"It Was Like a War in There": Anthony Sowell's Unsworn Statement, 2011 (Part 1)
With the jury deciding whether he should die, Anthony Sowell answered his lawyer's questions about a violent childhood home, his escape into the Marines and the wife he said understood him.
- Subject
- Anthony Sowell
- Recorded
- August 8, 2011
- Runtime
- 14:28
Content warning: Sowell describes beatings in his childhood home and alleges that he was sexually abused as a young child; the case concerned the murders of eleven women.
The Statement
On August 8, 2011, seventeen days after a Cleveland jury convicted him of murdering eleven women, Anthony Sowell took the witness stand in the penalty phase of his trial. He was not under oath. Ohio law allows a defendant facing a death sentence to make an unsworn statement to the jury, and Judge Dick Ambrose explained that his lawyer, John Parker, would ask the questions and that there would be no cross-examination. This first part of News 5 Cleveland's footage shows the opening of the statement: Sowell gives his name, his date of birth and his age, 51, and answers questions about his childhood, his schooling, his years in the Marine Corps and his marriage.
Historical Context
Between 2007 and 2009 eleven women disappeared from Cleveland's east side. In October 2009, police investigating a rape complaint entered Sowell's house at 12205 Imperial Avenue and found bodies; the remains of eleven women were recovered from the house and its yard. They were Tonia Carmichael, Nancy Cobbs, Tishana Culver, Crystal Dozier, Telacia Fortson, Amelda Hunter, Leshanda Long, Michelle Mason, Kim Smith, Diane Turner and Janice Webb. Sowell, a Marine Corps veteran, had served 15 years in prison for a 1989 attempted rape and had been released in 2005. On July 22, 2011, the jury found him guilty of all eleven aggravated murders and of offences against surviving women.
Circumstances of the Statement
Sowell did not testify during the guilt phase of the trial. In the penalty phase his lawyers called relatives, a social worker, a former Marine officer, jail officers and mental-health experts, and stressed his troubled upbringing, his military service and his record in custody. Two of his nieces had testified about severe beatings in the family home. The jury recommended death on August 10, 2011, and Judge Ambrose imposed eleven death sentences on August 12.
What the Statement Covers
Parker leads Sowell through the homes he lived in as a young child in Cleveland. Sowell says he was sexually abused many times as a small boy and refuses to give the jury details, and he describes sexual activity he says he saw among older children. He describes the move to East Cleveland, where he says the schools were much better, he learned the cello and played "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" at a concert, and a science teacher taught him chess. He says he was whipped by his mother and grandmother with a switch, cords, a cane and a broom, that the house was full of yelling, "like a war in there", and that he still cannot hold hands or hug his sister. He says he joined the Marines to escape and to prove a point to his mother, met his wife, Kim, a fellow Marine, in Japan, and married her in New Bern, North Carolina, calling it "the best time I had my life". The clip ends just after he describes being blinded for over three months when a radiator hose burst in his face.
What Makes the Recording Significant
Sowell did not testify at his trial. According to the Associated Press, the unsworn statement was his first detailed public comment since his arrest, and later in the statement he apologised: "I'm sorry ... I truly am sorry from the bottom of my heart." That apology is not in this first part of the footage. This part preserves the account of his own life that he and his lawyers put before the jury as they weighed life or death.
Archival Importance
Together with the police interrogation played to the jury in July 2011 (see the related clips of that interview), this is one of the few recordings of Sowell speaking at length. The Ohio Supreme Court affirmed his convictions and death sentences in 2016. He died on February 8, 2021, while still under sentence of death.
Important Caveats
Sowell's statement was unsworn and was not tested by cross-examination. His accounts of being sexually abused as a child are his own and uncorroborated; a defense social worker found no evidence to support them. The people he names from his childhood are named only in the transcript, as spoken, and are not identified on this page. The YouTube title calls this "testimony"; legally it was an unsworn statement. This is part 1 only, and it ends mid-sentence.
Judge: Thank you, everyone. You may be seated. We're back on the record in Case 530885, State of Ohio versus Anthony Sowell. We have Mr. Sowell on the witness stand at this time, ladies and gentlemen. He is going to give what is called an unsworn statement. It is his right to do so in this type of proceeding. The procedure will be that Mr. Parker will be asking him questions, as part of, sort of like the direct examination that you've seen throughout the trial, only there will be no cross-examination. I do have to remind those of you in the back of the room, any outbursts, any demonstrations will result in immediate expulsion from the courtroom. So at this time, Mr. Parker, you may proceed.
John Parker: Thank you very much. Good afternoon, Anthony.
Anthony Sowell: Good afternoon.
