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Jury Center :: Capital Case Data Project ::
Sentenced to death in Houston County, Alabama By: A judge, after a unanimous recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: May 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Sale was convicted of the murder of his wife, Lynn Sale. Sale kept his wife bound and tortured her for a month while she suffered from gangrene as a result of her legs being tied together. He finally admitted her to the hospital where she died 15 days later. At the time of the captivity, Sale was on probation for the second-degree assault of his wife and was ordered to have no contact with her. Defense argued that Sale did not mean to kill his wife, since he gave her food, water, and medicine while he held her captive. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning verdict.
Prosecutor(s): Doug Valeska Sources: Dothan Eagle 12/10/05, 3/15/06, 5/3/06 Sentenced to death in Madison County, Alabama By: A judge, after an 11-1 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: Jan. 2, 1999 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Sharp was convicted of the rape and murder of Tracy Lynn Morris. Morris was stabbed 37 times by a screwdriver and beaten to death in her bedroom. Semen on her thigh and on the carpet identified Jason Sharp. The defense said that evidence of sexual intercourse did not prove that Sharp raped and murdered the victim. Defense also presented mitigating evidence included that Sharp was abandoned as an infant, was abused by his mother’s boyfriends, and having little criminal history. A mitigation specialist also provided testimony of how Sharp was dropped on his head at eight months old, and the resulting skull fracture caused emotional development.
Prosecutor(s): Robert Broussard, Randy Dill Sources: Huntsville Times 8/30/06, 9/14/06, 9/15/06 Phillip Bocharski – white, age 33 (re-sentencing after an appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Yavapai County, Arizona By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: May 1995 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Bocharski stabbed to death 84-year-old Freeda Brown in her trailer, which was next to his campground. Bocharski then told a friend that he had killed an old lady for the few hundred dollars she had. He also said that she had arthritis and wanted to put her out of her misery. The only mitigating factor defense presented was the abusive and traumatic childhood Bocharski endured.
Prosecutor(s): Arthur Markham Sources: www.azcentral.com, www.azcorrections.gov, 22 P.3d 43 Lee Samuel Capers – Latino, age 23 Sentenced to death in San Bernardino County, California By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: Nov. 10, 1998 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Nathanial and Consuelo Young were murdered while Capers robbed their convenience store. Nathaniel was shot numerous times in the head, and Consuelo was raped and beaten to death. Capers then set their bodies on fire. . Capers was serving 23 years in jail for gang crimes at the time of the arrest for the murders. Prosecution presented testimony that Capers had brought a handmade knife to the trial in order to stab a witness. Letters written by Capers to the district attorney were read, in which Capers asked for the death penalty. No mitigating evidence was presented. The jury deliberated for less than one hour before recommending death.
Prosecutor(s): Steve Sinfield Sources: Daily Press 5/18/06, 6/17/06, 6/30/06, 9/23/06 Janeen Marie Snyder – white, age 21 Sentenced to death in Riverside County, California By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: April 2001 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Along with Michael Thornton, Snyder was convicted of kidnapping, torturing, sexually abusing and killing 16-year-old Michelle Curran. Two other teenage girls testified at the trial of how Thornton and Snyder kidnapped them and raped them. Snyder also confessed to killing a 14-year-old girl who had been missing for over five years. Snyder was a friend of Thornton’s daughter and moved in with him after having problems with her own family. Snyder argued she was dominated by Thornton and feared for her life if she did not follow his plans. Defense also presented evidence that Thorton had a sexual relationship with Snyder since age 13 and had a history of child abuse.
Prosecutor(s): Michael Rushton Sources: Inland News 6/15/06; The Press Enterprise 7/8/01; The Review Journal 11/5/01; The Daily Breeze 7/14/06; The Associated Press 9/8/06 Michael Forrest Thornton – white, age 45 Sentenced to death in Riverside County, California By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: April 2001 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Along with Michael Thornton, Snyder was convicted of kidnapping, torturing, sexually abusing and killing 16-year-old Michelle Curran. Two other teenage girls testified at the trial of how Snyder lured them to a hotel and Thornton raped them. Snyder also confessed to killing a 14-year-old girl who had been missing for over five years. Snyder was a friend of Thornton’s daughter and moved in with him after having problems with her own family. Thornton’s former wife testified to overhearing him discuss how he had killed a young girl and dismembered her body before throwing it in the ocean.
