Top Stories Memphis

• Curtis Vance sentenced to life in prison without parole
• Curtis Vance, 29, convicted of capital murder in death of TV anchor Anne Pressly
• Vance also convited of residential burglary, theft, and rape

(Little Rock, AR 11/12/09) A jury convicted Curtis Vance, 29, for the October 2008 murder of Little Rock television anchor Anne Pressly and now he’s been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

There was no reaction in the courtroom when the sentence was announced.

Earlier, handcuffed and dressed in a bulletproof vest, Vance was led from the Pulaski County Courthouse by an army of sheriff’s deputies. Once outside, he told reporters, “It’s a corrupt syste, that’s what it is.”

The jury of six men and six women took roughly two hours to deliberate on the case. They returned guilty verdicts on all counts; capital murder, theft, residential burglary, and rape. Before the verdict was returned attorneys and the judge asked the audience full of Pressly friends and family to remain quiet and reserve all emotional outbursts. While the verdict was read, tears filled the courtroom and once the audience left, many broke into sobbing tears.

“There’s relief for the family, relief for friends,” says one of Pressly’s friends, Danny-Joe Crofford. “No matter what happens from this point on, it’s never going to bring her back.”

“There’s a lot of emotion with Patti and Guy,” says family friend David Bazzel. “It’s been a long process. I can’t imagine how they feel other than today was justice for Anne.”

Bazzel went on to say, “The justice system works and we hope that the remainder works as well and he gets what he deserves… What he did to her, the death penalty is not enough for him. He’ll get his due when he sees his maker one of these days.”

Listening to Bazzel speak with a group of reporters about justice being served, Vance’s mother, Jackie Burnett, angrily burst in response. Vance did not display any obvious signs of emotion when the verdict was handed down.