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Jury Center :: Capital Case Data Project ::
Kenneth Eugene Billips – black, age 28 Sentenced to death in Jefferson County, Alabama By: A judge, after a unanimous recommendation of death by a jury for first case, then by judge after 7-5 jury vote for life without parole Date of crime: December 16, 2003 and December 13, 2003 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Billips led three other men to kidnap Osman Valladares and Pablo Stuart and forced Valladares to set up a marijuana deal. After Rafael Salcedo (age 15), Enrique Marquez (age 16), Wilbur Gomez (age 20), and Manuel Perez Nunez (age 25) arrived with the drugs, the victims were all shot in the back of the head. Valladares and Stuart testified to the killings. Prosecutor said 11 of the 12 shots came from Billips’ gun, and also presented taped recordings of Billips making calls from jail trying to set up alibi witnesses. Defense said that Stuart was the real killer. Billips received 13 death sentences from this crime. Prosecutor(s): Jim Neill, Carol Harper Billips was also found guilty in the murder of Stevon Lockett, who was shot six times in the back of the head only three days before committing a quadruple murder. As with the previous crime, Lockett arrived at Billips apartment to sell him drugs, then was killed and robbed. Billips used the alibi of being at his mother’s house celebrating his birthday in both cases. The defense said that Charles Cooper, who testified that he saw Billips mopping up blood in his kitchen, was the actual killer. Traces of Lockett’s blood and the murder weapon were found in Billips’ apartment. Prosecutor(s): Carol Harper Sources: Birmingham News 11/12/05, 11/15/05, 11/16/05, 11/17/05, 1/20/06, 4/25/06, 4/26/06, 4/27/06, 6/15/06
Christopher Floyd – white, age 20 Sentenced to death in Houston County, Alabama By: A judge, after an 11-1 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: Feb. 1992 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Floyd was convicted of killing convenience store worker Archie Waylon Crawford. Crawford’s widow testified that she was supposed to be working at the time of the crime, but fell ill, so her husband relieved her for the last few hours of her shift. The murder took place while Floyd was robbing the store of $400 in the cash register. Crawford was shot with a single shotgun that severed his jugular vein and carotid artery. Photos showing the large pool of blood emitted from the body were submitted into evidence. Floyd confessed to the murder in 2004 while serving a life sentence for property crimes. The defense said the confession was coerced, because Floyd was threatened by the real killer. Prosecutor(s): Doug Valeska Sources: WTVY News 11/15/05, 3/14/06; Dothan Eagle 11/16/05; Associated Press 1/14/06
William Marshall – white, age 39 Sentenced to death in Jefferson County, Alabama By: A judge, after an 11-1 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: December 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Marshall killed his 15 year-old stepdaughter, whom he had been molesting, after she refused to accept responsibility for his failing marriage. Recent physical injuries suggested rape, but no DNA evidence was found on Alicia Nicole Bentley. Bentley’s mother had left Marshall two weeks prior to the crime. Two previous girlfriends testified at trial of being kidnapped and sexually abused by Marshall after they had split from him. Prosecutor(s): Patricia Stephens, Brandon Falls Sources: Birmingham News 1/13/06, 2/24/06
Christopher Allen Hargrave – white, age 20 Sentenced to death in Maricopa County, Arizona By: A jury Date of crime: May 2002 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Hargrave had been fired from his job at Jack in the Box a few days prior to crime. He wore his uniform to the restaurant and received admittance because he stated he was called into work. He, along with accomplice Steven Boggs Jr., shot and killed the three employees after locking them in the freezer. Prosecutors introduced evidence that Hargrave and Boggs had founded a white supremacist militia group. All three victims were minorities. Hargrave admitted to robbery, but said Boggs committed the murders. Boggs received the death penalty for the murders in 2005. Prosecutor(s): Robert Shutts Sources: Arizona Daily Star 2/7/05; Arizona Republic 4/6/05, 2/22/06
