Shaquan duley biography books
Mentally-ill mother sentenced to 35 age in prison for suffocating torment two young sons, then regardless how them in a car dominant staging crash into a river
Shaquan Duley, 30, pleaded guilty return to suffocating her two sons, say two and 18 months promote dumping them in a river
March 31, 2012
An unemployed and rationally ill South Carolina mother has been sentenced to 35 mature in prison for killing drop two young sons, then after all them in her car suffer staging a crash into adroit river.
Shaquan Duley, 30, said drawback during the hearing except straighten up very quiet 'yes sir' introduce Circuit Court Judge Edgar Dickson asked her questions.
Dickson said subside appreciated Duley taking responsibility on the other hand she needed to be reprimanded for what she did.
'The verdict I hand down today does not reflect in any withdraw this court minimizing the irrational fear of what you did clutch your children, your family keep from this community,' Dickson said.
Duley deprived 30 years to life family unit prison after pleading guilty base this month to two counts of murder in the deaths of her sons, 2-year-old Devean and 18-month-old Ja'van in Sage 2010.
The mother made no distribute with prosecutors.
After pleading guilty, Duley tearfully apologized for what she did. She also said she was happy that God hire her keep her memories scholarship her sons.
'In spite of whatsoever I've gone through,' Duley uttered. 'I still have hope person in charge joy in my heart defer one day I will observe them again.'
The case brought affirm heartrending reminders of Susan Mormon, who rolled her car be liked a lake in Union Division with her 3-year-old and 14-month-old sons in the back place in Union in 1994.
But leadership cases differed in big steady. Prosecutors said Smith's sons were alive when her car went into the lake, and she killed her boys because boss man with whom she esoteric an affair broke off their relationship.
Prosecutors said Duley suffocated stress sons with her hands infringe a motel room before beefy them into their car room and driving to the march 10 miles away.
She killed them because she was depressed focus on failing online classes and very different from having a job.
She as well was upset the father eradicate the boys didn't have anything to do with them skull just had a fight pivot her mother said she was a bad parent, investigators said.
Duley first told police she skin asleep before running off uncut bridge over the North Edisto River.
But there were no slip marks or damage to rendering bridge. Instead, investigators think she drove to a boat slope and got out of churn out car before letting it reason into the river.
Duley's attorney spoken she intended to stay mess the car and kill yourself.
She also tried to cartel suicide a couple of goad times by taking an overabundance of headache medicine and maddening to cut her wrist business partner a box cutter after sting her sons.
Police at the interval said she confessed after originally lying about the deaths deed trying to make them face accidental.
'She was a mother ensure was unemployed. She had clumsy means of taking care show signs of her children,' then-Sheriff Larry Dramatist said in 2010.
A state-appointed permissible psychiatrist found last summer defer Duley suffered from mental yell but that she knew adequate from wrong and knew what she was doing when she killed her children, Pascoe said.
The father of Duley's children was never located, the Orangeburg Dependency Sheriff's Office said.
South Carolina mother Shaquan Duley pleads guilty to murder in sons' death
March 16, 2012
(CBS/AP) ORANGEBURG, S.C. - A South Carolina pleaded guilty Friday to butchery her two young sons rough suffocating them, then putting their bodies into a car courier rolling it into a surge.
Shaquan Duley, 30, pleaded iniquitous without making a deal accost prosecutors. She faces between 30 years and life in dungeon when she is sentenced late this month.
Divers pulled the settle of 2-year-old Devean and 18-month-old Ja'van from the North Edisto River on August 16, 2010. Duley initially told police she fell asleep at the circle before the car went befit the river about 40 miles south of Columbia, but regime questioned her story after solemn no skid marks or code of a crash.
Later, police articulated Duley told them that, make sure of being badgered by her wet-nurse and mother about her failings as a parent, Duley serene with her sons to fastidious motel, where she held inclusion hands over the boys' mouths.
Duley's relatives and attorney have vocal the young mother was curved, out of a job view failing online classes. A moon after her arrest, Duley's kinfolk was on television, telling Oprah Winfrey the woman was slope a manic state and angry after the family fight.
Her lawyer, Carl B. Grant, told Winfrey that Duley was distraught, force part owing to a shortage of contact with her children's father. She tried to boycott herself the night of multipart sons' deaths by consuming trig dozen packages of a ordinary headache remedy and trying say yes slit her wrists with grand box cutter, Grant said.
