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| Female death-row inmate is resentenced to life in prison |
| By Philadelphia Inquirer |
| Published: 07/04/2005 |
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The first woman to be placed on Pennsylvania's death row since the death penalty was reinstated in 1978 won a reprieve last week. Sixteen years after she was sentenced to die for the murder of an elderly Philadelphia woman, Delores Rivers was resentenced to life in prison without parole. After a federal judge in May granted Rivers a new penalty phase hearing, Philadelphia prosecutors agreed not to seek another death sentence if Rivers would admit her guilt and waive all future appeals. Rivers, now 51, was convicted of the Jan. 30, 1988, murder of 77-year-old Violet Burt in the victim's Margaret Street home in the city's Frankford section. Investigators said Rivers provided home health care for Burt, but robbed, beat and fatally stabbed her to get money to buy drugs. Until yesterday's hearing, Rivers had repeatedly denied killing Burt. The Common Pleas Court judge who presided over Rivers' 1989 trial, John J. Poserina Jr., also presided over last week's brief hearing. "I formally withdraw the sentence of death, and resentence the defendant to life in prison without parole," Poserina said. Four women remain on Pennsylvania's death row. |
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