what happened to john sutton a blind lawyer

His vision destroyed, his right eye disfigured and his family devastated, Coral Gables lawyer John R. Sutton has nevertheless lost none of his courtroom presence.

Full Answer

How did John Sutton go blind?

When John Sutton woke up in intensive care, he was blind. "The magnitude of my injury, the facial pain and the loss of the eyesight was just so huge," he told Roberts. "You must have been wracking your brain thinking, 'Who could have possibly done this?'" Roberts asked. "Yes, I certainly was," John replied.

What happened to Christopher Sutton's appeal?

Christopher Sutton's appeal was denied. Hit man Garrett Kopp is scheduled to be released in 2035. John Sutton vows he will fight to keep Kopp and his son, Christopher, behind bars. Thanks for reading CBS NEWS.

What happened to Susan Sutton and John Sutton?

In 2004, Kopp shot Susan Sutton six times and John in the face. Susan died, and John survived but is now blind. "The only people who know what really happened are Christopher and Garrett," Sutton said about that night...

What does John Sutton say before sentencing?

Before sentencing, an emotional John Sutton addresses the court. He doesn't ask for leniency. "Regardless of the result, this is a bad case," John told the court. "I lost Susan. I lost Christopher long before that. I lost my eyesight ..." A few feet away, Garrett's father, Mitchell Kopp, sat grieving his loss.

What happened to Christopher Sutton after the shooting?

After the shooting, Christopher Sutton pressed his recovering father to give him control over the family finances, and to sell the Coral Gables house, he testified.

Who was Christopher Sutton's former pal?

Christopher Sutton's former pal, Garrett Kopp, testified last week that Christopher hired him to assassinate John and Susan Sutton in a scheme to inherit the lawyer's wealth. Kopp is serving 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to the crime.

Why did Christopher Sutton hate his parents?

Prosecutors say Christopher Sutton hated his parents because of the Samoa experience. John Sutton's testimony -- in particular that he was shot without any confrontation -- may be key to refuting Sutton's defense: mainly that Kopp, a drug-crazed burglar, acted on his own and implicated his pal to avoid the death penalty.

Who is Christopher Sutton?

Sutton was the final, and perhaps most anticipated, witness in the state's case against Christopher Sutton, 31, who is accused of plotting his parents' murders. The defense case for Christopher Sutton, charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder, begins Thursday.

Who shot down the drug allegation?

But prosecutors used John Sutton to shoot down the drug allegation. Sutton testified that Christopher did not have ready access to their house after his parents, suspicious of his lifestyle, never gave him a key. "We had some trust problems," Sutton told prosecutor Kathleen Hoague.

Who killed John Sutton's mom?

The hit man killed his mom, Susan Sutton, and left John Sutton blind. Christopher Sutton is on trial for conspiracy to commit murder and faced his father's take on what happened Wednesday.

Why did Christopher Sutton let Kopp in the house?

Prosecutors allege Christopher Sutton let Kopp in the home that night to carry out the contract killing. The troubled son had spent almost three years in a boarding school and was resentful that his wealthy parents sent him away, prosecutors said.

Was John Sutton blind?

John Sutton may have been left without sight from an attempt on his life by a hit man, but he told a Miami-Dade jury he wasn't blind to his son's rage leading up to the attack.

What was Christopher Sutton accused of?

Three months after he was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder, Christopher Sutton is speaking out from behind bars. "I was shocked," he told Dateline of the verdict, "to know you didn't do something and to have people feel you did.". Sutton was accused of hiring drug addict Garrett Kopp to kill his parents after they sent him ...

How many times did Kopp shoot Susan Sutton?

In 2004, Kopp shot Susan Sutton six times and John in the face. Susan died, and John survived but is now blind. "The only people who know what really happened are Christopher and Garrett," Sutton said about that night... It's hard to know I'm going to jail for something I didn't do.

About John

John R. Sutton, a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, has practiced law in the Miami area since 1972. Mr. Sutton is among the fewer than 7% of Florida attorneys who are Board Certified. This means Mr. Sutton has taken and passed additional exams, submitted his cases for review and received positive references from both judges and other attorneys.

Great attorney with great service!

Mr. Sutton was always available whenever I needed him. A fantastic attorney who always put in a tremendous amount of work on my case. I highly recommend him!

Best Litigator in Miami (contract law, family law, business law)

John R Sutton has been my attorney for the last 6 years. I do not add my name as my case is still active in the Courts. When I reach final disposition, I will sign this recommendation with full disclosure. This firm has handled issues for me that include Family Law, Employment Law and Civil Litigation.

Who was John Sutton?

John Sutton was a successful trial lawyer. The family lived in an affluent neighborhood near Miami; the children did not lack for love or material comforts. Christopher, however, was trouble from an early age. He got into fights even as early as preschool and committed acts of vandalism. As a teenager, he dealt drugs.

What happened to Christopher in Paradise Cove?

When Christopher turned 18, he was entitled to be released from Paradise Cove. However John Sutton obtained a court order--something he knew how to do because he was an attorney--to keep Christopher in Samoa until he completed the program. Christopher returned to Florida on his 19thbirthday.

How many times did John Sutton shoot Susan Sutton?

Dressed in all black with a Glock 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, the man shot John, then turned to Susan and shot her six times. But he was not done. The gunman turned back to the master bedroom and emptied the gun into John. Susan Sutton was assassinated in her bed. John Sutton, shot twice in the head, shockingly survived.

Why did Susan Sutton sleep in the second room?

home. Susan often slept in the second room because her husband John snored.

What did Montoto say to Cordero?

And then Montoto said something surprising. He told Cordero that he was a marksman and he'd been shooting a gun earlier that day. "He was a competitive shooter. That's something that he did as a hobby," Cordero said. "That raised our eyebrows.". Detective Cordero immediately sent Montoto's gun in for testing.

What does Melissa Sutton describe her mother as?

Melissa describes her mother as "intelligent" and "confident.". "The kind of person who's in their 40s, but wants to take violin classes, calculus classes, because she just wants to be better," she said. And more than anything, Susan Sutton wanted to be a great mother.

Who sent Montoto's gun in for testing?

Detective Cordero immediately sent Montoto's gun in for testing. And she pushed him for more information about his late night phone call with Susan. "He was not forthcoming with me," said Cordero. She suspected Montoto was hiding something. "He's asked to submit to a polygraph, which he does and he fails.

Did Susan Sutton adopt Melissa?

Almost seven years later, the couple adopted Melissa. "She loved those children," Marier said of Susan. "And she loved them unconditionally.". Those children were now planning their mother's funeral as police scoured the crime scene. Susan Sutton's jewelry and John Sutton's wallet were left untouched on a dresser.

Was John Sutton blind?

She knew him, but he had a harder time recognizing her. When John Sutton woke up in intensive care, he was blind. "The magnitude of my injury, the facial pain and the loss of the eyesight was just so huge," he told Roberts.