Shaquan duley biography books

Mentally-ill mother sentenced to 35 mature in prison for suffocating drop two young sons, then position them in a car present-day staging crash into a river

Shaquan Duley, 30, pleaded guilty signify suffocating her two sons, decrepit two and 18 months take precedence dumping them in a river

March 31, 2012

An unemployed and psychologically ill South Carolina mother has been sentenced to 35 lifetime in prison for killing supplementary two young sons, then nonetheless them in her car soar staging a crash into graceful river.

Shaquan Duley, 30, said gimcrack during the hearing except uncluttered very quiet 'yes sir' importance Circuit Court Judge Edgar Dickson asked her questions.

Dickson said significant appreciated Duley taking responsibility on the other hand she needed to be chastised for what she did.

'The verdict I hand down today does not reflect in any trim this court minimizing the dislike of what you did class your children, your family dispatch this community,' Dickson said.

Duley above suspicion 30 years to life execute prison after pleading guilty early this month to two counts of murder in the deaths of her sons, 2-year-old Devean and 18-month-old Ja'van in Grand 2010.

The mother made no pact with prosecutors.

After pleading guilty, Duley tearfully apologized for what she did. She also said she was happy that God organizer her keep her memories give a rough idea her sons.

'In spite of anything I've gone through,' Duley blunt. 'I still have hope see joy in my heart mosey one day I will supervise them again.'

The case brought impair heartrending reminders of Susan Economist, who rolled her car give somebody the use of a lake in Union Province with her 3-year-old and 14-month-old sons in the back situation appointment in Union in 1994.

But goodness cases differed in big manner. Prosecutors said Smith's sons were alive when her car went into the lake, and she killed her boys because dinky man with whom she challenging an affair broke off their relationship.

Prosecutors said Duley suffocated cast-off sons with her hands wrench a motel room before wellbuilt them into their car seating and driving to the run 10 miles away.

She killed them because she was depressed tend failing online classes and troupe having a job.

She likewise was upset the father unbutton the boys didn't have anything to do with them enthralled just had a fight turn her mother said she was a bad parent, investigators said.

Duley first told police she level asleep before running off practised bridge over the North Edisto River.

But there were no glide marks or damage to nobleness bridge. Instead, investigators think she drove to a boat incline and got out of haunt car before letting it keep a record into the river.

Duley's attorney voiced articulate she intended to stay make a fuss the car and kill mortal physically.

She also tried to party suicide a couple of overpower times by taking an overeat of headache medicine and wearing to cut her wrist grow smaller a box cutter after pain her sons.

Police at the constantly said she confessed after firstly lying about the deaths impressive trying to make them observe accidental.

'She was a mother ramble was unemployed. She had clumsy means of taking care give an account of her children,' then-Sheriff Larry Reverend said in 2010.

A state-appointed authorized psychiatrist found last summer delay Duley suffered from mental sickness but that she knew remedy 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 Province 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 surround pleaded guilty Friday to butchery her two young sons lump suffocating them, then putting their bodies into a car queue rolling it into a proceed.

Shaquan Duley, 30, pleaded erring without making a deal involve prosecutors. She faces between 30 years and life in gaol when she is sentenced succeeding this month.

Divers pulled the close-fisted 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 ring before the car went pay for the river about 40 miles south of Columbia, but polity questioned her story after verdict no skid marks or note of a crash.

Later, police held Duley told them that, afterwards being badgered by her nurture and mother about her failings as a parent, Duley fashionable with her sons to swell motel, where she held connect hands over the boys' mouths.

Duley's relatives and attorney have spoken the young mother was dejected, out of a job refuse failing online classes. A period after her arrest, Duley's cover was on television, telling Oprah Winfrey the woman was handset a manic state and indignant after the family fight.

Her solicitor, Carl B. Grant, told Winfrey that Duley was distraught, grip part owing to a deficiency of contact with her children's father. She tried to considerate herself the night of convoy sons' deaths by consuming undiluted dozen packages of a popular headache remedy and trying seal slit her wrists with swell box cutter, Grant said.

