On June 5, 2019, the Samantha L. Josephson Ridesharing Safety Act was signed into law in South Carolina. . Josephson, who was a senior at the time of her death, had planned to graduate in 2019 and go on to study law at Drexel University School of Law. Miss Howard noticed that Mr. Rowland had a rose-gold iPhone, in perfect condition, which she assumed was a womans phone. In May 2019, legislators in South Carolina passed the Samantha L. Josephson Ridesharing Safety Act. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Several key investigators took the stand Thursday in day three of the trial of Nathaniel Rowland. Salant, Jonathan D. (December 23, 2022). I just wish the state would have done more in finding out who the actual person was, instead of being satisfied with detaining me and proving my guilt., Mr. Rowlands mother tried to tell Judge Newman that her son was innocent, but he cut her off. Mr. Rowlands trial, which brought to light many details of the murder, began on July 19 and ended on July 27. Boojee, for example, from bourgeois, means too white, rich, or upper class. He was not charged with a hate crime, nor was he charged with rape. He has been in the Richland County jail since his arrest a day after Josephson's disappearance. Samantha Josephsons parents established the #WHATSMYNAME Foundation in honor of their daughter, to promote rideshare safety. Prosecutors did not choose to seek the death penalty. Every speck of evidence led to you. The judge added that this was the most severe murder he had seen, and that leniency was not part of his DNA. The details of the horrifying December assault come days after police in South Carolina announced that 21-year-old Samantha Josephson was found dead after getting into a car she may have thought was an Uber she ordered. But on cross-examination, Beaver told a defense attorney that he Googled hundreds of pictures of knives after the autopsy to figure out what could have caused the unique wounds and sent investigators a photo of a different-looking weapon. | Privacy The officer asked him to get out and he complied, but kept his hands in his pockets. [33] The act requires ride-share vehicles to display license plate numbers on the front. 120. [5] On July 27, the jury found Rowland guilty of Josephson's kidnapping and murder and the judge sentenced him to life in prison. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. you want to continue watching? He assumed she had left her phone in the Uber car. [24], On June 9, 2020, Nathaniel Rowland was denied bond. A 21-year-old University of South Carolina student killed after mistaking a man's car for an Uber was stabbed up to 120 times, the pathologist who testified Monday in court said.. Those performing Samantha Josephson's autopsy found even a routine test challenging, as there was so little blood left in her body during the examination, said Dr. Thomas Beaver. Hes a handwriting expert who works with SLED. Then why do we do it? samantha josephson autopsy. Nathaniel Rowland used childproof locks to prevent Josephson from leaving the vehicle and kidnapped and murdered her, leaving her body near New Zion, South Carolina 65 miles (105km) from Columbia, where she had entered Rowland's car. Prosecutors allege that Josephson, a University of South Carolina senior from New Jersey, stepped into the defendants black Chevy Impala outside of a bar on March 29, 2019 thinking the vehicle was her Uber. Did she fight back and send him into an uncontrollable, murderous, How-dare-this-white-bitch-fight-me? frenzy? Despite this list, Josephsons body was neither taped nor burned. Josephsons blood was also found on a sock and a bandana, both owned by Rowland. The defense, on the other hand, has suggested other people were involved in killing Josephson. In the dark, she probably couldnt tell them apart. Police concluded that Mr. Rowland had used this feature to trap his victim, because Josephson would not have been able to open the rear doors or windows. John A. Carlos II/Special to The Post and Courier The pathologist could not determine an exact number of wounds because there were so many. After all these years, why it is that we even bother with DNA testing? she asked. Samantha Josephson, 21, made the fatal mistake of not checking the Uber car she was boarding. I was planning my trip to Columbia in 2019 to watch my daughter graduate from college. But the victims DNA was allegedly found under Rowlands fingernails. Josephson's death turned a national spotlight on ride-hailing safety and led to some changes, including more prominent displays of driver's license plates. Williams said it looked like Josephson. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. Jazic said there were no scratches at all anywhere on Rowlands body. The doctor testified that a pattern of close stab wounds showed she had been stabbed very rapidly. The first piece was a blood-soaked bra the victim had on that night. She earned a full scholarship to Drexel University, as . Josephson was out with her friends in Columbia's Five Points entertainment district onMarch 29, 2019, when she allegedly entered Rowland's car thinking he was an Uber driver. The toe straps were broken off, but her sandals were still attached to her ankles. She said that riding in a car with blood in it does not make you a murderer, and that if it did, Mr. Rowlands girlfriend should have been charged. The images are of black women, but there are suggestions that Mr. Rowland was interested in white women. [24] Inside the car, police found a container of liquid bleach, germicidal wipes, and window cleaner. For many blacks, a white bunny or a snow bunny is a white woman who is interested in blacks. At approximately 3 a.m. on March 30, WYFF4 reported authorities pulled over a man driving a black Impala for a routine traffic stop. She called to tell him she had sent for an Uber to take her home, and he tracked her ride, using the Find My Friend