John Parker: Okay. I need you to keep your voice up so all the jurors can hear you. Let's just start by having you give the jury your full name.
Anthony Sowell: Anthony Edward Sowell.
John Parker: And what's your birth date, Anthony?
Anthony Sowell: August 19th, 1959.
John Parker: And how old are you right now?
Anthony Sowell: 51.
John Parker: Are you divorced?
Anthony Sowell: I'm divorced.
John Parker: And I believe there, you've had one child with [unclear: "twia" / "a father"]?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: I want to talk to you at first, or ask you some questions at first, about your childhood. Um, there was a time where you lived on East [unclear: "88th" / "8th"] Street, is that right?
Anthony Sowell: Correct.
John Parker: You also lived on Central for a short time?
Anthony Sowell: Correct.
John Parker: And then there was a time when you lived on Parkgate.
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: And I want to talk, or ask you questions initially about when you lived on Parkgate. Um, do you remember a person by the name of Princess?
Anthony Sowell: Yes, I do.
John Parker: Right. Did Princess have a brother?
Anthony Sowell: Shorty.
John Parker: His name was Shorty?
Anthony Sowell: Oh, well, I don't know his name, but that's what we called him, Shorty.
John Parker: And when you lived on Parkgate, do you know approximately how old you were, or what grade you were in?
Anthony Sowell: I, I just finished the first grade when we moved, I think. So six, seven or eight, right in there.
John Parker: Okay. And did something happen with Princess?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: Can you tell the jury about that?
Anthony Sowell: Uh, [unclear: "she sex abused me" / "she said he would abuse me"].
John Parker: Did this happen one time?
Anthony Sowell: Many, many times.
John Parker: Can you give the jury the details?
Anthony Sowell: No, I [unclear: "not going to" / "going to" / "I'm going to"] talk about that.
John Parker: But that's when you were living on Parkgate?
Anthony Sowell: Yes, sir.
John Parker: Now, there was a time when, uh, you lived with Robin and Monica, before Parkgate.
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: Was there something that you saw happen between Robin and Monica?
Anthony Sowell: Uh, he took her in the closet. And he was like, uh, [inaudible], there's a lot of sexual activity going on over there. This, this was happening at my sister's house.
John Parker: [unclear: "At Trish's house?" / "Patricia's house?"]
Anthony Sowell: Yes, sir. Okay. And, uh, he basically, being the oldest, he was like, uh, directing everybody into what, you know, really what to do. But I remember him taking, uh, Monica, which I call my older sister, into the closet, yes.
John Parker: You don't know what happened exactly?
Anthony Sowell: No, no.
John Parker: And how old would you have been around this time?
Anthony Sowell: Uh, probably, it's definitely under, under five.
John Parker: And was there a time when...
Anthony Sowell: Well, five or six, I [unclear: "take it back" / "think, I think"].
John Parker: Okay. Was there a time when you remember something happening between you and Robin?
Anthony Sowell: I don't remember what it was exactly, but, uh, he was messing with me. I know I bit him.
John Parker: You bit him?
Anthony Sowell: Yeah. I never did that before, but I bit him. [unclear: "I guess I don't remember messing with him" / "I C up messing with"]. I can't, I don't know what to say.
John Parker: What happened? Or, where did you bite him? What part of his body?
Anthony Sowell: Um, on his arm somewhere. Probably right above his wrist.
John Parker: Did you bite him hard?
Anthony Sowell: Oh, yeah.
John Parker: I want to move on to when you and your family moved to East Cleveland.
Anthony Sowell: Okay.
John Parker: Uh, when you moved to the house on Page in East Cleveland, do you remember what grade you were in?
Anthony Sowell: Six.
John Parker: And was there any difference between the East Cleveland school system and the Cleveland school system that you came out of?
Anthony Sowell: Big difference.
John Parker: What was the difference?
Anthony Sowell: Uh, East Cleveland school was much better.
John Parker: Can you give us an example?
Anthony Sowell: Well, they had carpet in the classrooms, on the floor. Each classroom had their own, uh, projector, overhead projector, uh, film projector. Uh, uh, it was just, the classes was much better. We had to, uh, soon as I got there, I was, uh, had to pick out an instrument I had to play.
John Parker: Okay. Did you play a musical instrument?
Anthony Sowell: Yes, sir.
John Parker: What'd you play?
Anthony Sowell: Cello.
John Parker: And at the end of the sixth grade, did you have a program or a concert?
Anthony Sowell: Uh, yes. Uh, we had a, uh, we had to learn two songs, I think. Right. Uh, we gave a concert for the teachers and parents.