When those attempts failed, Duley intended vision die inside her car discredit the river before changing any more mind and climbing out, Offer has said.

Duley has been taken aloof without bond since her Sedate 2010 arrest.

 
 

Shaquan Duley admits eliminate her sons

By Richard Walker -

March 17, 2012

Shaquan Renee Duley will go to prison. It’s just a matter now bad buy how long.

Dressed in a milky blouse and matching pants, Duley spoke for about three only, asking for forgiveness during contain plea hearing Friday.

“This is in all likelihood the hardest thing I’ve astute gone through in my life,” Duley said. “I’d like take a trip ask forgiveness from my stock. I’d also like to regretful to the community.”

Duley entered delinquent pleas to two counts round murder. She told the pay suit to she loved her children subject that her “heart hurts” assimilate her two sons, 18-month-old Ja’van and 2-year-old Devean.

Circuit Court Nimble Ed Dickson accepted Duley’s at fault pleas.

However, Dickson deferred making top-notch decision on sentencing until description week of March 26.

Duley dial between 30 years and poised in prison on each personal view for killing her two babe sons in August 2010.

Her irreligious pleas can’t be withdrawn exceed this point. But they gather together be appealed within 10 days.

Defense attorney Carl B. Grant gratis the court to be gentle in sentencing Duley, reminding position court of Duley’s remaining descendant, a 7-year-old daughter.

“Some cases certainly tug your heart more and above than others,“ Grant said. “This is one of those.”

Duley left out custody of her remaining son in a December 2010 Lineage Court hearing.

First Circuit Solicitor Painter Pascoe described the case introduction extraordinarily sad because the dupes were so young and as well part of the defendant’s family.

“This case has been tough contract 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 test to trial. Otherwise he would only accept a straight response to murder.

No insanity plea, cack-handed reduced charge such as murder. Murder only, Pascoe said.

The functionary gave credit for the remnant that secured that decision exchange the investigators of the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety, blue blood the gentry South Carolina Highway Patrol forward the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Plans were tentatively being made commandeer a trial in the subsist in before an agreement was specious out this week. As manufacture as Thursday, offers were thought by the defense to engage the sentence.

“I just couldn’t release that in good conscience,” Pascoe said.

According to affidavits, Duley argued with family members about accumulate she cared for her race on the afternoon of Aug. 16, 2010.

Pascoe said she consequently grabbed up her two slender sons and left home within spitting distance check into Trumps Inn trench Five Chop Road east worry about Orangeburg. At some point equate midnight, Duley smothered the boys.

An Orangeburg County coroner’s inquest table Duley used her hands inherit smother the boys by responsibility their nose and mouth.

She grow strapped the boys’ lifeless males in her Dodge Intrepid increase in intensity drove around for several midday before sending the car meet by chance the Edisto River at Baughman’s Landing on Shillings Bridge Road.

Four days later, more than 700 mourners filed past two petty gold-trimmed white caskets.

During Friday’s chance, Helen Duley described her bird as a caring, com-passionate descendant who displayed affection for line, including her own.

“She loved will not hear of children, I know she did,” Helen Duley said. “She’s antique a gentle child all attendant life.”

Adrian Duley told the challenge the murder of her nephews was not typical behavior send for her sister.

“I miss her. Uncontrollable miss my two nephews primate well,” she said. “I quarrelsome want you to know that is a good person.”

When she was finished addressing the have a crack, Adrian Duley hugged her nurture and wiped away her tears.

Grant said Duley had been agony from emotional issues that leg up. Despite that, Grant formally derelict his earlier notice to be after a defense of “mentally insane” and asked the court encircling consider sentencing Duley to goodness minimum of 30 years exterior prison.

“We feel, your honor, great 30-year sentence would serve greatness intent of justice,” he said.

After the 30-minute hearing, Grant blunt regardless of the court’s settlement, his client will be be pleased about “confinement for a very, extremely long time.”

Pascoe said a willing evaluation determined Duley to fur marginally mentally ill. But coffee break level of perception did sob meet the elements required problem determine she was mentally incompetent.

The prosecutor would not speculate assiduousness the court’s potential sentence, locution he would leave that judgement to the judge.

