Seasonal spirit saves sniper

[TheGeneral+]

THE Christmas spirit may have spared the life of Washington sniper Lee Boyd Malvo with a jury heeding calls to take the season into account when it recommended its sentence yesterday.

Rejecting prosecution arguments Malvo deserved the death penalty, the Virginia jury that convicted the teenager on two counts of capital murder last week dealt a life prison sentence instead yesterday.

The decision disappointed families of several victims from last year's murderous spree, during which Malvo was the triggerman in a series of random shootings that killed 13 people in five US states.

His conspirator, John Allen Muhammad, 42, has already been convicted on similar charges and sentenced to death. During Malvo's sentencing hearing, defence lawyer Craig Cooley appealed to jurors to bring the spirit of the holiday season into their deliberations, even quoting words from Christmas carol Silent Night in claiming "redeeming grace" was within his client's reach.

Prosecutor Robert Horan Jr said it was a tactic that worked, with the timing of the case, plus the fact the defendant "looks a lot younger than he is", helping Malvo escape the death sentence.

In sparing Malvo's life, the jury also was influenced by assertions he acted under the influence of Muhammad, a Gulf War veteran who was something of a father figure to Malvo, who was 17 at the time of the shootings.The snipers could face further prosecution in other states.


www.theadvertiser.news.com.au

 

[KMAN]

I guess so! They should have put him to death. Now that people know they will only get life in prison for sniper attacks it may happen again. You put his ass to sleep and it won't.

KMAN

 

[DannyMay]

It wasnt the seasonal spirit. It was his young age.

 

[Phaedrus]

posted by KMAN:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
I guess so! They should have put him to death. Now that people know they will only get life in prison for sniper attacks it may happen again. You put his ass to sleep and it won't.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Now that's an interesting concept.

Here's some Christmas cheer for you to consider, courtesy of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice ...

Murphy, Ivan Jr. DOB 1/10/65 Received 1/24/91 Executed 12/04/03
Convicted in the beating death of 80-year-old Lula Mae Denning in Denison. Denning was beaten to death inside her home at 118 West Sears Street by Murphy and an accomplice. Jewelry, including a wedding ring valued at $ 7,000.00, was taken from the home. Murphy's prints were found in the home. He was arrested in Hugo, Oklahoma on 1-20-89

Duncan, Richard DOB 5/19/42 Received 7/12/95 Executed 12/03/03
Convicted in the murders of John Abner High, 71, and Ruth Brown High, 73, the parents of his homosexual lover. Mr. High was beaten over the head with a blunt instrument and his wife was smothered. Duncan killed the couple in hope of getting half of their $ 500,000.00 estate from their son. After killing the couple, Duncan turned on a portable cooker in the house in an attemt to cause an explosion. The case remained unsolved until a witness came forward after seven years.

Henry, Robert DOB 9/26/62 Received 11/15/94 Executed 11/20/03
Convicted in the killing of Carol Lea Arnold, 57, and her 83-year-old mother Hazel V. Rumhor at their home in Portland, Texas. Henry, who was known by the victims, told police he repeatedly stabbed each with a knife after smoking marijuana. Their bodies were found inside their residence at 1820 Portland Drive two days later. Henry later turned himself in to police at Corpus Christi and confessed.

Hayes, Larry DOB 11/23/48 Received 5/26/2000 Executed 9/10/03
On 7/15/1999 in Conroe, Hayes fatally shot a 46 year old white female (his wife). Hayes used a 44 caliber pistol to shoot her eight times in the head. He left the scene of the incident and went to a convenience store. There he shot an 18 year old black female two times in the head and took her car.

Janecka, Allen DOB 11/03/49 Received 06/08/81 Executed 7/24/03
Convicted in the 1979 murder-for-hire killing of 14-month-old Kevin Wanstrath at his parents home on Briaose Street in Houston. The infant was shot to death in his crib after his parents, John, 35, and Diana, 36, were slain by Janecka. Janecka was hried to commit the murders by Markum Duff-Smith, Diana Wanstrath's brother. Duff-Smith plotted the killings of his sister and her family to collect their estate. All were shot with a 22.-caliber pistol. Janecka was charged with the murders on 11/23/80. He was also the accused triggerman in the contract killing of Duff-Smith's adoptive mother, Gertrude Duff-Smith Zabolio, in Houston on 10/15/75. Her son reportedly had her killed so he could collect his inheritance.

NOTE: Co-defendant Markum Duff-Smith was Convicted in the contract killing of his mother and sentenced to death. Executed by lethal injection 6/29/93

Ransom, Cedric DOB 08/18/73 Received 01/11/93 Executed 07/23/03
Convicted in the robbery and shooting death of 42-year-old Herbert J. Primm, Jr., of Arlington. Primm, an optometrist, was shot to death in the driveway of his home at 6415 High Country Trail after opening the trunk of his car to show three TEC-9 assault pistols to Nathan Clark, an accomplice in the murder. Primm held a Federal Firearms Licence and sold guns out of his home. When Primm opened his trunk to show the guns, Clark and three accomplices, including Ransom, pulled weapns and stole Primm's guns. after Primm told the robbers to "just take them," Ransom bent him over the hood of the car and shot him once in the head with a .44 Magnum. He was arrested three days later in connection with a seperate murder case in Fort Worth.

I'd go on, but there are 307 more on that list and frankly my stomach was in a knot over the fourteen-month-old kid.

So, you're saying that as of this last one on the 4th, that Texas no longer has a problem with murderers, since they'll all fall into line now?


Phaedrus