Editing Robert Chambers
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On August 26, 1986, 18-year-old college student Jennifer Levin was found dead in Central Park. Her half-naked body was lying by a tree with her bra pulled up, with her body and face covered in scratch marks. Her underwear was found 50 yards away. There were red marks across her neck from where she had been strangled and her fingernails were bruised, suggesting that she had been trying to pull away whatever was strangling her. Robert Chambers was at the scene watching the police remove the body.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071025000850/http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/not_guilty/park/4.html A Killing in Central Park: The Preppy Murder Case—Robert Chambers], ''TruTV''</ref> | On August 26, 1986, 18-year-old college student Jennifer Levin was found dead in Central Park. Her half-naked body was lying by a tree with her bra pulled up, with her body and face covered in scratch marks. Her underwear was found 50 yards away. There were red marks across her neck from where she had been strangled and her fingernails were bruised, suggesting that she had been trying to pull away whatever was strangling her. Robert Chambers was at the scene watching the police remove the body.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071025000850/http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/not_guilty/park/4.html A Killing in Central Park: The Preppy Murder Case—Robert Chambers], ''TruTV''</ref> | ||
Chambers first came to the attention of police when several patrons at the Dorrian's Red hand bar stated that Levin had been there before leaving with a man named Robert Chambers. When police interviewed Chambers, he had multiple bloody scratches on his face which he claimed were made by his cat, which had been declawed.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2016/08/24/how-the-preppy-killer-could-have-been-stopped/ How the ‘Preppy Killer’ could have been stopped], ''The New York Post''</ref> He initially claimed he and Levin had left to buy cigarettes, but was informed that Levin was not a smoker. He then changed his story, claiming that he had killed Levin by accident during a sexual encounter. He was booked for second-degree murder, remarking to his father just before "That fucking bitch, why didn't she leave me alone?".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071026065357/http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/not_guilty/park/7.html A Killing In Central Park: The Preppie Murder Case—'The First Man Raped in Central Park'], ''TruTV''</ref> | Chambers first came to the attention of police when several patrons at the Dorrian's Red hand bar stated that Levin had been there before leaving with a man named Robert Chambers. When police interviewed Chambers, he had multiple bloody scratches on his face which he claimed were made by his cat, which had been declawed.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2016/08/24/how-the-preppy-killer-could-have-been-stopped/ How the ‘Preppy Killer’ could have been stopped], ''The New York Post''</ref> He initially claimed he and Levin had left to buy cigarettes, but was informed that Levin was not a smoker. He then changed his story, claiming that he had killed Levin by accident during a sexual encounter. He was booked for second-degree murder, remarking to his father just before "That fucking bitch, why didn't she leave me alone?".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071026065357/http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/not_guilty/park/7.html =A Killing In Central Park: The Preppie Murder Case—'The First Man Raped in Central Park'], ''TruTV''</ref> | ||
Chamber's claim was that he and Levin, who had previously dated, had gone to Central Park to have sex. During the encounter, Levin had tied his hands with her underwear and begun painfully squeezing his testicles, at which point he had knocked her off and accidentally killed her by striking her in the neck. However, this was not consistent with the medical examiner's conclusion that Levin had died through strangulation.<ref>[https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a29786012/robert-chambers-jennifer-levin-preppy-murder-case/ Who Is Robert Chambers And Did He Kill Jennifer Levin? 'The Preppy Murder' True Story, Explained]</ref> Despite this Chambers continued to rely on this defence at trial, with his lawyer Jack Litman reading out Levin's journal to the court and revealing details of kinky and aggressive sexual encounters in order to try and smear Levin's character.<ref>[https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/the-preppy-murder-how-robert-chambers-defense-victim-blamed-jennifer-levin How The Defense In 'The Preppy Murder' Blamed The Victim For Her Own Death], ''Oxygen''</ref> Litman suggested that Chambers had wrapped his arm round Levin's throat while trying to escape from her and accidentally crushed her windpipe, which medical examiner Maria Alandy testified was not consistent with the injuries on Levin's body.<ref>[https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/02/11/A-pathologist-who-performed-an-autopsy-on-a-teenage/3122571554000/ A pathologist who performed an autopsy on a teenage girl strangled in Central Park said Thursday her injuries were not consistent...], ''UPI''</ref> Ultimately, the jury was unable to reach a verdict and a mistrial was declared. Chambers agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.