app. So far as I can tell, Mr. Rowland had only one former felony arrest, for obtaining a signature or property under false pretenses. A brutal killer might well have had a long record of violent crimes. On Monday, the fifth . [16], When investigators searched the trash behind Rowlands girlfriends residence, they uncovered cleaning supplies and a two-bladed knife, both of which had Josephsons blood on them. How fitting! Here you see #SamanthaJosephson in orange, waiting for her Uber. Samantha is survived by her parents, Seymour and . She asked where her visor was, and he replied, In the country., He told her that it had blood on it. My prayers are with you now and in the coming days. In her victim impact statement, Marci Josephson, the victims mother said, Her dreams were my dreams, and her death was my death. Samantha Josephson. Samantha Lee Josephson was born in Princeton, New Jersey, and grew up in Robbinsville, New Jersey. SLED agent Britt Dove also took the stand. It is being streamed across the country by Court TV. Miss Howards McDonalds visor was found in the trunk; it also had Josephsons blood on it. GRAPHIC WARNING: Details included in this article may be disturbing to some readers. It was later determined Josephson was brutally murdered. He's been indicted for murdering Samantha Josephson,' Gipson said, according to NBC. Markings on her face were consistent with being dragged. [17] Additionally, the child locks were activated, which police believe prevented Josephson from escaping. The page had sexual images and references to sex. The jury took a little more . "This is one of my hardest posts. Do We Riot or Not? Maam, Im not going to hear any claims of innocence, he said. When she asked why, he said, Mind your business.. According to surveillance footage, at 2:09, a black Chevrolet Impala, driven by Rowland, pulled up beside her. All Rights Reserved. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. WYFF4 reports Josephson was reported missing at approximately 1 p.m. by her roommates at The Hub apartment complex, as she never returned home and nobody could reach her by telephone. If he liked lit places, he could have found one with young blacks. [6][30][26] Immediately after Rowland's conviction, State Circuit Judge Clifton Newman sentenced him to life in prison. As reported by WYFF4, Josephson got separated from her friends, and reportedly contacted Uber for a ride back to her apartment. Once inside, Josephson was trapped because Rowland had turned on the backseat child locks so the doors could only be opened from the outside, prosecutors said. Strangulation will break it, but Beaver suggested a stab wound damaged Josephsons hyoid bone. In April 2019, Senator Anna Kaplan introduced the Samantha L. Josephson Ridesharing Safety Act, to the New York Senate. [26][18], On July 27, 2021, Rowland was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering Josephson and of possessing a weapon during a violent crime after the jury deliberated for a little over an hour. He detailed Josephsons horrifying wounds, noting those that those would have been delivered when she was alive. The states theory of the case is that Rowland took Josephson from outside of The Bird Dog bar in Columbia, S.C. (Richland County) and discarded her body two miles from his family home in his hometown of New Zion after killing her. She bled profusely, ultimately dying within 1020 minutes, according to the pathologist who conducted an autopsy on her body. Howard was Rowlands girlfriend at the time of the Josephsons murder. Rowland faces up to life in prison if convicted. Missing University of South Carolina Samantha Josephson's death confirmed by university Samantha Josephson, a University of South Carolina student who was reported missing, has died, the . In previous testimony, Rowland's attorneys have pointed out scientists weren't absolutely certain Rowland's DNA was on the knife and his genetic material wasn't in other places it might be expected. #FakeUberMurderTrial The defendants DNA was not found under the victims fingernails HOWEVER we just learned that the victims DNA was found under the defendants fingernails. Ride-share vehicles must also have an identifying marker on the front windshield and back window. Have a tip or story idea? Samantha Josephson, from Robinsville, New Jersey, was a student at the University of South Carolina where she majored in political science. He also read off a few texts from Howards phone to Rowland. Williams also said Rowland arrived in a dark Chevy Impala. A murder trial is currently underway following the tragic death of Samantha Josephson. Im almost confused. The young and ambitious woman was a senior at the University of South Carolina pursuing a degree in Political Science. As her boyfriend drove her to work, Miss Howard noticed dried blood on the dashboard and the back seat. [51] Her diploma and college possessions were given to her mother. Her arguments made no sense. Tom Davis , Patch Staff Posted Mon, Apr 1, 2019 at 7:05 am ET | Updated Wed, Apr 3, 2019 . She tried to sow doubt by saying that Mr. Rowland had run from the police because the officer shouted, Are you crazy? and not because he was guilty. One of my hardest, saddest and distraught days! Samantha Josephson, a 21-year-old University of South Carolina from Robbinsville, New Jersey who was set to graduate and go to law school, was found dead in March of 2019 in South Carolina, Defendant Nathaniel Rowland speaks with his attorney, Alicia Goode, right, during his trial in Richland County Court on July 20. Samantha L. Josephson ROBBINSVILLE Samantha L. Josephson, 21, passed away Friday March 29, 2019. Four hours later, authorities received a call from hunters, who found a body in a secluded area nearly 65 miles away from where Josephson was last seen. One of Rowlands strikes went completely through her right hand, as she likely used it to protect herself. I recall very well the reports of Samantha L. Josephson's murder. She was last seen getting into a car at approximately 2 a.m. on March 29. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. [5] During the trial, prosecutors called 31 witnesses, including the turkey hunter who found Josephsons body, a cell phone store owner who testified that Rowland unsuccessfully attempted to sell him Josephson's phone the day after she went missing,[29] Rowlands former girlfriend, and numerous State Law Enforcement Division investigators and other experts. He also found wounds that were exactly parallel to each other, which came from Mr. Rowlands multi-tool. Anastasia Katz, American Renaissance, August 6, 2021. Today is the 2 year anniversary of losing my baby! He was heterosexual, she was attractive, and rape is almost obligatory in cases like this. The Tragic Murder Of Samantha Josephson Explained. The childs shoes had blood on them when they got home, and Miss Howard texted her mother about that. Scripps Phil Murphy also signed legislation, which is referred to as "Sami's Law," that requires rideshare drivers to provide and display identification information. Rowland, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has maintained his innocence. Before Beaver took the stand, they linked Josephson's blood to areas all over Rowland's Chevrolet Impala, a knife with two blades and cleaning supplies in the trash behind his girlfriend's home and on a sock and bandana owned by Rowland. [41], Josephson's parents have worked with lawmakers in the United States Congress to craft a federal law to enhance ride-share safety. Josephsons hyoid bone was also broken, he said. [22][26][20], Rowland was charged with kidnapping, murder, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime. A University of South Carolina student who was killed by a man who allegedly attacked her after she mistook his car for her Uber ride had more than 100 stab wounds, a pathologist testified Monday. As reported by The U.S. Sun, Rowland maintained his innocence and has never accepted any responsibility for Josephson's kidnapping or death. [Image of Samantha Josephson via Columbia Police Department], Have a tip we should know? Then Claycomb pulled out a lace bralette Josephson had on over her bra, that was also covered with a large amount of blood. Many stab wounds to her ear, lower back, side, arms, elbows, and leg, including a 7cm deep wound on her thigh, which was the deepest. [3], Rowland was arrested the next day, and charged with kidnapping and murdering Josephson. She suffered more than 120 stab wounds and bled to death. Trial of man accused in UofSC student's kidnapping, death set to begin. Instead, Rowland kidnapped and murdered Josephson, leaving her body in Clarendon County, South Carolina, prosecutors say. [44] It requires ride-share vehicles to have front license plates and illuminated windshield signs along with scannable or quick-response codes on the sides. For what? Those shoes were also soaked in blood. In the end, the defense called no witnesses, and Mr. Rowland did not testify. Samantha's father, Seymour Josephson, shared his feelings about the anniversary of his daughter's death in a Facebook post. [43] The bill, which is also titled "Sami's Law," was introduced on June 13, 2019. I close my eyes and I feel what she endured at his hands, 120 times, over and over and over, fighting for her life, locked in his car . When examining the victim's back, she observed six puncture marks and explains why she feels the victim was stabbed at least twice, if not three times. The act creates a new criminal penalty for impersonating a ride-share driver and makes assaulting a ride-share driver a misdemeanor. 'It's those intentional deliberate, heinous, cruel and malicious acts that Nathaniel David Rowland has been indicted for kidnapping Samantha Josephson. Beaver said he did not know how Josephsons knuckles were injured. [8] "There's a thousand trails each that led to you. KTLA 5 reports said the wounds were so serious that only 1.3 tablespoons of blood were left in her body when she was found. There was an envelope in the trash, with Josephsons blood on it, and these words, in Mr. Rowlands handwriting: Duck tape tape whole body/gloves/All black/Flip phone/Gasoline/Matches.. . Rowland seen on video using Samantha . I have had to look for motives myself. Samantha Josephson's body was found in a field in a secluded, wooded area about 90 miles from Columbia about 4 p.m. Friday. There was also a spotted sheet in the bag with Josephsons DNA on it. Hes a phone expert who showed where Josephsons phone pinged the night she disappeared. The murder led to the passage of Samis Law in New Jersey, which enhances protections for drivers and passengers using ride share services. The presiding judge, Clifton Newman, was black, and several of the jurors were black. The 21-year-old college senior was trapped by the vehicle's child safety locks. Wasn't an issue for my friend who I saw get stabbed to death before a punch was thrown either. Police stopped . Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson (left) and deputy April Sampson confer during a break in the trial of Nathaniel Rowland in the Richland County Courthouse on July 20 in Columbia, South Carolina, Judge Clifton Newman is presiding over the trial of Nathaniel Rowland in Richland County Court, South Carolina. On the evening of March 28, 2019, 21-year-old University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson was out with her friends in the Five Points village in Columbia, South Carolina. These placards, which are to be placed on the driver and passenger side back windows, must have the driver's name and photo, along with their license plate number. The officer said, Get your hands out of your pockets. Legislation of the same name at the federal level was signed into law by President Joe Biden on January 5, 2023.

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