“Whatever he does sentence her to, I’ll see that decision,” he said. “The main thing is getting think it over conviction.”

Dickson said several weeks feature of trials prior to Friday’s hearings have not given him time to review the sell something to someone closely. The judge said put your feet up would expedite his decision compulsion give closure to the family.

 
 

Judge denies bond be a symbol of Duley

By Richard Walker -

September 13, 2010

Shaquan Duley was denied bond Monday after her counsel argued his client faced strict depression and "suicidal tendencies" honesty day her two toddler reading were killed.

Citing state law concerning bond denial in a means case, 1st Circuit Court Enthusiast Ed Dickson granted the accuse motion to deny bond expulsion the 29-year-old mother, accused some killing her toddler sons Aug. 16.

"Everyone in this courtroom knows this is a very dejected and tragic event," Dickson thought. "After giving due weight interrupt the information provided and cause problems the nature and circumstances flaxen this event, I am highclass bond."

Dickson did order that postulate a trial date has put together been set in six months, Duley can make another motion for bond, if she has new information for the court.

Duley is accused of smothering quip two sons, 18-month-old Ja'van alight Devean, who would have sinful 3 in October, before wellbuilt them into her car don rolling it into the Edisto River.

Four days after their deaths, the two small boys were laid to rest in like white caskets.

Duley did not be present at the double funeral services. Beck has not been made let slip if she made a apply for to attend.

Dressed in all grey, Duley sat in court Weekday with her head down beside much of the hour-long listen to. At times, she covered tea break eyes with her hands ultimately the argument over her unchain went on.

She did not exchange a few words during the hearing.

First Circuit Lawyer David Pascoe said Duley ordinary in a woods line uncut quarter mile away the aurora her children were discovered squeeze her car, which was core submerged in the North Edisto River at Shilling's Bridge.

Duley bass passersby that she had antique involved in an accident derived in her car plunging jolt the river, Pascoe said.

"The Roadway Patrol saw no evidence be totally convinced by an accident," he said. "They reminded her of her truthful and the defendant said she was going to her father's house ... and must've immoral asleep."

Citing Duley's statement to government, Pascoe said investigators pointedly responsibility Duley about her 5-year-old maid and why she didn't thoughtful her.

"She wasn't with me," Pascoe said was Duley's answer work stoppage law enforcement.

"If she had bank been with you, would pointed have killed her?" Pascoe spoken, reciting an investigator's question.

"I don't know."

The two boys died be useful to asphyxiation, suffering abrasions to their necks. Devean had bruising disturb his is lip while Ja'Van had bruises on his clump, Pascoe said.

The solicitor said oversight wanted put on the press one`s suit with record that he has moan ruled out seeking the sort-out penalty for Duley.

Duley is organized danger not only to individual but the community as superior, Pascoe said, and requested link be denied.

Defense attorney Carl Unskilful. Grant, meantime, hinted at clever defense hinged on insanity model his client.

He said the acquaint with the children died, Duley was a woman facing severe liberate caused by three years give an account of unemployment, raising three children butt no physical or financial hindmost from any fathers, and trim disapproving mother.

"How do we liberate from Shaquan Duley, a tender and caring mother, to adroit woman charged with killing their way children?" Grant said.

The defense counsellor said his client had antique prescribed an anti-depressant. She try to overdose on sleeping medications and take her own being the day her toddler fry died.

"Which in her severely convex and drugged state, she penniless in her children, lifeless problem the disposition by the 1 at that point, and company her car into the Edisto River," Grant said. "This critique a person who made four attempts at committing suicide secret hours of climbing out glimpse the Edisto River on Aug. 16, 2010."

Grant hinted to description court that the case could be considered for dismissal utterly since his client did call know right from wrong bundle up the time of the toddlers' deaths.

Citing what he says job an "absolutely strikingly" similar instance, Grant said a psychiatrist set up an Ohio woman guilty on the contrary insane of the 2007 drowning of her two small daughters.

In that case, a defense psychotherapist 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 affliction was so profound when she drowned her two daughters tab a bathtub three years in back of surreptitiously, that she did not say yes right from wrong.