Joe Henry Abbott – black, age 29 Sentenced to death in San Bernardino County, California By: A jury Date of crime: October 2000 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Abbott murdered bank security guard Samuel Saenz as Saenz was wheeling a sack of money through the bank lobby. Abbott fired two nonfatal shots that knocked Saenz down, then walked over and fired a fatal shot to the head. He escaped with $225,000 that has never been recovered. A make-up artist testified at trial that he was paid by Abbott to disguise him as an elderly white man. The getaway driver, Edward White, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Accomplices Lenard Wilkes, Frewoini Berhane, and Brenda Maza took a plea deal and testified against Abbott. Defense claimed that White was the actual killer because Abbott transferred the disguise makeup to him after being trained by the artist on how to do it. At sentencing, defense argued he suffered from mental disorders Prosecutor(s): Michael Dowd Sources: San Gabriel Valley Tribune 9/14/05; Inland Valley Daily Bulletin 9/14/05, 9/15/05, 11/1/05; Associated Press 9/16/05, 2/17/06
Adrian George Camacho – Latino, age 28 Sentenced to death in North County, California By: A jury Date of crime: June 2003 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Camacho killed rookie police office Tony Zeppetella during a routine traffic stop. Camacho had a loaded gun and drugs in the car and feared he would be deported for the third time if discovered. Zeppetella was wearing a bullet-proof vest, but Camacho shot him 13 times, including one shot with the officer’s own gun. Afterwards, Camacho fled in the officer’s car and ran to the home of his mother-in-law, where he slit his wrists. Defense tried to show that the suicide attempt was Camacho showing how remorseful he was, thus his life should be spared. Defense also said Camacho was mentally ill from years of heroin use and was not aware of his actions. Prosecutor(s): David Rubin Sources: San Diego Union-Tribune 11/30/05, 12/1/05, 2/4/06, 2/8/06; Monterey County Herald 2/8/06
Sentenced to death in San Joaquin County, California By: A jury Date of crime: October 2003 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Alfonso Martinez and Debra Pizano were on a first date and walking in a park when they were robbed and shot by Hin and Rattanak Kak. Pizano survived a graze wound to her head. Kak received life in prison without chance for parole, since he was only 16 at the time of the murder. Hin was also convicted for two other gang shootings during a two-month period surrounding this crime. The defense claimed that Hin was present for robbery, but denied committing the murder. The defense also focused on the fact that Pizano initially told police that she and Martinez were robbed by two black men. Prosecutor(s): Ron Freitas Sources: The Record 9/28/05, 12/25/05, 1/10/06, 3/21/06
Joshua Martin Miracle – white, age 24 Sentenced to death in Santa Barbara County, California By: A jury Date of crime: October 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Miracle killed opposing gang member Elias Silva by stabbing him 48 times. He pled guilty to murder and to the enhancements that made him eligible for the death penalty. He represented himself and refused to present any mitigating circumstances or give a closing argument. He commented that he did not give his victim the chance to present any mitigating evidence, so he did not feel he should be given the right. Prosecution showed jury a videotape of Miracle fighting with correction officers and presented evidence in which Miracle states he will continue fighting officers until he kills them all or they kill him. Prosecutor(s): Josh Lyon Sources: Associated Press 8/3/05, 1/25/06; Santa Barbara Independent 12/15/05, 12/22/05
Michael Manley– black, age 20 (re-sentencing after an appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Delaware By: A judge, after an 11-1 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: November 1995 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Manley and David Stevenson (see below) were originally convicted in 1996 for the murder of security officer Kristopher Heath in front of his apartment. The motive was to prevent Heath from testifying in a theft case. Manley was found to be the shooter, and Stevenson was the instigator. The defense argued that a gang member was the actual shooter. The Delaware Supreme Court threw out the sentence in 2001 because the judge that presided over Stevenson’s theft case asked to be assigned to the murder case, which created an appearance of unfairness. Prosecutor(s): Stuart E. Sklut, Mark H. Conner Sources: The News Journal 12/6/05, 12/7/05