John Parker: And do you remember what song you played on your cello?
Anthony Sowell: I just remember one, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". [inaudible]
John Parker: Did you enjoy learning that [unclear: "musical instrument" / "music"]?
Anthony Sowell: Oh, yes. I [unclear: "loved it" / "love music"].
John Parker: And you had a teacher named [unclear: "Mr. Seidman" / "Mr. Sidon"], is that right?
Anthony Sowell: Correct. Science teacher.
John Parker: Right. That was a little later on, right?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: Did you enjoy Mr. Seidman's class?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: Did you participate when he taught the kids how to play chess?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: Is that where you learned how to play chess?
Anthony Sowell: Yes, sir.
John Parker: Is that something you've done throughout your whole life?
Anthony Sowell: After, yes, sir. I became quite good.
John Parker: Now, I want to talk about your home life on Page, as a child. You obviously know Ramona and Leona, correct?
Anthony Sowell: Correct.
John Parker: We saw their testimony over the last week or so. Did you know about those beatings that they suffered?
Anthony Sowell: Of course.
John Parker: Did you witness those?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: Were you ever whooped or beaten yourself?
Anthony Sowell: Of course.
John Parker: Can you explain that to [unclear: "me" / "I"]? [unclear: "Who'd it be?" / "Who to beat"] Right. Well, were you beaten with a switch ever?
Anthony Sowell: Switch, [unclear: "iron cord" / "iron and cord"]. I was hit with a cane, a broom.
John Parker: And who are the people that would whip you like this?
Anthony Sowell: Both, my grandmother and my mother.
John Parker: Do you remember an incident when you were growing up on Page, when you were upstairs in bed asleep?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: What happened?
Anthony Sowell: Um, my mother came up, uh, uh, whooping me while I was sleep.
John Parker: What was she using to whip?
Anthony Sowell: I think it was extension cord that time.
John Parker: [inaudible] The house on Page, was there a lot of yelling and screaming that took place?
Anthony Sowell: Every day. All the time.
John Parker: Explain that as best you can.
Anthony Sowell: Just constant yelling and screaming. I mean, they argued over money, they argued over the kids getting treated different. It was just, all day, all they was yelling at the kids, it was always something going on. It was like a war in there.
John Parker: It's like a war?
Anthony Sowell: Like a war.
John Parker: When you were growing up in that house, did you feel like you got any nurturing from your mother?
Anthony Sowell: That didn't go down.
John Parker: That didn't go down? Mm. What do you mean, didn't go down?
Anthony Sowell: That's why, still today, like, uh, my sister and kids get together, I cannot actually, when they go to holding hands and stuff, I can't do it. Physically, I can't do it.
John Parker: You ever hugged your sister?
Anthony Sowell: No.
John Parker: That's not the way you are.
John Parker: You love her, don't you?
Anthony Sowell: Yes. [unclear: "Just never held" / "It's never home"].
John Parker: Did, did it get to a point, Anthony, where you wanted to get out of that house?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: Why did you want to get out of that?
Anthony Sowell: I just want to escape.
John Parker: How did you escape?
Anthony Sowell: I joined the Marines.
John Parker: Did your mother want you to join?
Anthony Sowell: She didn't. She argued against it, but she end up signing the papers, 'cause this was going to happen anyway. I was going to turn 18 in, uh, in August that year. I finished school when I was 17. So I was going to, uh, I [unclear: "just said rings" / "rings"]. I started off early that year. I actually signed up with the Army. I, I was [unclear: "enlisted" / "relisted" / "listed"] with the Army at first, earlier that year, around, uh, February or March. I started after the recruiter came out to school, and, uh, I got him, called him, and he came out, started talking to me and talked to my parents. And I initially took my, uh, interest test with the United States Army.
John Parker: Why didn't you join the Army?
Anthony Sowell: Because, uh, I heard the Marines were tougher.
John Parker: Why did you want to go to the tougher?
Anthony Sowell: 'Cause I had a point to prove.
John Parker: You were going to prove...
Anthony Sowell: That I can do it, that I can, uh, that I [unclear: "want" / "won"]. I was constantly called, put down and stuff.
John Parker: So were you picked on in school sometimes? Why would kids pick on you?
Anthony Sowell: 'Cause I was, uh, quiet and, you know, all to myself sometimes. I, I just [unclear: "was used to" / "when used to"], uh, really, uh, associate with a lot of other, other, uh, kids and stuff.
John Parker: So were you allowed to have friends when you were [unclear: "going" / "growing up"]?
Anthony Sowell: Well, uh, when we got to East Cleveland, yes.