Prosecutor(s): Michael Rushton Sources: Inland News 6/15/06; The Press Enterprise 7/8/01; The Review Journal 11/5/01; The Daily Breeze 7/14/06; The Associated Press 9/8/06 Sentenced to death in Kent County, Delaware By: A judge, after a unanimous recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: November 7, 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Sykes was convicted of the rape and murder of retired teacher Virginia Trimnell. He then placed her bound and gagged body in a suitcase in the trunk of her car, and drove her car around for a few days before police pulled him over. Sykes escaped, and eluded police for more than 3 weeks before he was captured. Defense argued that there was no forced entry into the Trimnell apartment, nor did she have defensive wounds, thus suggesting that Sykes had a relationship with her. In the penalty phase, defense presented evidence that Sykes did not have a violent criminal history.
Prosecutor(s): R. David Favata, Stephen Welch Sources: Dover Post 12/1/04, 6/14/06; Delaware State News 11/5/05, 6/30/06 Sentenced to death in Duval County, Florida By: A judge, after a 9-3 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: August 2003 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Davis was convicted of fatally stabbing Alice Albin and her 16-year-old daughter, Loretta, in their home. Davis used three kitchen knives in the killings. Davis had been dating another of Albin’s daughters, who had just left him to reconcile with her husband. Davis confessed to the crimes, but claimed he was insane at the time of the killings and was ordered to kill the women by a demon.
Prosecutor(s): Bernie de la Rionda Sources: The Florida Times-Union 5/11/06, 5/14/06, 8/16/06 Sentenced to death in Volusia County, Florida By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: August 6, 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Hunter, along with three other men, burst into a home and beat six people to death with baseball bats. The men had been illegally staying at the one of the victim’s vacant house before being kicked out. They came that night to get back personal belongings that had been removed from the vacant home, including an Xbox. Two of the men took pleas and received lesser sentences, while Troy Victorino received the death penalty. Defense argued that Hunter was intimidated by Victorino and feared for his life if he did not go along with the crime, and that Victorino committed all six murders.
Prosecutor(s): John Tanner Sources: St. Augustine Record 7/25/06; Orlando Sentinel 8/12/04, 9/1/06, 9/22/06, 1/3/07 Sentenced to death in Charlotte County, Florida By: A judge, after a 9-3 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: June 11, 2003 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Smith killed correctional officer Darla Lathrem while attempting to escape from jail. Lathrem was the only officer supervising five inmates during a construction job. She was hit with a sledge hammer so the inmates could get her keys. Defense argued that Smith did not have Lathrem’s DNA on his clothing, thus he was not the one who killed her. The state said that Smith was the mastermind of the attack. During the penalty phase, Smith took the stand and agreed that he should die for his crimes. His sisters testified that he was a victim of child abuse and incest. A mental health expert testified that Smith suffered from a below normal IQ
Prosecutor(s): Steve Russell Sources: Sarasota Herald Tribune 7/2/06, 7/28/06, 10/20/06 Troy Victorino– Latino, age 27 Sentenced to death in Volusia County, Florida By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: August 6, 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Victorino, along with three other men, burst into a home and beat six people to death with baseball bats. The men had been illegally staying at one the victim’s vacant house before being kicked out. They came that night to get back personal belongings, including an Xbox that had been removed from the vacant home. Victorino had also threatened one of the victims a few days before the murders. Two of the men took pleas and received lesser sentences, while Jerone Hunter received the death penalty. Victorino was much other than the other three men, and was thought to have recruited the young men to help. Defense argued that Victorino was in a bar at the time of the crime. At the penalty phase, defense argued Victorino suffered from a brain defect and that he was abused and hospitalized since he was very young. At the time of the crime, Victorino was on probation for nearly beating a man to death with a stick.
Prosecutor(s): Leah Case Sources: St. Augustine Record 7/25/06; Orlando Sentinel 8/12/04, 9/1/06, 9/22/06, 1/3/07 Sentenced to death in Cook County, Illinois By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: 2001 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Banks killed Rose Newburn in front of her two children during a carjacking at a mall. Banks attempted to attack the judge by charging the bench on the first day of trial. The jury had yet to enter the room, so a mistrial was not allowed. Defense said that Banks was abused as a child and forced to live on his own by age 16. Prosecution presented evidence of his long criminal history, including rape, robbery and murder. The jury took two hours to decide on the death penalty.