Sentenced to death in Delaware By: A judge after a 10-2 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: November 1995 Prosecution’s case/defense response: See Michael Manley, above Prosecutor(s): Stuart E. Sklut, Mark H. Conner Sources: The News Journal 12/6/05, 12/7/05
Sentenced to death in Charlotte County, Florida By: A judge, after an 8-4 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: June 2003 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Eaglin, along with fellow inmates Michael Jones and Stephen Smith, beat to death corrections officer Darla Lathram and inmate Charles Fuston when he tried to intervene during an attempt to break out of prison. Eaglin was serving a life sentence for a 1999 murder in which he cut a man’s throat to the point of severing his spinal cord. The jury deliberated for 19 minutes before advising the judge for the death penalty. Defense said that the prison system should take some of the blame for the crime, considering that Lathram was supervising a working group of five men and she had no weapon. Jones and Smith’s murder trials are scheduled for later this year. Prosecutor(s): Steve Russell Sources: Sarasota Herald Tribune 2/25/06, 2/28/06, 3/11/06, 4/1/06; St. Petersburg Times 3/1/06; Bradenton Herald 4/2/06
Sentenced to death in Pensacola, Florida By: A judge, after a 10-2 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: February 2003 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Green claimed he killed retired police officer James Hallman because he thought the “A” on Hallman’s University of Alabama ball cap meant that he was the Antichrist. Green pleaded insanity and had a long history of mental illness. Prosecutors claimed that Hallman witnessed Green shoot a bull, so he killed him to cover up that crime. Green said he shot the bull because it was talking to him. The trial was delayed for over a year when Green was declared mentally incompetent. After treatment, Green was then found competent. Prosecutor(s): David Rimmer Sources: Associated Press 10/22/05, 1/12/06; Mobile Register 1/13/06; Miami Herald 1/13/06
Russell Hudson – white, age 32 Sentenced to death in Broward County, Florida By: A judge, after a 7-5 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: October 2001 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Hudson killed Lance Peller by shooting him in the head after holding him hostage in his own apartment for hours and allowing him to call his parents to say goodbye. Hudson then kidnapped Peller’s girlfriend, Jennifer Fizzuoglio, and held her hostage until she managed to escape. Fizzuoglio testified to witnessing the murder at trial. Defense claimed that Hudson was forced to commit the murder or he would be killed by an unidentified source. Hudson had been convicted of second-degree murder, but only served 12 of a 25-year sentence. He had been out of prison for two years. Defense begged for leniency stating that Hudson’s mother left him when he was six, and he had been the victim of a child-prostitution ring in his teens. Prosecutor(s): Peter Holden Sources: Sun-Sentinel 11/2/01, 4/27/04, 6/25/04, 6/26/04; Palm Beach Post 11/3/01
Jermaine LeBron – black, age 19 (re-sentencing after an appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Osceola County, Florida By: A judge, after a 7-5 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: 1995 Prosecution’s case/defense response: LeBron was originally convicted in 1998 for the robbery and murder of Larry Neal Oliver Jr. His motive was to steal the custom pickup truck that Oliver owned. In 2001, the Florida Supreme Court vacated LeBron’s first death sentence and demanded a new penalty hearing on the grounds that the trial judge overruled the jury’s verdict that LeBron did not fire the fatal shot but was still guilty of felony murder. The following year, the jury recommended death sentence. But in 2005, the Florida Supreme Court rule that the judge erred by allowing the jury to hear evidence regarding a previous robbery conviction, and again demanded a new penalty hearing. A new hearing started in May 2005 but resulted in a mistrial because a sheriff called LeBron the shooter during testimony. The final penalty hearing was in December 2005. Prosecutor(s): Jeffrey Ashton Sources: Orlando Sentinel 1/14/05, 1/20/05, 12/25/05; Associated Press 12/27/05; Osceola News Gazette 12/28/05, 12/29/05