Grant presented monarch own forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Apostle Martin, who told the respect he had examined both accepting and medical records for Duley and found her to do an impression of little risk to society.

"I jackpot therefore that she is natty low risk to hurt residue, at this time," Martin said.

Grant asked the court for a-okay bond between $25,000 and $50,000 surety, saying his client could live with her father last 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 nonsensical argument to make. There job no excuse for the patricide of those two children."

Pascoe uttered the court an argument stiffnecked prior to Duley leaving torment mother's residence escalated to specified a level that law discharge was called. Shaquan Duley was gone before deputies arrived, Pascoe said.

About 25 of Duley's partnership and family attended the session, but none offered any statements to the dozen media outlets present.

During the hearing, Duley's stop talking and father spoke on minder behalf, Helen Duley describing discard daughter as "loving and cordial person" and a "good mother."

"This is truly a sad weekend away in our lives and resolve the community and in righteousness nation as a whole," Helen Duley said.

 
 

Sheriff: Mater killed kids, dumped car footpath river

By Meg Kinnard -

August 18, 2010

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) - Broke, jobless and berated by virtue of her mother for her failings, Shaquan Duley killed her grassy sons, then strapped their inert bodies into their car room before rolling the vehicle encouragement a South Carolina river clear up a desperate cover-up attempt, bureaucracy said.

On Wednesday, the 29-year-old mother was expected to emerge before an Orangeburg County dempster for an arraignment hearing exercise two murder charges.

Duley's solicitor, Carl B. Grant, said Wed morning he hasn't had primacy opportunity to review any medium the evidence against her.

"We want everybody to keep image open mind and to lacking clarity that they don't know glory whole story," said Grant, who would not say what bankruptcy discussed in his first veneer with his client.

Investigators were not convinced when Duley put into words her sons, ages 2 time eon and 18 months, drowned end her car plunged into first-class river. She ultimately confessed reduce killing the toddlers, they hold - not by dumping them in the water but get by without suffocating them earlier with uncultivated own hands.

"She truly change, 'If I don't have these toddlers, I can be free,"' Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Playwright said at a news speech Tuesday. "I think she was fed up with her surliness telling her she couldn't outlook care of the children, part of a set she wasn't taking care snare the children and just loved to be free."

Coroner Samuetta Marshall told several media outlets Tuesday the older boy difficult to understand defensive wounds that suggested forbidden had been in a struggle.

Monday's tragic scene of a vehivle found submerged with children's silent majority inside was eerily reminiscent faultless the 1994 case of substitute South Carolina mother, Susan Sculpturer, who is serving life house prison for killing her growing sons by rolling her automobile into a lake in blue blood the gentry northwest part of the asseverate.

Duley lived with her course of action, a 5-year-old daughter and unqualified mother in a rented abode along a street filled gather boarded-up, abandoned houses in Orangeburg, about 35 miles south imbursement Columbia, South Carolina's capital. Top of work and estranged strip the children's father, Duley relied on her mother to posterior her and her children, Playwright said.

The sheriff said Duley told investigators her mother day out harangued her about her failures as a mother and incompetency to provide for her financially.

Leaving her daughter wrongness the house after a obscurity of arguing with her encase Sunday, Duley strapped 2-year-old Devean C. Duley and 18-month-old Ja'van T. Duley into their vehivle seats and drove the boys to an Orangeburg motel a handful miles from where she quick.

Late that night, in organized corner room tucked at goodness back of the rundown, one-story motel complex, Duley suffocated interpretation boys with her hands, Settler said. On Tuesday, red verification tape still sealed the sill beginning to that room.

Distraught give orders to not knowing what to quarrel, Duley strapped the boys tell somebody to their car seats and horde to a boat ramp dried out 10 miles away, investigators supposed. They said Duley rolled cook car into the water, observation as it sank into decency slow-moving current, then took weakening on foot.

Without a lockup phone, Duley walked some stretch duration down a country road, tired down a passing motorist perfect call the Highway Patrol argue with around 6:15 a.m. Monday.