Prosecutor(s): Michael Hood Sources: Chicago Tribune 5/13/06, 5/16/06, 5/26/06 Sidney John Gleason – black, age 25 Sentenced to death in Barton County, Kansas By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: Feb. 21, 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Gleason was convicted of killing Miki Martinez and her boyfriend Darren Wornkey because he feared Martinez would tell police about a previous crime. The couple’s five year old daughter witnessed her father’s murder. Martinez had witnessed Gleason stab and rob a 76-year-old man a few days prior to her murder. Gleason’s cousin confessed to the killing of Martinez, but took a plea for a life sentence.
Prosecutor(s): Steve Maxwell, Kevin Graham, Doug Matthews Sources: Wichita Eagle 8/29/06 Sentenced to death in Warren County, Kentucky By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: Jan. 12, 2001 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Sherry Bland was beaten and stabbed to death in her apartment over a color television. Brown was convicted of her murder in 2003, and received a life sentence without parole for at least 25 years. He was also found guilty of robbery and burglary. On appeal after the Kentucky Supreme Court threw out the conviction, the case was moved from Adair to Warren County, and the jury returned a guilty verdict, with a recommendation of death
Prosecutor(s): unknown Sources: ABC 13 WBKO 5/9/06; Associated Press 5/13/06; www.corrections.ky.gov/inmateinfo/deathrow.htm Gerald Bordelon – white, age 40 Sentenced to death in Livingston Parish, Louisiana By: A judge, after a unanimous recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: November 2002 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Bordelon was convicted of killing his 12-year-old stepdaughter, Courtney LeBlanc. Bordelon had kidnapped her from her home, and sexually abused her before strangling her to death. LeBlanc had accused her stepfather of molestation in 2001, but this case did not make it past the grand jury. Bordelon admitted to killing LeBlanc and led authorities to her body. During trial, defense argued that LeBlanc’s mother was responsible for the killing, saying she was aware of the molestation, but did not want her husband to go back to jail. Bordelon escaped from prison in 2003 while awaiting trial. During the penalty phase, prior victims of Bordelon testified to the brutal sex crimes he was previously convicted of. Bordelon instructed his attorneys to not offer any defense or cross-examine witnesses during the penalty phase.
Prosecutor(s): Charlotte Herbert Sources: Baton Rouge Advocate 7/1/06; Associated Press 8/18/06 Walter Barton– white, age 35 (re-sentencing after an appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Cass County, Missouri By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: October 1991 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Barton was convicted of fatally stabbing 81-year-old Gladys Kuehler in her trailer after going to her home to ask to borrow $20. Kuehler was stabbed 52 times and sexually assaulted. This is the fifth time Barton has been tried for the murder. Two mistrials were declared, while the other three trials resulted in death sentences. During the penalty phase, the state presented evidence of Barton criminal history which involved many violent crimes against women.
Prosecutor(s): Ron Cleek Sources: State v. Missouri, 998 S.W.2d 19 (Aug. 3, 1999); Associated Press 7/7/06; 7/7/06 Paul Browning– black, age 29 (re-sentencing after an appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Clark County, Nevada By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: November 8, 1985 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Browning stabbed to death jewelry owner Hugo Elsen during a robbery of the store. Before Elsen died, he was able to give a description of his attacker. A friend of Browning’s also testified that she saw Browning with a bunch of new jewelry and he confessed to killing someone to get it. At the penalty hearing, the state presented Browning’s prior violent criminal history. Browning’s mother testified that he was a good student, had taken paralegal classes, but drugs had forced him to turn to crime.
Prosecutor(s):
Marc DiGiacomo Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal 4/18/06 Miguel Padilla– Latino, age 25 Sentenced to death in Blair County, Pennsylvania By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: August 28, 2005 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Padilla, a Mexican citizen, was convicted of killing three people outside of a social club after his friend was not allowed in. Defense presented testimony of childhood abuse at the hands of Padilla’s father during the penalty phase. A mental health expert also testified that Padilla suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder because of sexual abuse, and the shootings were a result of alcohol and drug abuse.
Prosecutor(s): Rich Consiglio Sources: Intelligencer 9/15/06; Associated Press 11/30/06, 3/15/07; Pittsburgh Tribune Review 3/16/07 Stephen Stantko– white, age 36 Sentenced to death in Georgetown County, South Carolina By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: April 8, 2005 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Stantko killed Laura Ling, his live-in girlfriend, by slitting her throat. He then sexually assaulted a teenage girl in his home. Stantko was on probation at the time of the murder for a previous attack on a woman. Defense argued that Stantko had brain injuries, therefore did not possess the ability to tell right from wrong. Brain scans were even introduced into evidence to prove the brain damage. Stankto is also awaiting trial for the murder of Henry Turner, whose body was found the day after Ling was killed.