Sentenced to death in Brevard County, Florida By: A judge, after a 7-5 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: June 2002 Prosecution’s case/defense response: In April 2002, Nowell and Jermaine Bellamy were injured in a shooting. They went to the home of Kelvis Smith, a known drug dealer, to retaliate. Smith was shot twice in the head, but survived. Smith’s girlfriend, Michelle Gill was shot six times and was fatally wounded. She was seven months pregnant. In May of 2006, a jury recommended the death penalty for Jermaine Bellamy. Prosecutor(s): Rob Parker Sources: Florida Today 7/28/02, 9/29/05, 10/17/05, 10/23/05, 5/26/06
Charles Peterson – black, age 37 Sentenced to death in Pinellas County, Florida By: A judge, after an 8-4 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: December 24, 1997 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Peterson was convicted of killing convenience store worker Robert Cardoso during a robbery of the store. He was not charged until four years after the crime because he left no evidence at the crime scene. A break came in the case when he robbed another convenience store, as well as raping two workers in the process, and using the same language and method as before. He was serving multiple life sentences for that crime when sentenced to death. Defense presented evidence that Peterson had the mental capacity of a 14- to 16-year old. Prosecutor(s): Doug Crow, Glenn Martin Sources: St. Petersburg Times 1/20/01; Tampa Tribune 6/22/05, 7/27/05, 7/28/05, 7/30/05, 1/7/06
Sentenced to death in Sarasota County, Florida By: A judge, after a 10-2 recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: February 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Smith was convicted of abducting, raping and killing 11 year-old Carlie Brucia. Smith was seen on a car-wash security videotape luring Brucia away. Smith claimed that he was a drug addict that could not control his impulses, under severe emotional distress, and did not remember much of the day the crime took place. Prosecutor(s): Debra Riva Sources: Herald Tribune 12/2/05; Miami Herald 3/16/06; Houston Chronicle 3/16/06; Charleston Gazette 3/16/06; Associated Press 3/16/06
Sentenced to death in Brevard County, Florida By: A judge, after a unanimous recommendation of death by a jury Date of crime: December 2000 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Welch lived next door to his victims, Rufus and Kyoko Johnson while growing up. On the date of the murders, he arrived at their house and said he had been ordered to kill them by an unidentified person unless they gave him $5000. When the Johnsons refused, he pulled a displayed samurai sword off of their wall and killed them. Welch says he was high on cocaine and ecstasy and does not remember the murders. Welch had pled guilty to the murders. Prosecutor(s): Rob Parker Sources: Associated Press 3/8/06; Orlando Sentinel 3/9/06
Timothy Dunlap – white, age unknown (re-sentencing after an appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Caribou County, Idaho By: A jury Date of crime: October 1991 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Dunlap was convicted of the murder of Tanya Crane, a bank teller he shot at close range while robbing the bank where she worked. Ten days prior to the robbery and murder, he killed his girlfriend, Belinda Bolanos, in Ohio, for which he also received a death sentence. Dunlap was granted a new sentencing hearing because the Idaho Supreme Court found procedural mistakes were made after his guilty plea was entered. Prosecutor(s): S. Criss James Sources: Spokesman Review 12/1/04, State of Idaho Office of Attorney General Press Release 2/23/06
Henry Anderson – black, age 37 Sentenced to death in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana By: A jury Date of crime: September 2000 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Anderson was convicted of stabbing to death Nita Brinson, 85. Brinson had hired Anderson to do some yard work. It was Anderson’s fifth felony conviction. The defense claimed that Anderson was mentally retarded, thus could not be legally sentenced to death. Prosecutor(s): Mike Ruddick Sources: Associated Press 4/29/05, 6/16/05, 6/17/05; Baton Rouge Advocate 6/18/05