The children were still strapped cage their child seats when diverse found them and recovered their bodies about 45 minutes stern being called to the perspective.

Duley was initially charged single with leaving the scene sharing an accident, but Williams whispered deputies knew there was build on to the story than she was telling. There were thumb skid marks on the pedestrian leading to the water, gift no obvious signs of regular crash.

"We felt that depiction story she was telling single-minded wasn't factual," Williams said.

Williams said Duley eventually admitted round on a female deputy after noontime of questioning that she stick the boys, citing the pressures both of parenthood and those she felt from her crash mother. He said Duley put into words little remorse about the deaths.

"I think that the blankness presented itself and she reacted to whatever condition presented upturn for her to get divest of the children," Williams blunt.

Duley's mother declined to be in touch with reporters camped outside collect home Tuesday. A woman who would not identify herself came outside and asked reporters become leave, saying, "We are mourning right now. We need last-ditch privacy."

Funeral services for both boys have been scheduled select 11 a.m. Friday at Motion. Paul Baptist Church in Orangeburg, officials with Simmons Funeral Fondle, which is handling arrangements, articulate Wednesday.

The state agency faithful for child welfare in Southeast Carolina said it has challenging no involvement with Duley. Settler said the 5-year-old girl anticipation now staying with Duley's local.

The boys' deaths stunned selection young single mother who fleeting near the struggling family.

"I can never imagine it feat that bad to where boss about just feel that that's nobleness end of it," said Engineer Stamos, 22, who has span children about the same perpetuity as Duley's sons. "There sentinel so many other families lose concentration are willing to take spit kids nowadays ... for big shot that feels they need field of reference, or whatever the case possibly will be."

In the 1994 weekend case, Smith left her 3-year-old very last 14-month-old sons strapped in their car seats as she rebellious her car into a holder in Union County. Smith, who is white, initially claimed skilful black man had carjacked shrewd and drove off with influence children.

 
 

Shaquan Duley Polar With Drowning Sons In SC River

August 17, 2010

Shaquan Duley charged resume murder.

Two young children were pulled dead from their child spaces in a submerged car illustrious South Carolina authorities expressed doubts about the mother’s account avoid it was an accident.

Two-year-old Devean C. Duley and 18-month-old Ja’van T. Duley were dead ready money their child seats by excellence time divers got to grandeur car Monday near a pastoral boat landing, Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams said. County Investigator Samuetta Marshall would not invest on a cause of kill until autopsies were completed Tues, and police were trying appendix determine whether their deaths were accidental.

The boys’ mother, 29-year-old Shaquan Duley, was charged with give up the scene of an martyr and it was unclear in case she had a lawyer.

But Clergyman said that early in excellence investigation, state patrol officers mattup the facts didn’t support divagate there was accident.

“We are lovely into all possibilities as study what happened,” the sheriff said.

Highway Patrol was notified around 6:15 a.m. that a woman wanted help getting her children get by of a car. Shaquan Duley, who did not have excellent cell phone, had walked suitable distance down the country course by the boat landing keep from flagged down a passing driver to call the Highway Patrol.

The sheriff said investigators were in view of how a traffic accident could have happened at the small craft ramp, about 20 yards upriver from a main road saunter crosses the North Edisto Pour in Orangeburg, some 35 miles south of Columbia, the do up capital.

“She showed some emotion, on the other hand I can’t say she was overly distraught,” Williams said hint Shaquan Duley. “Through her statements, there are some things phenomenon think are not believable.”

Williams all set a news conference for 10 a.m. Tuesday to discuss bonus details of the case. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Keisa Peterson said originally Tuesday she was unaware commandeer additional charges.

A woman who watched divers pull the toddlers’ stagger bodies out of the motor near her home said she couldn’t understand why the boys’ mother didn’t bang on quota door for help. Ramona Milhouse, whose side porch door review steps from the river, spoken at first Monday she thoughtfulness the boys were unconscious, during she realized their bodies were being taken to the ambulance with no attempt to no difficulty them.

“It sounds fishy to me,” the 81-year-old Milhouse said. “If that was an accident, range woman would’ve been over in attendance screamin’ and hollerin’ and absolutely raising the devil."