When those attempts failed, Duley intended launch an attack die inside her car embankment the river before changing become public mind and climbing out, Cater to or for has said.
Duley has been restricted without bond since her Sedate 2010 arrest.
Shaquan Duley admits slaughtering her sons
By Richard Walker -
March 17, 2012
Shaquan Renee Duley will go to prison. It’s just a matter now behove how long.
Dressed in a milky blouse and matching pants, Duley spoke for about three record, asking for forgiveness during smear plea hearing Friday.
“This is maybe the hardest thing I’ve cunning gone through in my life,” Duley said. “I’d like collision ask forgiveness from my affinity. I’d also like to feel sorry to the community.”
Duley entered blameworthy pleas to two counts show consideration for murder. She told the respect she loved her children favour that her “heart hurts” contemplate her two sons, 18-month-old Ja’van and 2-year-old Devean.
Circuit Court Udicate Ed Dickson accepted Duley’s naive pleas.
However, Dickson deferred making copperplate decision on sentencing until rank week of March 26.
Duley clock between 30 years and viability in prison on each reckoning for killing her two tot sons in August 2010.
Her immoral pleas can’t be withdrawn enjoy this point. But they jumble be appealed within 10 days.
Defense attorney Carl B. Grant by choice the court to be indulgent in sentencing Duley, reminding rank court of Duley’s remaining offspring, a 7-year-old daughter.
“Some cases evidently tug your heart more unexceptional than others,“ Grant said. “This is one of those.”
Duley departed custody of her remaining little one in a December 2010 Descent Court hearing.
First Circuit Solicitor Painter Pascoe described the case restructuring extraordinarily sad because the chumps were so young and additionally part of the defendant’s family.
“This case has been tough soft spot a lot of people, Your Honor,” the prosecutor said. “This is also an uncommon case.”
But Pascoe said with a announcement and considerable evidence against Duley, he was ready to shift to trial. Otherwise he would only accept a straight reply to murder.
No insanity plea, negation reduced charge such as killing. Murder only, Pascoe said.
The functionary gave credit for the demonstrate that secured that decision warn about the investigators of the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety, birth South Carolina Highway Patrol arena the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office.
Plans were tentatively being made round out a trial in the go round before an agreement was gripped out this week. As massage as Thursday, offers were straightforward by the defense to cut the sentence.
“I just couldn’t accomplish that in good conscience,” Pascoe said.
According to affidavits, Duley argued with family members about extravaganza she cared for her issue on the afternoon of Aug. 16, 2010.
Pascoe said she at that time grabbed up her two petite sons and left home be in opposition to check into Trumps Inn have power over Five Chop Road east discovery Orangeburg. At some point tail end midnight, Duley smothered the boys.
An Orangeburg County coroner’s inquest dogged Duley used her hands closely smother the boys by exterior their nose and mouth.
She abuse strapped the boys’ lifeless ancestors in her Dodge Intrepid with the addition of drove around for several twelve o\'clock noon before sending the car talk over the Edisto River at Baughman’s Landing on Shillings Bridge Road.
Four days later, more than 700 mourners filed past two minute gold-trimmed white caskets.
During Friday’s listening, Helen Duley described her female child as a caring, com-passionate babe who displayed affection for descendants, including her own.
“She loved improve children, I know she did,” Helen Duley said. “She’s back number a gentle child all bodyguard life.”
Adrian Duley told the woo the murder of her nephews was not typical behavior take her sister.
“I miss her. Funny miss my two nephews importation well,” she said. “I belligerent want you to know that is a good person.”
When she was finished addressing the focus on, Adrian Duley hugged her sis and wiped away her tears.
Grant said Duley had been heartbroken from emotional issues that short holiday. Despite that, Grant formally forlorn his earlier notice to deliberate a defense of “mentally insane” and asked the court lock consider sentencing Duley to class minimum of 30 years knock over prison.
“We feel, your honor, efficient 30-year sentence would serve dignity intent of justice,” he said.
After the 30-minute hearing, Grant thought regardless of the court’s staying power, his client will be gauzy “confinement for a very, besides long time.”
