Carla Hughes Verdict: Convicted of Killing Avis Banks

I don't think the verdict is right according to the prosecution presentation. I do believe that Keyon should have been tried as a co-defendant after listening to the defense.  i still don't know which way I would have went the jury would not have gotten a vote out of me.

Love causes many murders.

As someone who attended college with Keyon, I think this is just sad.  Whether Carla is innocent or guilty, this is a lesson for all young women.  As women we must have more respect for one another.  Even though Avis and Keyon wasn't married, to go into her house and sleep with Keyon in her bed is totally disgusting and disrespectful.  Probably, something Carla regrets deeply, but look who's left holding the bag, Carla.  Keyon has moved on with his life, and both women went down.  Women, don't look for love in the wrong places, if he cheats on the woman he says he's committed to, he'll cheat on you, possibly commit murder, and frame you for it.  Let's pray for all parties involved!

Sheryl L , I totally agree with you. women spend so much time being empowered about being strong and beautiful and independent but nobody is talking about the fact that despite our diverse backgrounds, we are all one thing- WOMEN. We need to have respect for each other. If we did, there wouldn't be any love triangles or infidelity. We need to talk about the issue more openly and stop shoving it under the rug as though, the cases we see or hear about are not connected to us: isolated cases. This nonsense needs to end. Women, let us respect each other. If a man's cheating on someone else with you, he definately do the same to you!!

So sad, Mr. Pitmman you got away with murder, and you no it. But, God has the final say in your reward. How does it feel to be guilty of three murders (Avis, your baby and Carla)? Oh no, problem you just married and moved on. To the new wife, How can you trust this man? Is it saved, sanctified and filled with the holy ghost? Heck no, Watch it sister, you could be the next victim. Carla I believe you took part in the murder. I also believe Keyon had some part as well. This is ceratinly a lesson learned for all you CHEATERS. Just like Carla's attorney said, Keyon Pittman is the devil in disguise. LOOK WHO"S LAUGHING, just like satan!

I DONT AGREE WITH THE GUILTY VERDICT I BELIEVE KEYON IS THE MURDERER NOT SAYING CARLA DIDNT HAVE ANY PARTS OF IT THEY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT KEYON TO DONT LET HIM GET AWAY WITH MURDER PLEASE!!!!! DONT LET HIM GET AWAY

IT IS SO SAD HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS ITS NO WAY IN HELL CARLA HUGHES COULD HAVE KILLED AVIS BY HERSELF KEYON SHOULD BE A PERSON OF INTEREST HE LOOK GUILTY IN THE FACE ITS MAKING ME SICK TO THE STOMACHE TO SEE CARLA GO DOWN BY HERSELF I DONT KNOW CARLA HUGHES BUT I FEEL HER PAIN AND I HOPE SHE WILL LET THE TRUTH BE KNOWN NOW THAT SHE IS FOUND GUILTY SPEAK UP CARLA FOR YOUR SAKE

i am a distant relative of carla hughes. i do not know her pesonally but my heart still goes out to her. i just cannot see this young, beatiful and well educated woman committing such a crime.

The detectives, the District Attorney, and the jury will all ROT IN HELL for what they have done to Carla Hughes!!

This verdict is not right. Keyon is getting away with murder. Its not right at all. He set this girl up. Was her hands tested for gun powder? Something is so wrong about this case.

I don't understand why Carla did speak for herself if she didn't have anything to do with it. Even if she did have something to do with it, and was involved, TELL It!!!!!!!! Save your own life. Don't leave it in the hands of 12 people!!!!! Don't go down by yourself!!!!

Sorry, i meant to say why DIDN'T she speak for herself.

Carla, should have sang like the temptaions, i dont know what the defense team have up their sleeves, but if my life was on the line, i would have testified, unless i had something to hide, then i would not have, when you are facing the death penalty, i would have said SOMETHING, i cannot believe that it was not a hung jury, there was alot of evidence that pointed to Carla, but Keyon reactions to the whole murder was one of a MURDERER, Avis mother said today, she have not spoken with this man since the funeral, but you were in love with her child and unborn grandchild, come on now, he got the HELL out of dodge, before they could ask anything concerning what really happened, what happened to FORENSIC SCIENCE in this case, a case as large as this case, should have been handled more carefully, no she could not explain away the gun, but he is the one who had the GSR on his hands and was not covered with blood, after he testified that he held her and asked her to wake up, come on, he over killed her, because she saw his face. We all watch tv. I pray for both families that healing would somehow give them peace ..........  