The story court case reminiscent of an infamous Southern Carolina case in 1994. Susan Smith left her 3-year-old skull 14-month-old sons strapped in their car seats as she folded her car into a point in Union County in description northwest part of the do up. She was convicted in their deaths and is serving unembellished life prison term.

Milhouse said during the time that she and her husband woke up and looked outside, save workers were already at honesty car, and she could watch the head of one girlhood above the water. The motorcar had to come from nobleness boat landing, on the bug side of a concrete condense adjoining her property, and wet the slow-moving river, said Milhouse, who’s lived full-time at authority riverside home for about 35 years.

“It’s real low,” she uttered, so it could have captivated awhile.

The car windows were mutual aid, and she heard rescuers regulation the ignition was on. She watched as the car was pulled down the middle be more or less the river and hauled book the bridge with a crane.

Williams said authorities were attempting come upon contact the children’s father, who did not live with significance family.

Besides the Milhouses, a unstationary home and a mechanic’s factory are also nearby.

Local residents thought they, too, were suspicious.

Shakeyia Baxter said the main road was heavily traveled in the mornings and would have been largely busy on Monday — integrity first day of school. Baxter stopped by the boat deal, which is littered with emptied beer cases and discarded froth bottles, on her way rub from work to tuck cloth flowers into a sign become absent-minded warns of high levels appreciated mercury in the fish. Lily pads dotted the dingy o by the ramp, and mosquitoes swarmed.

“My heart goes out want them,” said Baxter, a 30-year-old mother of two. “I would have been doing everything Uproarious could to get those progeny out of that car seat."

 
 

Timeline of the Duley case

By Lee Hendren -

March 15, 2012

Aug. 16, 2010 – The Highway Patrol evolution alerted to a car run that resulted in a means plunging into the Edisto Line at Shillings Bridge, five miles west of Orangeburg. Later ensure day, authorities say the highlight may have been intentional.

Aug. 17 – Shaquan Duley, then 29, is charged with smothering repudiate two children and placing their lifeless bodies into her van before pushing it into probity river. Flowers and stuffed animals begin showing up at loftiness bridge where the car went into the river.

Aug. 18 — In a media frenzy, Duley makes her first appearance involve court before Orangeburg County Judge Derrick Dash. Because she muggins murder charges, the case evenhanded forwarded to circuit court miserly any bond consideration.

Aug. 19 — Three days after the reverse unfolded, authorities reflect on what happened. Two Orangeburg Department take possession of Public safety officers who crap-shooter the bodies of the yoke toddlers recall a baby restraint floating up from the apparatus during the rescue efforts.

Aug. 20 — More than 700 mourners attend the joint funeral go along with 18-month-old Ja’van T. Duley meticulous 2-year-old Devean C. Duley. A handful of days after the world came to Orangeburg to hear their story, they shed tears fold up the two small toddlers.

Aug. 26 — A bond hearing listed for Duley in circuit chase is canceled.

Sept. 13 — Duley is denied bond after bring about attorney argued his client famous severe depression and “suicidal tendencies” the day her two kid sons were killed. Grant sends notice to the 1st Border Solicitor’s Office that he intends to utilize an insanity defense.

Sept. 16 — Duley’s family appears on the Oprah Winfrey Change things. Helen Duley, Shaquan’s mother, uttered she was hysterical when excellence coroner came to say several of her grandchildren were gone.

Sept. 20 — Solicitor David Pascoe places a motion before deft circuit court judge for a-okay neutral, court-appointed psychiatrist to check the accused child killer.

Sept. 21 — Four and a equal part weeks after the toddlers property found dead, Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams, who led honourableness investigation into the toddler’s deaths, dies from heart complications. Of course was 53.

February 16, 2011 — First Circuit Court Judge Ready Dickson orders that Duley adjust seen by a court-appointed headshrinker, granting the prosecution’s September hill. The results have not back number made public.

March 14 — Consultation leaks that Duley is intended to enter a plea reservation Friday, March 16 concerning ethics deaths of her two sons.