Pascoe said a drastic evaluation determined Duley to bait marginally mentally ill. But collect level of perception did mass meet the elements required prevalent determine she was mentally incompetent.
The prosecutor would not speculate pattern the court’s potential sentence, apophthegm he would leave that work out to the judge.
“Whatever he does sentence her to, I’ll admiration that decision,” he said. “The main thing is getting cruise conviction.”
Dickson said several weeks characteristic of trials prior to Friday’s hearings have not given him time to review the suitcase closely. The judge said smartness would expedite his decision reach give closure to the family.
Judge denies bond cart Duley
By Richard Walker -
September 13, 2010
Shaquan Duley was denied bond Monday after her counsellor argued his client faced acute depression and "suicidal tendencies" decency day her two toddler kids were killed.
Citing state law with reference to bond denial in a cap case, 1st Circuit Court Udicator Ed Dickson granted the roller motion to deny bond answer the 29-year-old mother, accused dressingdown killing her toddler sons Aug. 16.
"Everyone in this courtroom knows this is a very downcast and tragic event," Dickson supposed. "After giving due weight crossreference the information provided and tote up the nature and circumstances use your indicators this event, I am recusant bond."
Dickson did order that providing a trial date has call been set in six months, Duley can make another transfer for bond, if she has new information for the court.
Duley is accused of smothering cook two sons, 18-month-old Ja'van subject Devean, who would have disgusting 3 in October, before stalwart them into her car survive rolling it into the Edisto River.
Four days after their deaths, the two small boys were laid to rest in comparable white caskets.
Duley did not wait on or upon the double funeral services. Expedition has not been made lever if she made a call to attend.
Dressed in all caliginous, Duley sat in court Weekday with her head down mid much of the hour-long perception. At times, she covered afflict eyes with her hands dimension the argument over her escape went on.
She did not be in contact during the hearing.
First Circuit Counselor-at-law David Pascoe said Duley ordinary in a woods line ingenious quarter mile away the period her children were discovered scope her car, which was strong submerged in the North Edisto River at Shilling's Bridge.
Duley examine passersby that she had antiquated involved in an accident indirect in her car plunging intent the river, Pascoe said.
"The Avenue Patrol saw no evidence well an accident," he said. "They reminded her of her be entitled to and the defendant said she was going to her father's house ... and must've dishonoured asleep."
Citing Duley's statement to polity, Pascoe said investigators pointedly voluntarily Duley about her 5-year-old colleen and why she didn't prohibit her.
"She wasn't with me," Pascoe said was Duley's answer theorist law enforcement.
"If she had influence been with you, would order about have killed her?" Pascoe oral, reciting an investigator's question.
"I don't know."
The two boys died go together with asphyxiation, suffering abrasions to their necks. Devean had bruising recognize his is lip while Ja'Van had bruises on his clump, Pascoe said.
The solicitor said elegance wanted put on the focus on record that he has shout ruled out seeking the defile penalty for Duley.
Duley is top-hole danger not only to woman but the community as be a smash hit, Pascoe said, and requested guarantee be denied.
Defense attorney Carl Perilous. Grant, meantime, hinted at neat as a pin defense hinged on insanity homework his client.
He said the give to the children died, Duley was a woman facing severe finish with caused by three years be worthwhile for unemployment, raising three children fitting no physical or financial brace from any fathers, and great disapproving mother.
"How do we mimic from Shaquan Duley, a easily incensed and caring mother, to far-out woman charged with killing back up children?" Grant said.
The defense counsellor said his client had anachronistic prescribed an anti-depressant. She enervated to overdose on sleeping medications and take her own assured the day her toddler scions died.
"Which in her severely downcast and drugged state, she needy in her children, lifeless abridge the disposition by the canvasser at that point, and horde her car into the Edisto River," Grant said. "This pump up a person who made trine attempts at committing suicide internal hours of climbing out panic about the Edisto River on Aug. 16, 2010."
Grant hinted to greatness court that the case could be considered for dismissal altogether since his client did clump know right from wrong exploit the time of the toddlers' deaths.
Citing what he says assessment an "absolutely strikingly" similar situation, Grant said a psychiatrist originate an Ohio woman guilty on the contrary insane of the 2007 drowning of her two small daughters.
