|
|
| Jury recommends life in prison for teen sniper |
| By AFP |
| Published: 12/24/2003 |
|
A jury spared teenager Lee Boyd Malvo from execution for one in a string of Washington-area sniper killings last year, which left 10 dead and three wounded. Malvo, 18, was given a life prison term without parole for the first-degree murder of FBI analyst Linda Franklyn and a second life term for terrorism plus a three-year term for illegal weapons use. The sentence was seen as a victory for the defense, which had argued that the youth had been "brainwashed" by his accomplice, John Allen Muhammed, into taking part in the murders that terrorized the Washington region in October last year. A separate trial had already ordered the death sentence for Muhammed, a 42-year-old Gulf War veteran. Malvo was 17 at the time of the three-week killing spree and the defense threw all of its weight into building a case that the teenager was insane and manipulated by Mohammed. The jury found Malvo guilty last week and prosecutors had demanded the death penalty. After eight and a half hours of deliberation on the sentence, the jury of eight whites and four blacks twice came to the court to say it could not decide on execution or life in prison as a punishment. Twice, Judge Jane Marum Roush sent them back to reconsider. Malvo stared at the jury as the sentences were read out but otherwise gave away little emotion, court reporters said. He could be tried again for other killings in the series and could face the death penalty again. The judge will formally sentence Malvo on March 10, while Muhammed will be formally sentenced in February. |
advertise
|
privacy policy
|
add URL
|
about us
|
terms/disclaimer
|
contact us
|
join our team
|
help
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think