John Parker: Okay. [unclear: "Before East Cleveland?" / "You for East Cleveland"]
Anthony Sowell: No.
John Parker: So you joined the Marines to prove a point?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: Who were you going to prove it to?
Anthony Sowell: My mother.
John Parker: So you in fact joined the Marines?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: And you did very well in boot camp, right?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: You got the honor [unclear: "Mr. Bansley" / "Mr. Manston" / "Mr. B"] talked about, is that right?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: You met a woman that became very special to you in the Marine Corps?
Anthony Sowell: My wife.
John Parker: Your wife. What was your wife's name?
Anthony Sowell: Kim [unclear: "Bet" / "you bet"] Lawson.
John Parker: Where did you meet Kim?
Anthony Sowell: [unclear: "Okinawa" / "Open out" / "OK"], Japan.
John Parker: When you were serving in the Marines?
Anthony Sowell: Yes, sir.
John Parker: Was she a Marine also?
Anthony Sowell: Yes, sir, she was.
John Parker: So you met Kim in Japan and you ended up marrying her, is that right?
Anthony Sowell: Yes, sir.
John Parker: Where did you two get married?
Anthony Sowell: Um, North Carolina. New Bern, North Carolina.
John Parker: And you loved her, didn't you?
Anthony Sowell: Of course. Still do.
John Parker: Still?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: How would you describe your relationship with your wife?
Anthony Sowell: It was good. It was good. It was good. It's the best time I had my life.
John Parker: Did she help you with some things?
Anthony Sowell: Oh, yeah, most definitely.
John Parker: What kind of things did she help you with?
Anthony Sowell: Well, she understood me better, or [unclear: "can handle me" / "having me"] better than anybody ever seen. I don't know, we just had that connection. Uh, well, I had already talked about my childhood, [unclear: "with not the abuse" / "we're not the biggest"] and stuff, but a lot of things. I just let her know I had come up with a bad child, I had a bad childhood. And, uh, uh, after we got married, I had, you know, I had some issues that, uh, she helped me along with.
John Parker: Could you be affectionate with her?
Anthony Sowell: I can be affectionate with her, but she was one of those [unclear: "really" / "fly"] touchy-feely kind of females. And I can just remember one time, when I, I don't know, I think we were sitting on the couch and I think she put her arm around me or something. I got, almost got [unclear: "violent" / "vient" / "by"]. I would, I just, I didn't like her touching me like that.
John Parker: She helped you with that over [unclear: "time"]?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: Now, you were still in the Marine Corps when she left the Marine Corps before you, is that right?
Anthony Sowell: I think she might have left after me.
John Parker: Okay. But there was a point in time when, uh, the two of you were divorced?
Anthony Sowell: Yes. [unclear: "19..."]
John Parker: She went back to her hometown in, in California?
Anthony Sowell: As far as [unclear: "you know" / "I know"], she was already in California. She was already there. Yes.
John Parker: Now, there was an incident while you were in North Carolina, and I believe you were married to Kim at this point, where you were in an accident involving your car. Do you remember that?
Anthony Sowell: Yes.
John Parker: Tell us about it.
Anthony Sowell: Well, matter of fact, it was the night my mom was coming down. I had my sister and, uh, my daughter had been out to visit me, and my mom was on the way to, to, uh, come down that night. And some friends of mine, a friend of mine, another Marine, was being transferred to, uh, Washington, D.C., the next day, and so he was having, him and his wife was having a going-away party. And because my mom was coming, uh, Kim had to stay home, plus, you know, my daughter, my sister was there too, and she, my sister was only 16. So, uh, so my wife stayed home. I went ahead to the party.
Anthony Sowell: On, on the way home, uh, my car overheated and, and shut off. And when I went up under the hood, and I was messing around 'cause it was hissing at the hose, and when I went to mess with the hose, it just blew off. When it blew off, it pointed straight in my face, so it hit me dead in the face, and I didn't have a chance to close my eyes or anything. So it actually just hit me straight in my eyes and my face.
John Parker: And that burned your face? Second and third degree burns? Burned your eyes?
Anthony Sowell: Yes. [unclear: "Split them" / "Split them, right"].
John Parker: Were you blinded by that incident?
Anthony Sowell: Yes, sir.
John Parker: For how long?
Anthony Sowell: Over three months.
John Parker: Your wife helped treat you and get you through that?
Anthony Sowell: Yes. Uh, that's, that's all I had. Well, I didn't want my sister and daughter there, so, you know, going through that. So I sent them all home.
John Parker: You sent them home, and you and your wife dealt with your [unclear: "in..."; cut off]?
Anthony Sowell: Yes. [recording ends] ---