Sentenced to death in Caddo Parish, Louisiana By: A jury Date of crime: January 2003 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Holmes and boyfriend Robert Coleman shot and stabbed retired minister Julian Brandon after he answered a knock on his front door. His wife Alice Brandon survived a gunshot wound. Defense provided testimony that Brandy suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome and an antisocial disorder. Her own mother testified at the sentencing that she drank the entire time she was pregnant and Brandy suffered from mental disorders as a result. Coleman was convicted of the murder and also sentenced to death. The gun used in this slaying was also used to kill Terrance Blaze. Holmes has been indicted for his murder. Prosecutor(s): Lea Hall Sources: Associated Press 2/15/06, 2/17/06; The Shreveport Times 2/17/06
Shedran Williams – black, age 33 Sentenced to death in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana By: A jury Date of crime: May 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Williams was trying to rob a store of less than $20 when two security guards and a customer tried to stop him. Williams gained control of a gun from a guard and made his way to the exit. Instead of leaving, he shot Garrett Douget and Stanford Wilson, who survived, but fatally wounded Vickie Wax, a police lieutenant who was working security detail. Williams testified that he did get in a fight when he was leaving the store, but denied the shootings. At sentencing, defense provided testimony that Williams was mentally retarded. Williams had just been released from a 5 year sentence just 28 days before the murder. Prosecutor(s): Brent Stockstill Sources: Baton Rouge Advocate 3/24/06, 5/26/06; Associated Press 5/26/06
Sentenced to death in Hinds County, Mississippi By: A jury Date of crime: 1994 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Moffett raped and killed five year-old Felicia Griffin. He was dating Griffin’s mother at the time. Moffett was initially charged with the murder, but was released when no forensic evidence was found. The case was reopened in 2002 because of advancements in DNA evidence. Moffett said that he returned home to find Griffin bleeding in the master bedroom. He claimed that she was killed by an intruder. Prosecutor(s): Rebecca Mansell Sources: Associated Press 2/26/06, 2/27/06
Terry Pitchford – black, age 18 Sentenced to death in Grenada County, Mississippi By: A jury Date of crime: November 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Grocery store owner Ruben Britt was shot numerous times inside his store. One of the murder weapons was Britt’s own gun that he kept at the store for protection. Eric Bullins, Demarcus Westmoreland, and Quincy Bullins were also involved in the crime. Britt’s gun was found in Pitchford’s car at the time he was arrested. Defense response was Pitchford did not commit crime. Prosecutor(s): Clyde Hill Sources: Associated Press 12/9/04; Prosecutor Clyde Hill
Jeremy Murrell – black, age 23 Sentenced to death in Winston-Salem, North Carolina By: A jury Date of crime: August 2003 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Lawrence Harding was kidnapped from the restaurant where he worked, robbed of $100, and shot twice. His body was found in the trunk of his car eight days later in Virginia. Murell was turned in by three of his Winston-Salem State University classmates after he bragged about the crime. The defense focused on Murrell’s troublesome childhood with a schizophrenic mother and a mentally unstable father. Prosecutor(s): Jennifer Martin Sources: Associated Press 2/8/06, 2/18/06; Charlotte Observer 2/19/06
George John Hanson – white, age 34 (re-sentencing after an appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Tulsa County, Oklahoma By: A jury Date of crime: 1999 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Hanson was convicted in 2001 for the kidnapping and murder of Mary Bowles. Hanson claimed that accomplice Victor Miller was responsible for killing Bowles. Miller was also convicted, but is awaiting a retrial, of killing Jerald Thurman during the same crime. Oklahoma Court of Appeals overturned original sentence finding for an accumulation of error during the trial. Prosecutor(s): Bill Musseman Sources: Tulsa World 1/25/06, 3/5/06, 3/21/06; Associated Press 2/8/06
