Life In Prison for Bobby Cutts, Jr.

Well, today was the long awaited day for the Davis/Porter family as they awaited the verdict of the sentencing of their daughter's murderer, Bobby Cutts, Jr. It doesn't surprise me that they didn't give him death. I believe that if they would have, Jessie's mom, Patti Porter, may have asked that it be reduced. I just get that impression. She has been such a witness since the very beginning of this tragic and horrific event. I don't believe I could be as forgiving as her as she was today though. Who knows though. Maybe through time I could. But to be able to sit and look my daughter's killer, the father of my grandson and dead granddaughter (that he killed too), would be more than I could bear. But I applaude her for her courage and strength. I sat glued to the television during Jessie's search and again today as the sentencing verdict was read along with the comments from Jessie's family. I wept right along with them. All I can say is poor little Blake. How he must miss his mom.


After a jury spared the life of a former Canton police officer, a judge sentenced Bobby Cutts Jr. to life in prison with a chance of parole after 57 years.

Last week, Cutts was found guilty in connection with the death of his girlfriend Jessie Davis and aggravated murder in the death of her unborn fetus. He was also found guilty of aggravated burglary, abuse of a corpse and child endangering.

The jury recommended a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for 30 years for the aggravated murder of the unborn fetus and of Davis.

After the family of Davis was given the opportunity to address Cutts, the judge imposed his sentence: 30 years for aggravated murder of the fetus, 15 years for the murder of Davis, 10 years for aggravated burglary, 2 years for abuse of a corpse and 180 days for child endangering.
The sentences will be run consecutively; Cutts will be in his 80s before he will be eligible for parole.

Stark County Common Pleas Judge Charles Brown Jr. rejected a defense request to merge the sentences against Bobby Cutts Jr. The judge could have allowed parole eligibility earlier.

In statements before the judge issued his sentence, Cutts' attorney Fernando Mack asked Brown to weigh that Cutts has accepted responsibility for his actions, had no prior history of violence and once saved the life of a fellow officer. "Those are all factors that this court should consider," said Mack, adding, "He still has a family."

Davis' sister, Whitney, faced Cutts and said he used and manipulated her sister. "I don't believe you're sorry for what you did," she said. "You're sorry you got caught up in your lies."

"You got rid of someone who was an inconvenience to you," she said. Cutts sat maintaining eye contact, nodding his head slightly. "It disgusts me that you're here and she's gone."

The victim's mother, Patti Porter, sobbed as she told the judge she was risking her family's disapproval but wanted Cutts to be sentenced in a way that would allow him to be free at some point to share life with his son, Blake, now 3.

"I hope and pray I can raise him to forgive you," she said. "He knows what you did. You would not believe the stories he's told us."

"I do forgive you," Porter told Cutts, drawing tears from members of his family.