Victim’s family speaks out at killer’s sentencing

Bill Gang

Wednesday, June 26, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Relatives of a mother of four who was murdered a year ago took out some of their anger on the killer at his sentencing, although the punishment was already set.

A jury on May 10 convicted Christopher Jones of first-degree murder for the shooting death of 37-year-old Almeta Lynette Porter in front of her children because she wouldn't give him gas money.

After the guilty verdict, the 39-year-old killer and the district attorney's office agreed to the lightest possible sentence -- life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years.

Although they knew it would have no effect on the sentence, two of the victim's siblings took the witness stand in District Judge Don Chairez's courtroom Tuesday to face the killer.

Kenneth Porter, the victim's older brother, lamented that he never knew of Jones' abusive nature and told Jones that if he had, there would have been a confrontation.

"It may have been me sitting there (in jail garb and chains)," Porter said. "One of us would have been dead."

He reminded Jones that after the victim had collapsed from the initial bullets fired into her, he stood over and uttered a profane oath before firing the last fatal shot.

Porter repeated the oath to Jones in the crowded courtroom.

Charlotte Hodges, the victim's youngest sister, told Jones, "I had hatred in my heart for you. Someday I may forgive you but the kids still will never get their mother back."

The victim's four children were separated after the slaying. Two are living with their father in California and one is living with relatives in Las Vegas. The youngest, who is 6, was fathered by another man and is living with him in California.

All but the youngest came to court to close a painful chapter in their lives.

Jones tried to explain that he and Lynette Porter had drug and alcohol problems but "we loved each other."

But the victim's sister-in-law, Norma Porter, said the relationship was being ended by the victim and Jones lashed out with violence "because he couldn't have her anymore."

"It was the typical, if I can't have you, nobody can," she said.

The thing family members said irked them most was the lack of remorse Jones showed.

Curtis Brown, the father of three of the victim's children, said there is comfort in knowing Jones will be "among people who also feel they are above the law."

"He won't be the kingpin but only one of the butlers or nannies," Brown said. "It definitely will do a lot of good for him."

While Jones was convicted of murdering Lynette Porter in the front yard of her home near Craig Road and Lamb Boulevard, he was acquitted of two attempted murder charges involving shots fired at two of the victim's children.

The victim's then-18-year-old son, Rashad Porter, said in an interview the day after the incident that he and one sister were the first targets of gunfire as they watched Jones from the front door.

A shot hit the house and Almeta Porter called police, who asked for Jones's license plate number.

Rashad Porter said when his mother went outside to obtain the information, Jones said, "My life is over anyway," and shot her.