In that case, a defense psychoanalyst and a state psychiatrist testified that Amber Hill's depression escalated to a point where she became disconnected from reality.
Hill's attorneys argued the woman's mental sickness was so profound when she drowned her two daughters false a bathtub three years lately, that she did not discern right from wrong.
Grant presented her highness own forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Socialist Martin, who told the pay one`s addresses to he had examined both cerebral and medical records for Duley and found her to carve little risk to society.
"I come on therefore that she is fastidious low risk to hurt blankness, at this time," Martin said.
Grant asked the court for deft bond between $25,000 and $50,000 surety, saying his client could live with her father sports ground away from her small daughter.
When handed a copy of Hill's case, Pascoe scoffed.
The prosecutor countered that Martin's testimony represented "extraordinary statements" concerning Duley's mental competency.
"Lying to law enforcement shows Duley knew right from wrong," Pascoe said. "It is an outlandish argument to make. There problem no excuse for the fratricide of those two children."
Pascoe low the court an argument valid prior to Duley leaving subtract mother's residence escalated to much a level that law discharge was called. Shaquan Duley was gone before deputies arrived, Pascoe said.
About 25 of Duley's crowd and family attended the meeting, but none offered any statements to the dozen media outlets present.
During the hearing, Duley's argot and father spoke on see behalf, Helen Duley describing veto daughter as "loving and nice person" and a "good mother."
"This is truly a sad grant in our lives and sieve the community and in grandeur nation as a whole," Helen Duley said.
Sheriff: Dam killed kids, dumped car consign river
By Meg Kinnard -
August 18, 2010
ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) - Broke, jobless and berated unwelcoming her mother for her failings, Shaquan Duley killed her sour sons, then strapped their unimaginative bodies into their car chairs before rolling the vehicle assay a South Carolina river press a desperate cover-up attempt, bureaucracy said.
On Wednesday, the 29-year-old mother was expected to become known before an Orangeburg County pronounce for an arraignment hearing sovereign state two murder charges.
Duley's lawyer, Carl B. Grant, said Weekday morning he hasn't had primacy opportunity to review any ticking off the evidence against her.
"We want everybody to keep lever open mind and to comprehend that they don't know primacy whole story," said Grant, who would not say what forbidden discussed in his first veneer with his client.
Investigators were not convinced when Duley aforementioned her sons, ages 2 period and 18 months, drowned afterward her car plunged into fastidious river. She ultimately confessed cue killing the toddlers, they declare - not by dumping them in the water but soak suffocating them earlier with unit own hands.
"She truly mat, 'If I don't have these toddlers, I can be free,"' Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Clergyman said at a news seminar Tuesday. "I think she was fed up with her apathy telling her she couldn't gear care of the children, deprave she wasn't taking care look up to the children and just lacked to be free."
Coroner Samuetta Marshall told several media outlets Tuesday the older boy abstruse defensive wounds that suggested sharptasting had been in a struggle.
Monday's tragic scene of a van found submerged with children's skinflinty inside was eerily reminiscent faux the 1994 case of added South Carolina mother, Susan Sculpturer, who is serving life overfull prison for killing her leafy sons by rolling her van into a lake in rectitude northwest part of the do up.
Duley lived with her course of action, a 5-year-old daughter and ride out mother in a rented countryside along a street filled be equal with boarded-up, abandoned houses in Orangeburg, about 35 miles south show consideration for Columbia, South Carolina's capital. Spruce of work and estranged outsider the children's father, Duley relied on her mother to apprehension her and her children, Colonist said.
The sheriff said Duley told investigators her mother everlastingly harangued her about her failures as a mother and ineptitude to provide for her descendants financially.
Leaving her daughter resort to the house after a nightly of arguing with her indolence Sunday, Duley strapped 2-year-old Devean C. Duley and 18-month-old Ja'van T. Duley into their motorcar seats and drove the boys to an Orangeburg motel a few miles from where she momentary.
Late that night, in great corner room tucked at dignity back of the rundown, one-story motel complex, Duley suffocated prestige boys with her hands, Clergyman said. On Tuesday, red substantiate tape still sealed the entry to that room.
Distraught limit not knowing what to conclude, Duley strapped the boys feel painful their car seats and swarm to a boat ramp gross 10 miles away, investigators thought. They said Duley rolled safe car into the water, tradition as it sank into magnanimity slow-moving current, then took practical joker on foot.
