Post by Jennifer on Aug 27, 2007 23:08:26 GMT -5
John Couey, here in court in July, was sentenced to death Friday for killing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford. He was found guilty in March of kidnapping and raping Lunsford before burying her alive.
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John Evander Couey looked ahead when Circuit Judge Ric Howard told him he should be executed for the 2005 crimes that captured the nation's attention and led to new laws in many states cracking down on convicted sex offenders. Sheriff's officials quickly led a handcuffed Couey out of the courtroom.
Jessica's father, Mark Lunsford, sat in court for the sentencing, his eyes tearing while he listened to the judge read a detailed history of the case for nearly an hour. He hugged Jessica's other relatives after the sentence was read.
The jury that convicted Couey in March recommended by a 10-2 vote that he die for his crimes, but the final decision was left to Howard.
Couey's attorney had argued that he couldn't legally be executed because he is mentally retarded, but Howard brushed aside that claim in a strongly worded ruling earlier this month.
The jury convicted Couey of taking Jessica in February 2005 from her bedroom to his nearby trailer, where he raped her and buried her alive. Despite a massive search, the third-grader's body was found about three weeks after she disappeared in a grave in Couey's yard, about 150 yards from her own home.
Couey, already a convicted sex offender when he committed the crime, was arrested in Georgia and confessed to the killing. That confession was thrown out as evidence because Couey did not have a lawyer present.
Despite the confession being tossed, Couey incriminated himself other times. Jail guards and investigators testified that he repeatedly admitted details of the slaying after his arrest, insisting that he hadn't meant to kill the third-grader but panicked during an intense, nationally publicized police search.
Prosecutors also had overwhelming physical evidence, including DNA from Jessica's blood and Couey's semen on a mattress in his room as well as Jessica's fingerprints in a nearby closet where she was allegedly hidden.
The trial jury brushed aside pleas for mercy and a life sentence from defense lawyers based on claims that Couey is mentally retarded and suffers from chronic mental illness.
Mentally retarded people cannot be executed under both Florida law and a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Jessica's death led to tougher laws across the nation to keep better track of sex offenders and punish repeat offenders more severely.
Couey has a criminal record that includes 24 burglary arrests, carrying a concealed weapon and indecent exposure. He was designated a sex offender for exposing himself to a 5-year-old girl in 1991.
1 of 6
John Evander Couey looked ahead when Circuit Judge Ric Howard told him he should be executed for the 2005 crimes that captured the nation's attention and led to new laws in many states cracking down on convicted sex offenders. Sheriff's officials quickly led a handcuffed Couey out of the courtroom.
Jessica's father, Mark Lunsford, sat in court for the sentencing, his eyes tearing while he listened to the judge read a detailed history of the case for nearly an hour. He hugged Jessica's other relatives after the sentence was read.
The jury that convicted Couey in March recommended by a 10-2 vote that he die for his crimes, but the final decision was left to Howard.
Couey's attorney had argued that he couldn't legally be executed because he is mentally retarded, but Howard brushed aside that claim in a strongly worded ruling earlier this month.
The jury convicted Couey of taking Jessica in February 2005 from her bedroom to his nearby trailer, where he raped her and buried her alive. Despite a massive search, the third-grader's body was found about three weeks after she disappeared in a grave in Couey's yard, about 150 yards from her own home.
Couey, already a convicted sex offender when he committed the crime, was arrested in Georgia and confessed to the killing. That confession was thrown out as evidence because Couey did not have a lawyer present.
Despite the confession being tossed, Couey incriminated himself other times. Jail guards and investigators testified that he repeatedly admitted details of the slaying after his arrest, insisting that he hadn't meant to kill the third-grader but panicked during an intense, nationally publicized police search.
Prosecutors also had overwhelming physical evidence, including DNA from Jessica's blood and Couey's semen on a mattress in his room as well as Jessica's fingerprints in a nearby closet where she was allegedly hidden.
The trial jury brushed aside pleas for mercy and a life sentence from defense lawyers based on claims that Couey is mentally retarded and suffers from chronic mental illness.
Mentally retarded people cannot be executed under both Florida law and a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Jessica's death led to tougher laws across the nation to keep better track of sex offenders and punish repeat offenders more severely.
Couey has a criminal record that includes 24 burglary arrests, carrying a concealed weapon and indecent exposure. He was designated a sex offender for exposing himself to a 5-year-old girl in 1991.