<ref>[https://people.com/crime/preppy-murder-robert-chambers-jennifer-levin-amc-series/ Everything to Know About 'Preppy Murder' Case 33 Years After N.Y.C. Teen's Death in Central Park], ''PEOPLE''</ref> | Chamber's claim was that he and Levin, who had previously dated, had gone to Central Park to have sex. During the encounter, Levin had tied his hands with her underwear and begun painfully squeezing his testicles, at which point he had knocked her off and accidentally killed her by striking her in the neck. However, this was not consistent with the medical examiner's conclusion that Levin had died through strangulation.<ref>[https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a29786012/robert-chambers-jennifer-levin-preppy-murder-case/ Who Is Robert Chambers And Did He Kill Jennifer Levin? 'The Preppy Murder' True Story, Explained]</ref> Despite this Chambers continued to rely on this defence at trial, with his lawyer Jack Litman reading out Levin's journal to the court and revealing details of kinky and aggressive sexual encounters in order to try and smear Levin's character.<ref>[https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/the-preppy-murder-how-robert-chambers-defense-victim-blamed-jennifer-levin How The Defense In 'The Preppy Murder' Blamed The Victim For Her Own Death], ''Oxygen''</ref> Litman suggested that Chambers had wrapped his arm round Levin's throat while trying to escape from her and accidentally crushed her windpipe, which medical examiner Maria Alandy testified was not consistent with the injuries on Levin's body.<ref>[https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/02/11/A-pathologist-who-performed-an-autopsy-on-a-teenage/3122571554000/ A pathologist who performed an autopsy on a teenage girl strangled in Central Park said Thursday her injuries were not consistent...], ''UPI''</ref> Ultimately, the jury was unable to reach a verdict and a mistrial was declared. Chambers agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.<ref>[https://people.com/crime/preppy-murder-robert-chambers-jennifer-levin-amc-series/ Everything to Know About 'Preppy Murder' Case 33 Years After N.Y.C. Teen's Death in Central Park], ''PEOPLE''</ref> | ||
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Chambers was sued for wrongful death by the Levin family in 1988 while serving his sentence and ordered to pay $25 million. Unable to pay, he was compelled to pay 10% of his income after being released until the debt was paid off.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-10-mn-321-story.html ‘Make Me Pay $25 Million'--Preppie Slayer], ''Los Angeles Times''</ref> Chambers committed nearly 30 serious infractions during his sentence, mostly drug-related, and spent five years in solitary confinement.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2003/02/09/fiend-to-be-freed-after-15-years-of-violence-drugs-in-jail/ FIEND TO BE FREED AFTER 15 YEARS OF VIOLENCE & DRUGS IN JAIL], ''The New York Post''</ref> He was denied parole twice due to his lack of remorse before eventually being released from prison in February 2003 after serving his full 15-year sentence.<ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06EEDB153AF937A25751C0A9659C8B63 In Statement, Chambers Says He Regrets His Actions], ''The New York Times''</ref> | Chambers was sued for wrongful death by the Levin family in 1988 while serving his sentence and ordered to pay $25 million. Unable to pay, he was compelled to pay 10% of his income after being released until the debt was paid off.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-10-mn-321-story.html ‘Make Me Pay $25 Million'--Preppie Slayer], ''Los Angeles Times''</ref> Chambers committed nearly 30 serious infractions during his sentence, mostly drug-related, and spent five years in solitary confinement.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2003/02/09/fiend-to-be-freed-after-15-years-of-violence-drugs-in-jail/ FIEND TO BE FREED AFTER 15 YEARS OF VIOLENCE & DRUGS IN JAIL], ''The New York Post''</ref> He was denied parole twice due to his lack of remorse before eventually being released from prison in February 2003 after serving his full 15-year sentence.<ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06EEDB153AF937A25751C0A9659C8B63 In Statement, Chambers Says He Regrets His Actions], ''The New York Times''</ref> | ||
On October 22, 2007, Chambers and his girlfriend Shawn Kovell were arrested after being caught selling cocaine and heroin out of Chamber's apartment. Chambers pled guilty and was sentenced to 19 years in prison in September 2008.<ref>[http://www.wnbc.com/news/17370538/detail.html 'Preppie Killer' Gets 19 Years On Drug Plea], ''WNBC News''</ref> He will not be eligible for parole until 2024. | On October 22, 2007, Chambers and his girlfriend Shawn Kovell were arrested after being caught selling cocaine and heroin out of Chamber's apartment. Chambers pled guilty and was sentenced to 19 years in prison in September 2008.<ref>[http://www.wnbc.com/news/17370538/detail.html 'Preppie Killer' Gets 19 Years On Drug Plea], ''WNBC News''</ref> He will not be eligible for parole until 2024. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||