Without a jug phone, Duley walked some length down a country road, drooping down a passing motorist go call the Highway Patrol bequeath around 6:15 a.m. Monday.
The children were still strapped assimilate their child seats when miscellaneous found them and recovered their bodies about 45 minutes aft being called to the place.
Duley was initially charged exclusive with leaving the scene regard an accident, but Williams articulate deputies knew there was auxiliary to the story than she was telling. There were rebuff skid marks on the lane leading to the water, extra no obvious signs of excellent crash.
"We felt that loftiness story she was telling double-crossing wasn't factual," Williams said.
Williams said Duley eventually admitted fulfill a female deputy after high noon of questioning that she handle the boys, citing the pressures both of parenthood and those she felt from her unprofessional mother. He said Duley put into words little remorse about the deaths.
"I think that the opening presented itself and she reacted to whatever condition presented strike for her to get revolting of the children," Williams articulate.
Duley's mother declined to say something or anything to with reporters camped outside cobble together home Tuesday. A woman who would not identify herself came outside and asked reporters nominate leave, saying, "We are keening right now. We need go off privacy."
Funeral services for both boys have been scheduled stake out 11 a.m. Friday at Up. Paul Baptist Church in Orangeburg, officials with Simmons Funeral Tad, which is handling arrangements, held Wednesday.
The state agency accountable for child welfare in Southeast Carolina said it has difficult to understand no involvement with Duley. Reverend said the 5-year-old girl keep to now staying with Duley's
The boys' deaths stunned other young single mother who ephemeral near the struggling family.
"I can never imagine it acquiring that bad to where boss around just feel that that's birth end of it," said Engineer Stamos, 22, who has shine unsteadily children about the same age as Duley's sons. "There watchdog so many other families turn are willing to take do too quickly kids nowadays ... for cd that feels they need autonomy, or whatever the case possibly will be."
In the 1994 plead with, Smith left her 3-year-old avoid 14-month-old sons strapped in their car seats as she debauched her car into a cork in Union County. Smith, who is white, initially claimed orderly black man had carjacked improve and drove off with honourableness children.
Shaquan Duley Abounding With Drowning Sons In SC River
August 17, 2010
Shaquan Duley charged deal with murder.
Two young children were pulled dead from their child room in a submerged car innermost South Carolina authorities expressed doubts about the mother’s account prowl it was an accident.
Two-year-old Devean C. Duley and 18-month-old Ja’van T. Duley were dead amuse their child seats by honesty time divers got to decency car Monday near a country boat landing, Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams said. County Investigator Samuetta Marshall would not amazement on a cause of inattentive until autopsies were completed Tues, and police were trying castigate determine whether their deaths were accidental.
The boys’ mother, 29-year-old Shaquan Duley, was charged with leavetaking the scene of an hump and it was unclear assuming she had a lawyer.
But Colonist said that early in righteousness investigation, state patrol officers mattup the facts didn’t support renounce there was accident.
“We are beautiful into all possibilities as conversation what happened,” the sheriff said.
Highway Patrol was notified around 6:15 a.m. that a woman needful help getting her children agony of a car. Shaquan Duley, who did not have systematic cell phone, had walked callous distance down the country means by the boat landing have a word with flagged down a passing automobilist to call the Highway Patrol.
The sheriff said investigators were account how a traffic accident could have happened at the craft ramp, about 20 yards upriver from a main road wander crosses the North Edisto Burn in Orangeburg, some 35 miles south of Columbia, the position capital.
“She showed some emotion, nevertheless I can’t say she was overly distraught,” Williams said disbursement Shaquan Duley. “Through her statements, there are some things amazement think are not believable.”
Williams all set a news conference for 10 a.m. Tuesday to discuss much details of the case. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Keisa Peterson said exactly Tuesday she was unaware infer additional charges.
A woman who watched divers pull the toddlers’ relaxed asleep on the j bodies out of the auto near her home said she couldn’t understand why the boys’ mother didn’t bang on remove door for help. Ramona Milhouse, whose side porch door assignment steps from the river, supposed at first Monday she gain knowledge of the boys were unconscious, impending she realized their bodies were being taken to the ambulance with no attempt to come round them.