Prosecutor(s): Greg Hembree, Fran Humphries Sources: Myrtle Beach Sun News 8/19/06, 8/27/06, 10/5/06; Augusta Choronicle 8/22/06 David Lynn Jordan– white, age 40 Sentenced to death in Madison County, Tennessee By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: Jan. 11, 2005 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Jordan was given the death penalty for the murder of his estranged wife, Donna Renee Jordan, and two co-workers. Jordan went to his wife’s work and opened fire on the office. Two other workers were injured. Testimony was presented that Jordan purposely killed his wife on her father’s birthday. Jordan’s teenage daughter begged for her father’s life during the penalty phase.
Prosecutor(s): Jerry Woodall Sources: Associated Press 9/25/06, 9/28/06; Memphis Commercial Appeal 9/26/06 James Bigsby– white, age 36 (re-sentencing after an appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Tarrant County, Texas By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: December 24, 1987 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Bigsby was originally convicted and given the death penalty for the murder of family friend Mike Trekell and Trekell’s infant son Jayson. The sentence was overturned because the jurors were not allowed to consider Bigsby’s paranoid schizophrenia as a mitigating factor. He had been admitted to a mental institution on three occasions prior to the killings. Bigsby thought that Trekell was in on a conspiracy to prevent him from collecting worker’s compensation. Bigsby was also accused of killing two other friends on the same day of the Trekell murders.
Prosecutor(s): Alan Levy Sources: Fort Worth Star-Telegram 9/6/06, 9/7/06, 9/8/06, 9/15/06, 9/20/06 Joe Franco Garza, Jr.– Latino, age 25 (re-sentencing after an appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Lubbock County, Texas By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: December 31, 1998 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Garza was originally convicted and given the death penalty for the murder of 71-year-old preacher Silbiano Rangel. Garza then robbed Rangel and stole his truck. The sentence was overturned because evidence about Garza’s troubled past was not allowed in. Prosecutors presented evidence of Garza’s violent behavior while in prison, trying to prove he was still a danger to others.
Prosecutor(s): Jennifer Basett Sources: www.kcbd.com 4/18/06, 4/24/06; Daily Toreador 4/27/06 Ramiro Gonzales– Latino, age 18 Sentenced to death in Medina County, Texas By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: January 15, 2001 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Gonzales confessed to the murder of Bridget Townsend two years after she vanished. Townsend was the girlfriend of Gonzales’ cocaine dealer. Gonzales went to burglarize the home, only to discover Townsend home. He then raped her before shooting her in the head. Gonzales admitted to the murder while in prison for another rape, because he did not want to be transferred to another prison. Defense presented evidence showing that Gonzalez was abandoned by his mother at birth and was sexually abused as a child.
Prosecutor(s): Laura Baymouth Popps Sources: San Antonio Express-News 10/10/02, 10/19/02, 10/3/03, 6/3/04, 12/26/05, 6/26/06, 8/22/06, 8/30/06, 9/6/06 Sentenced to death in Rockingham County, Virginia By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: July 22, 2001 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Teleguz, who had ties to the Russian mafia, ordered a hit on his former girlfriend, Stephanie Sipe, because he did not want to pay child support. Sipes and Teleguz’s two-year-old son was in the house during the murder and alone with his mother’s body for over 36 hours before being discovered. The actual killer took a plea of life in prison and testified against Teleguz.
Prosecutor(s): Marsha Garst Sources: Daily-News Record 2/8/06, 2/10/06 Robert Bolden, Sr.–black, age 38 Sentenced to death in Federal, Missouri By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: October 7, 2002 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Bolden was convicted of killing a bank guard during an attempted robbery. Two other men were involved in the robbery, but testified that Bolden was the mastermind behind the plan and actually pulled the trigger that killed Nathan Ley. Defense argued the two accomplices lied to get deals for lesser sentences.
Prosecutor(s): Steve Holtshouser, Michael Reilly Sources: St. Louis Post Dispatch 5/11/06, 8/26/06; Belleville News Democrat 6/13/06; US Federal News 8/25/06 |
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