Jan. 11 VIRGINIA: Juniper guilty of capital murder in quadruple slaying A Norfolk jury has found Anthony Juniper guilty of capital murder in the deaths of 4 people, including 2 children, last year. The jury got the case a week ago today. Prosecutors said Anthony Juniper was in a jealous rage when he gunned down his ex-girlfriend, Keisha Stephens, her 19-year old brother, and her 2 young daughters ages 4 and 2. No one seemed to be surprised at this verdict. The prosecutions evidence was strong and the defense didn't call a single witness. And after a week of testimony and 144 exhibits, it took jurors just 2 1/2 hours to find Juniper guilty. Anthony Juniper was convicted of killing four people in Norfolk in 2004. Prosecutors portrayed Juniper as a violent and jealous man who a year ago at this time, broke down the apartment door of his girlfriend Keisha Stephens and shot her, her brother, and her 2 young daughters. Jurors saw horrific crime scene photos of the victims, and heard evidence that Juniper was enraged that his girlfriend may have cheated on him. "He needs to be locked up for a long time, if not death. He needs, deserved to get something done for that. That was wrong," said Tiana Little, a friend of murder victim Keisha Stephens. The killings occurred in the afternoon at Keisha Stephens Ocean View apartment. Ruben Harrison, Jr., whose 19-year-old son was among the four victims, said justice was served. "They made the right decision. And what they say is the punishment, that's what I accept," said Harrison. The penalty phase begins Wednesday. The same jury that found him guilty will determine if Anthony Juniper should die for the crime. It's the 1st death penalty case a Norfolk jury has tackled in a couple of years. (source: WVEC News) MISSOURI: Drifter faces death penalty for abduction and murder of 6-year-old Missouri girl Ernie Williamson last saw his 6-year-old daughter Cassandra alive on July 26, 2002, when he left her alone in the kitchen to make her breakfast and to use the bathroom. When he returned, Casey, as she was nicknamed, was gone, along with a man who had spent the night on their couch - Johnny Johnson, an acquaintance of Williamson's roommate. Johnson, a homeless man, returned about 30 minutes later soaking wet, claiming he had gone for a swim in the nearby Merrimack River in Valley Park, Mo. When Casey didn't show up, police launched a manhunt for the missing first-grader, but the search didn't last long. At about 4 p.m., detectives discovered the young girl's unclothed body in an abandoned glass factory after Johnson, then 24, led them there. An autopsy revealed Casey had died from blows to the head with a rock. Prosecutors charged Johnson with first-degree murder, kidnapping, attempted forcible rape and armed criminal action. He faces the death penalty if convicted at trial in St. Louis County Circuit Court, which began jury selection Monday. St. Louis County Police Chief Ron Battelle would not confirm that Johnson, a felon with several burglary convictions, confessed to the crime, but indicated he had admitted his involvement in her death. Battelle also confirmed that a witness reported seeing Johnson piggybacking Casey in her nightgown that morning while walking in the direction of the glass factory. St. Louis County Assistant Prosecutor Robert McCulloch would not comment on the evidence. Bevy Beimdiek, Johnson's public defender, told Courttv.com that the defense will likely plea mental disease or defect. "We've endorsed a number of witnesses, doctors such as psychologists and psychiatrists," Beimdiek said. She declined to comment on whether a plea deal has been discussed. Casey Williamson's disappearance and death occurred amid a swarm of similar reports of abducted children in 2002. Earlier that year, 7-year-old Danielle van Dam was abducted from her home and murdered. 2 months before Casey's death, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her home in Salt Lake City. She was later found alive and returned to her family. Days before Casey's murder, police charged Alejandro Avila in the kidnapping and murder of 5-year-old Samantha Runnion in California. And across the country, 7-year-old Erica Pratt was abducted in Philadelphia. She later escaped her captors. Johnson's trial is expected to last 2 to 3 weeks. (source: Court TV) FLORIDA: More potential jurors picked in Dollar General killings trial 8 more potential jurors were selected today for the murder trial of Roy Lee McDuffie. The 8, who were picked from a group of 20 people individually interviewed, join 4 others selected Monday to remain for additional questioning, a spokesman for State Attorney John Tanner's office said. Jury selection is expected to continue Wednesday and may stretch into next week. McDuffie is charged with two counts of 1st-degree murder and could face the death penalty if convicted of killing 2 co-workers at the Deltona Dollar General store during an October 2002 robbery. (source: Orlando Sentinel) LOUISIANA: Lafayette authorities won't try Lee for 3rd murder Twice-convicted killer Derrick Todd Lee, who is now on death row for the murder of a Baton Rouge woman, will not be prosecuted for the slaying of a Lafayette woman, prosecutors said Tuesday. Assistant District Attorney Bill Babin said the decision not to take Lee to trial for the killing of Trineisha Dene Colomb, 23, was made after consulting with the the victim's family. Evidence from the Colomb killing, as well as other killings linked to Lee by DNA evidence, was presented at Lee's 1st 2 trials. And family members of Lee's other alleged victims witnessed both trials, often subjecting themselves to gruesome testimony and photograhpic crime scene evidence. "They don't want to put themselves through anymore," Babin said of the Colombs during a telephone interview. "When he got the death penalty, I figured we had enough," said Sterling Colomb Sr., Colomb's father. Authorities say DNA evidence links Lee to the serial killings of seven women from 1998 to 2003. In October, a jury in Baton Rouge convicted Lee of 1st-degree murder in the slaying of Jackson, Miss. native Charlotte Murray Pace and ordered the death penalty. He earlier was convicted of 2nd-degree murder for the slaying of Geralyn DeSoto in West Baton Rouge Parish and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Prosecutors said that, in the event that Lee's death penalty conviction for the Pace murder is overturned, they will reconsider trying him. Babin said that state law would allow reinstatement of the prosecution at a later date. Evidence in Colomb's slaying in the fall of 2002 was presented during Lee's trial in Baton Rouge. Coupled with the wishes of the Colomb family, District Attorney Mike Harson decided to drop the prosecution, Babin said. Besides Pace, DeSoto and Colomb, police say Lee murdered Gina Green, Pam Kinamore, Carrie Yoder and Randi Mebruer, all in the Baton Rouge area. Lee also is accused in the attempted rape and attempted murder of Diane Alexander, who testified in both the DeSoto and Pace trials. Prosecutors in St. Martin Parish, at the request of Alexander, have put a trial for Lee there on hold, saying they will watch Lee's appeal in the Pace case before deciding whether to proceed. Colomb, 23, was found beaten to death in a wooded area near Scott on Nov. 24, three days after her last known contact with family. Her car was found about 20 miles away, in Grand Couteau, less than a mile from her mother's grave, which her family said she visited regularly. (source: Associated Press)
