Canadian Air Force Officer Sentenced: Canadian Air Force Col. Russell Williams received two concurrent life sentences without the possibility of parole for 25 years, after pleading guilty earlier this week to two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of sexual assault, and 82 counts of breaking-and-entering. (The Belleville Intelligencer, the local paper in the city where Russell's court proceedings took place, discusses the disturbing details of the crimes here.) Although Russell expressed remorse for his three-year crime spree, the sentencing judge referred to him as a "sadosexual serial killer," whose "fall from grace has been swift and sure." One military official stated the military community has been "deeply shaken" by Russell's secret life of crime. Read more from AP and The Toronto Star.
Texas Execution Scheduled for Tonight: AP writer Juan A. Lozano reports that Texas is set to execute death row inmate Larry Wooten for murdering an elderly couple in 1996. Wooten beat and stabbed 80-year-old Grady Alexander and 86-year-old Bessie Alexander, slit their throats and nearly severed their heads. Wooten maintains his innocence, but DNA evidence strongly linked him to the crime scene. He will be the 17th inmate executed in Texas this year.
California Death Sentence Upheld: The California Supreme Court today upheld the death sentence of Robert Bacon, convicted of raping and murdering Deborah Sammons in 1995. Three months after being released from prison for killing an Arizona man, Bacon beat Sammons to death after her estranged husband said he wanted her "out of the picture." Bacon's claims on appeal included a Miranda violation and challenges to the jury instructions used at trial. The SF Chronicle has this story.
California Lawyer Questions DNA Collection from Cigarette Butt: A California appeals court heard argument yesterday on whether DNA testing of a discarded cigarette butt without a warrant violates the discarder's Fourth Amendment rights, reports The Sacramento Bee. In 2006, police collected a cigarette butt tossed by Rolando Gallego, whom they suspected of stabbing to death Leticia Estores in 1991. DNA from the cigarette matched a crime scene sample and Gallego was convicted of second-degree murder. On appeal, he argued DNA testing of a discarded cigarette butt is distinguishable from rummaging through garbage left on the curb (which police can do without a warrant) because most people don't have access to genetic testing. The state countered that Gallago had no expectation of privacy in the discarded cigarette, and that other courts have upheld such investigatory tactics.
Texas Execution Scheduled for Tonight: AP writer Juan A. Lozano reports that Texas is set to execute death row inmate Larry Wooten for murdering an elderly couple in 1996. Wooten beat and stabbed 80-year-old Grady Alexander and 86-year-old Bessie Alexander, slit their throats and nearly severed their heads. Wooten maintains his innocence, but DNA evidence strongly linked him to the crime scene. He will be the 17th inmate executed in Texas this year.
California Death Sentence Upheld: The California Supreme Court today upheld the death sentence of Robert Bacon, convicted of raping and murdering Deborah Sammons in 1995. Three months after being released from prison for killing an Arizona man, Bacon beat Sammons to death after her estranged husband said he wanted her "out of the picture." Bacon's claims on appeal included a Miranda violation and challenges to the jury instructions used at trial. The SF Chronicle has this story.
California Lawyer Questions DNA Collection from Cigarette Butt: A California appeals court heard argument yesterday on whether DNA testing of a discarded cigarette butt without a warrant violates the discarder's Fourth Amendment rights, reports The Sacramento Bee. In 2006, police collected a cigarette butt tossed by Rolando Gallego, whom they suspected of stabbing to death Leticia Estores in 1991. DNA from the cigarette matched a crime scene sample and Gallego was convicted of second-degree murder. On appeal, he argued DNA testing of a discarded cigarette butt is distinguishable from rummaging through garbage left on the curb (which police can do without a warrant) because most people don't have access to genetic testing. The state countered that Gallago had no expectation of privacy in the discarded cigarette, and that other courts have upheld such investigatory tactics.
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