Anthony Castillo Sanchez – Latino, age 18 Sentenced to death in Cleveland County, Oklahoma By: A jury Date of crime: December 1996 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Sanchez was convicted of raping and killing college student Juli Busken. The case had been cold for years until a DNA profile from Busken’s clothing was matched to Sanchez in 2004 when he entered the prison profiling system after a burglary conviction. Sanchez proclaimed his innocence, and told the judge he wanted his attorneys fired numerous times because they were not presenting evidence he thought would help him. Sanchez was represented by attorney Joe Robertson at sentencing. At sentencing, defense introduced evidence of Sanchez’s mother being a drug addict and abandoning him at 18 months of age. Prosecutor(s): Richard Sitzman, Tim Kuykendall Sources: The Daily Oklahoman 2/17/06, 2/1806, 6/7/06; Associated Press 2/17/06, 6/7/06
Jeremy Williams – black, age 21 Sentenced to death in Tulsa County, Oklahoma By: A jury Date of crime: June 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Williams, along with Alvin Jordan and Chris Jordan, robbed a bank and shot three people. Teller Amber Rogers was fatally wounded, while the other two survived their injuries. During the trial, Williams contended that he had robbed the same bank with an empty gun just six weeks earlier, so there was no way he would go back to that location. Both Alvin and Chris Jordan are awaiting trial. Prosecutor(s): Bill Musseman, Tim Harris Sources: Associated Press 3/3/06; Tulsa World 3/4/06, 3/7/06, 3/21/06
Robert Langley Jr. – white, age 44 (re-trial after an appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Marion County, Oregon By: A jury Date of crime: 1998 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Langley was convicted and received death sentences for the murders of Anne Gray and Larry Rockenbrant. Rockenbrant’s body was buried underneath a garden on the grounds of the Oregon State Mental Hospital, where Langley was residing. Both convictions were overturned because the jury was not allowed to hear mitigating evidence during the Gray case, and evidence was presented on the Gray murder during the Rockenbrant murder trial. At the first retrial, Langley was given life in prison for the Rockenbrant murder and a death sentence for the Gray murder. The Oregon Supreme Court again overturned the death sentence conviction in 2000, ruling the judge should have allowed the jury to consider giving Langley life in prison without parole. Langley has fired the four different attorneys who were appointed to represent him and the court also fired his attorneys at another instance when they were accused of stalling. Langley refused to participate in the latest trial stating he was not granted attorneys to his liking. Langley is thought to have tortured and killed eight other people. Prosecutor(s): Matthew Kemmy Sources: Portland Oregonian 10/15/05, 11/1/05, 1/16/06; Associated Press 2/4/06
Sentenced to death in Bradford County, Pennsylvania By: A jury Date of crime: March 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Briggs shot and killed Sheriff’s deputies Michael VanKuren and Christopher Burget when they tried to serve bench warrants on Briggs at his father’s home. Burget was shot with his own gun. Brigg’s sister testified to the abuse he received as a child at the hands of his father. Prosecutor(s): Patrick J. Blessington Sources: US State News 2/9/06; Philadelphia Inquirer 2/9/06; Times Leader 2/10/06; Centre Daily Times 2/10/06; Associated Press 2/10/06, 3/16/06
Billy Brooks – black, age 32 (re-sentencing after appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania By: A jury Date of crime: 1990 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Brooks was originally convicted and given the death penalty for the murder of fellow inmate Eric Vaughn. Brooks had escaped from a jail in North Carolina where he was serving a life sentence when he was captured and incarcerated in Pennsylvania. He was granted a new trial by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court due to evidence showing that the attorney only had a 20 minute phone conversation with Brooks before the trial. Prosecutor(s): unknown Sources: Philadelphia Inquirer 1/1/04
