Monroe County Domestic Violence Consortium: www.rmcdvc.org/
• Purple Pinkie Charitable Foundation: www.purplepinkie.org