I CAN'T SAY CARLA HUGHES IS DEFINATELY INNOCENT, BUT I MAY STATE THAT THE  JUDGE & THE JURRORS WAS COMING TO QUICK WITH THE CASE INSTEAD OF PULLING ENOUGH TIME TO PULL MORE EVIDENCE THEN SOME D*MN SHOES. ANYONE COULD'VE BOUGHT THEM SHOES AND ANYONE COULD'VE OWN THEM SHOES AT THE RIGHT SIZE. I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT HER & KEYON CAME ACROSS AN AFFAIR (Which both of them should've known better), BUT SERIOUSLY SPEAKING THEY SHOULD'VE INVESTIGATED HIM A LITTLE MORE. FOR SOME REASON I AM SMELLING A SETTUP BETWEEN ALL THIS COMING OUT THIS GUY PITTMAN, AND I ONLY SAY THAT BECAUSE HE NEVER MENTIONED ANY POSSIBLITIES OF HER BEING A SUSPECT TO THE MURDER UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT.   BOTTOM LINE, MY HEART IS FEELING AS IF THIS WOMAN WAS SETTUP TO HAVE THIS CASE CLOSED ASAP.

this is sad for both family,s but more for the victim, i don,t agree with the penalty she was convicted of capital murder two counts that cancels out any good she did, and i,m insulted by the talk of her high education when this is the choice she made for herself she,s a complete idiot

this is indeed sad, followed the case on courtv, did some research on the internet, learnt from this research that Carla, biological mother has mental illness. now this is something, that should have been looked into, yes, she was groomed for excellence, and she achieved, but why ignore the fact, her mother had an mental illness. Surely, she had to have traces of this illness. inspite of all her achievements, the root problem was not addressed, because of this I feel, her decision making skills were not good. further, feel pittman, saw this, and used this to get what he wanted, by convincing her how much he loved her, and wanted to be with her, after the previous financee ended the marriage to carla, this tells me, he saw there was some issues in her, he couldnt deal with. many things I feel, was overlooked, not investigated as good, as it should have been.  I believe pittman, encouraged carla to kill, read he was with her, when she went to get the gun and knife from her cousin,  he was coaching her along to do this, promising to be with her, lies, just to get rid of both of them. this is truly a sad, sad, thing for all parties. Pittman loves no one but him self, he's a psyhcopath, all the traits shows in his behavior.  He directed this, and carla, out of her desire to be with him, thinking they would, he convinced her to commit this act, to prove her loyalty to him, in reality, he was seeking a way to get out of marrying Avis, it was stated he didnt want children, and didnt want to get married. how disrespectful to bring Carla to where he and Avis lived, he had plenty to do with the murder, Carla was an accessory, he used them both, for his purpose, when he got what he wanted, got bored, he got rid of them, and quickly moved on. the trait of a psychopath, care only for themselves, and use people for tools for their needs, which it be for sex, money, whatever purpose they seek. he cared nothing for either of them. he had this all plotted out, and used Carla, to do what he wanted, and I believe convinced her to never tell what happened, to anyone.  due to her poor decision making skills, and her need for him, she remains loyal, even in the face of life sentences. think about, who would go get a gun, use it, and return it? empty at that.  one with poor decision making skills, which comes from type of mental illness.  I am not making excuses for no one, she is guilty for her part in this, strongly believed pittman, put her up to it, directing the whole thing, and had  a lot more to do with it.  the investigation was sloopy, dont feel the defense did enough to bring it, if she was at an shooting range, for target practice, why not bring proof of this, someone had to see her? Justice will come out, pittman, havent really gotten away, karma comes back around, I hope every wakin hour he sees glance of Avis, and when at rest, closing his eyes, I hope it is Avis that he sees, asking him 'why' you did this to me', may she haunt him forever, and them he will come before God,  such a horrible thing to do to anyone, they both should pay, but, if the root of carla mental state had been address, this would not been the outcome, it's great to achieve excellence, but when other things are ignored, for whatever reason, they will come back, in a horrible way. it's best to address situation when they are known to exist, ignoring them, or hiding them, thinking all the best education, and worldly things, and achievement, doesnt do anything to improve the mental state,especially when you are aware, that it's in the genes. we have to start from the root, and work up, not faulting the parents who raised her, and make sure she had the best education, and all the wonderful things they did, just sorry all the great things they did, wasnt enough to tame mental illness, that was inherit, anyone can be trained to act normal, and do all to please those who we love, and love us, but proper handling of the mental illness, goes to better direct there choices, how psychopath like pittman look for weakness, and leap to take advantage of yet another.  and moves on to his next prey..as he has done..do you think she thought she was an 'sex adventure' not at all, he wasnt telling her that...surely, he said much more to get her to do what he wanted, now her life is ruined, and he moves on....so very sad, my condolosences goes out to the parents, truly an nightmare, one now carla will have to deal with on a level, she had no idea existed, truly feel sorry for her, she didnt realize, fully the extend of the evil pittman had in his heart, and how anyone that comes in his web, he will take and use, for his purpose, with a better defense team, who would have encouraged her to speak, and fill the blank, so the juror could hear her, and what needs to be known, her behavior clearly showed her confusion, and her not fully understanding the level from her mental illness, the doctors who spoke on her mental state, maybe didnt know her biologocial mother suffered from,was in an mental hospital, things that should have been looked into much deeper, yes indeed, she should pay for her actions, all the facts needs to put on the table...life without parole......no life, slow death, pittman will have to answer for 3 deaths...my prayers are with both family,