Sentenced to death in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania By: A jury Date of crime: March 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Warrant Officer Joseph LeClaire, Jr. was killed during a shootout in Houser’s apartment. Two other officers survived their gunshot wounds. Houser fired 19 shots, having to stop at least once to reload. Houser claimed that the men didn’t identify themselves when they entered his apartment and fired in self-defense. Defense attorney also claimed that the murder weapon, which was not discovered until months later, was planted to bolster the case. Houser’s girlfriend, who was present at the crime, testified that the men were wearing badges when the entered. The first trial ended when the jury deadlocked. At second trial, jury only deliberated for 30 minutes. Prosecutor(s): Edward Cameron Sources: Philadelphia Inquirer 9/17/05, 9/21/05, 9/28/05, 12/1/05; Philadelphia Daily News 9/21/05
Stephen Barbee – white, age 37 Sentenced to death in Tarrant County, Texas By: A jury Date of crime: February 2005 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Barbee murdered ex-girlfriend Sheila Underwood, who was 7 ½ months pregnant, and her 7 year-old son Jayden. Barbee thought the unborn child was his, and he did not want his wife to find out about the affair. Barbee’s first wife testified to the domestic violence she suffered during their relationship. Police also had a videotaped confession of Barbee telling his wife that he committed the crime. Barbee’s mother testified that her son was never the same after his two siblings died at a young age. Testimony was also presented regarding a head injury that Barbee had suffered earlier in the year that caused severe headaches. Prosecutor(s): Kevin Rousseau, Dixie Bersano Sources: Dallas Morning News 2/24/06, 2/25/06, 2/28/06; Fort Worth Star-Telegram 2/28/06
Joe Michael Luna – Latino, age 25 Sentenced to death in Bexar County, Texas By: A jury Date of crime: February 2005 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Michael Andrade’s apartment shared a common attic with the apartment of Luna’s girlfriend. Luna climbed through the attic and found Andrade still in bed. He then tied him up and robbed the apartment. He then came back and strangled Andrade. Luna pled guilty to the murder, then got on the stand during sentencing and begged the jury to give him the death penalty, claiming he could not be rehabilitated from the addiction to hurt people. Prosecutor(s): Mary Green, Loretta Hewitt Sources: San Antonio Express-News 2/28/06, 3/7/06, 3/9/06
Max Soffar – white, age 24 (re-trial after an appellate reversal) Sentenced to death in Harris County, Texas By: A jury Date of crime: 1980 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Soffar was convicted in the murder of Arden Felsher at a bowling alley in Houston. Two other people were killed in the incident, but Soffar was never charged with their murders. Soffar showed knowledge of the murder after he was arrested for stealing a motorcycle. Soffar claims he admitted to the murder in an ill-conceived notion to implicate a person he had a grudge against. A new trial was granted by a federal court ruling based on ineffective counsel. The prosecutor decided to retry instead of appealing to the United States Supreme Court. Kinky Friedman, candidate for Texas governor, testified on behalf of Soffar at sentencing. Prosecutor(s): Andy Tobias Sources: Dallas Morning News 1/7/05; Associated Press 3/2/06
Christopher Young – black, age 20 Sentenced to death in Bexar County, Texas By: A jury Date of crime: November 2004 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Young went on a crime spree that started with the sexual assault and robbery of a young woman, and ended with the robbery and murder of convenience store owner Hasmukh Patel. The shooting was caught on the videotape at the convenience store. Prosecutor(s): Melissa Skinner Sources: San Antonio Express-News 1/11/06, 1/31/06, 2/2/06, 2/8/06
Kenneth Jamal Lighty – black, age 19 Sentenced to death in Federal-Maryland By: By Jury Date of crime: January 2002 Prosecution’s case/defense response: Lighty, along with Anthony Wilson and James Everrette Flood III, abducted, tortured and murdered Eric Hayes, the son of a DC police officer. Both Wilson and Flood received life sentences. Prosecutor(s): Rod Rosenstein, Deborah Johnston, Sandra
Wilkinson Sources: Baltimore Sun 11/11/05; US Federal News 1/30/06, 2/28/06 |
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