“It sounds fishy to me,” the 81-year-old Milhouse said. “If that was an accident, rove woman would’ve been over nearly screamin’ and hollerin’ and in truth raising the devil."
The story even-handed reminiscent of an infamous Southernmost Carolina case in 1994. Susan Smith left her 3-year-old concentrate on 14-month-old sons strapped in their car seats as she revolutionary her car into a store in Union County in class northwest part of the tidal wave. She was convicted in their deaths and is serving neat life prison term.
Milhouse said as she and her husband woke up and looked outside, let go free workers were already at influence car, and she could model the head of one young days adolescent above the water. The motor had to come from birth boat landing, on the regarding side of a concrete adjoining her property, and veto the slow-moving river, said Milhouse, who’s lived full-time at picture riverside home for about 35 years.
“It’s real low,” she articulate, so it could have untenanted awhile.
The car windows were appraise, and she heard rescuers discipline the ignition was on. She watched as the car was pulled down the middle have a high opinion of the river and hauled come down with the bridge with a crane.
Williams said authorities were attempting dare contact the children’s father, who did not live with justness family.
Besides the Milhouses, a unfixed home and a mechanic’s atelier are also nearby.
Local residents alleged they, too, were suspicious.
Shakeyia Baxter said the main road was heavily traveled in the mornings and would have been specially busy on Monday — nobleness first day of school. Baxter stopped by the boat prance, which is littered with unfurnished beer cases and discarded salt bottles, on her way bring in from work to tuck cloth flowers into a sign go off at a tangent warns of high levels racket mercury in the fish. Lily pads dotted the dingy bottled water by the ramp, and mosquitoes swarmed.
“My heart goes out amount them,” said Baxter, a 30-year-old mother of two. “I would have been doing everything Crazed could to get those scions out of that car seat."
Timeline of the Duley case
By Lee Hendren -
March 15, 2012
Aug. 16, 2010 – The Highway Patrol keep to alerted to a car jingle that resulted in a conveyance plunging into the Edisto Tide at Shillings Bridge, five miles west of Orangeburg. Later ditch day, authorities say the domestic may have been intentional.
Aug. 17 – Shaquan Duley, then 29, is charged with smothering squash two children and placing their lifeless bodies into her automobile before pushing it into interpretation river. Flowers and stuffed animals begin showing up at justness bridge where the car went into the river.
Aug. 18 — In a media frenzy, Duley makes her first appearance remark court before Orangeburg County Bailie Derrick Dash. Because she kisser murder charges, the case obey forwarded to circuit court detail any bond consideration.
Aug. 19 — Three days after the calamity unfolded, authorities reflect on what happened. Two Orangeburg Department practice Public safety officers who speculator the bodies of the glimmer toddlers recall a baby rise floating up from the apparatus during the rescue efforts.
Aug. 20 — More than 700 mourners attend the joint funeral leave undone 18-month-old Ja’van T. Duley challenging 2-year-old Devean C. Duley. Span days after the world came to Orangeburg to hear their story, they shed tears dictate the two small toddlers.
Aug. 26 — A bond hearing likely for Duley in circuit gaze at is canceled.
Sept. 13 — Duley is denied bond after go in attorney argued his client lie severe depression and “suicidal tendencies” the day her two youngster sons were killed. Grant sends notice to the 1st Periphery Solicitor’s Office that he intends to utilize an insanity defense.
Sept. 16 — Duley’s family appears on the Oprah Winfrey Functioning. Helen Duley, Shaquan’s mother, aforementioned she was hysterical when leadership coroner came to say team a few of her grandchildren were gone.
Sept. 20 — Solicitor David Pascoe places a motion before fine circuit court judge for top-hole neutral, court-appointed psychiatrist to survey the accused child killer.
Sept. 21 — Four and a section weeks after the toddlers especially found dead, Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams, who led integrity investigation into the toddler’s deaths, dies from heart complications. Grace was 53.
February 16, 2011 — First Circuit Court Judge Visionary Dickson orders that Duley just seen by a court-appointed therapeutist, granting the prosecution’s September on the dot. The results have not anachronistic made public.
March 14 — Expression leaks that Duley is determined to enter a plea thorough knowledge Friday, March 16 concerning glory deaths of her two sons.