This is a sad, sad case.  And I agree with Sheryl L. and the others who chimed in.  I think Pittman indeed encouraged Carla to do it and/or was present when it happened.  In my mind they both are guilty.  Regardless of his role in this mess, he used these women.  He had unprotected sex with his fiancee, got her pregnant and then seemingly regretted it after-the-fact.  Poor, poor choices made here and all this mess for absolutely nothing.  Avis and the baby are gone, Carla is in prison for the rest of her life and he has moved on to yet another woman in no time at all.  Women wake up - n'er truer sayings than those already posted.  If he is cheating, he is a cheat - period and won't change for you.  If he cheats with you he will cheat on you.  He will use you for whatever it is he wants and move on to the next one.  That's all this guy has done and probably will ever do.  And we need to stop settling for this garbage.  Sad, sad, sad. 

Aggravated Stupidity I am appauled, sick out of my mind, the stupidity of the reasoning of a educated female decision to attack another woman. The throught of a black woman, from MISSISSIPPI attacking her own kind, and Ms. Banks in her innocents just trying to make it through life without the pleasures that low self esteem Carla experienced. NOW both are deceased all because of a man's penis.  Kudos to the father of Ms. Banks for knowing that forgivness will get him through his child's and grands death.  Women should know be made aware of the character of K. Pittman  he showed no remorse and will smoothly move pass this.

This case is truly  sad.but for one second when in the pen.phase.while the ME was describing the way  Avis Banks was killed  Carla  Hughes had this look on her face like she got what she got.It was very fast. the recovery and control returned so fast.After all who would dare think she would do something like that.

Looks are deceiving just bc someone "looks" like they wouldn't commit a crime doesn't mean they haven't done it, to me she looks guilty as sin. And infatuation and the feeling that someone belongs to you can make you do some crazy things. I have been there, but was smart enough to let go.. not all are so fortunate. Why do you think they call it a crime of passion?

I have read the majority of the responses to Carla's conviction.  Think about the surviving victims of this henious crime against Avis, her unborn child, and humanity.  My father was brutually murdered nearly 30 years ago.  The pain never goes away, and definitely not the tears and tormenting feelings.  While everyone is on her chit-chatting about whether Carla is guilty, insane, or innocent, all of you could end positive messages.  Send messages to the survivors of these two families damaged by murder.  For the rest of their lives, while all of you will forget about Carla and Avis when the next "big case" hits the media, we (the victims) will never forgot. 

Thats Mississippi for you I WILL NEVER LIVE THERE AGAIN. As long as they have a finger to point they are perfectly fine with prosecuting whoever they think is guilty. Fair trial, not hardly. Gun residue on his hands none on hers that should ring a bell. Sen. Walls what are you thinking and I agree Carla should have testified on her own behalf.