Nov. 30 ILLINOIS: Burt arraigned Bruce Edward Burt, 57, of Waterloo, Iowa, charged with 2st degree murder, was arraigned in Jo Daviess Circuit Court Wednesday, Nov. 1. No bond was set for Burt, charged in the death of Donnisha Hill, whose body was discovered in the county last weekend. At the arraignment, Judge Victor Sprengelmeyer explained to Burt the possible penalties associated with the 1st degree murder charges, which includes the death penalty or life in prison. "Do you understand, Mr. Burt, the nature of these charges?" Sprengelmeyer asked. "Yes," Burt replied. "And the penalties?" "Yes," Burt answered. The court appointed as defense attorney Dan Cain, from Sreenan and Cain, PC, out of Rockford, lawyers "specifically licensed to handle serious cases," said Sprengelmeyer. Prosecuting the case is Jo Daviess County State's Attorney Terry Kurt. At the arraignment were 2 members of the Illinois Attorney General's office. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 15. Police believe Burt killed Hill, 13, of Waterloo, in Jo Daviess County. Hill's body was discovered at 2878 South Rodden Road, Hanover, the morning of Saturday, Oct. 28. The autopsy was performed Monday, Oct. 30 by the Winnebago County Coroner's Office in Rockford. Unofficial results conclude Hill died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head. The Jo Daviess County Sheriff's Office conducted the death investigation in cooperation with the Waterloo (Iowa) Police Department, in conjunction with their missing person investigation. As the investigation progressed, Burt was taken into custody in Waterloo, Iowa. Burt was extradited into Jo Daviess County in the early evening hours of Tuesday, Oct. 31. According to a Wednesday, Nov. 1 press release, the death investigation is ongoing by the Jo Daviess County Sheriff's Office, Jo Daviess County State's Attorney's Office, Waterloo Police Department and the Illinois Attorney General's Office. **************** 2nd Waterloo man extradited The Jo Daviess County Sheriff's Office extradited David Damm, 59, the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 15. Damm was apprehended on Monday, Nov. 13, in Waterloo, Iowa. Damm is the 2nd Waterloo man charged in the death of 13-year-old Donnisha Hill, found dead in rural Hanover on Saturday, Oct. 28. Damm faces 3 counts of murder in Jo Daviess Circuit Court, including 1 count of solicitation of murder and 2 counts of 1st degree murder. At the Thursday, Nov. 16 arraignment, the court assigned as defense attorney William Schick of Rock Island. Bruce Burt, 57, was charged with the murder on Monday, Oct. 30. Burt was extradited from Waterloo to Jo Daviess County soon after, and during his Nov. 1 arraignment, the court appointed as Burt's defense attorney Dan Cain, from Sreenan and Cain, PC, out of Rockford. Preliminary hearing for both is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 6 in Jo Daviess Circuit Court. According to the criminal complaint, Damm requested Burt kill Hill. Preliminary autopsy results from the Winnebago County Coroner's Office show Hill died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head. Both men are being held without bond. (source for both: The Galena Gazette) NORTH DAKOTA: Death Penalty Part 3 Would an inmate rather die than sit in prison for the rest of his life? How about a family member of a murder victim, would they want to see a life for a life? That's what Donnell Preskey looks into in Part 3 of her death penalty series... Donnell Preskey / KX News) There are a number of inmates at the North Dakota state pen who would be eligible for a death sentence if the same crime was committed in a capital punishment state. I sent letters to almost 30 inmates serving life sentences for Murder, asking them to share their views about the death penalty. 2 responded. (Mark Steinbach) "She shot herself and I got convicted of murder." (Dale Burke) "I was living in a house upstairs and my 2 neighbors downstairs were murdered and due to my erratic behavior because of meth use I got accused of it." 2 men locked up in the North Dakota State Pen for murder. Both say they didn't do it. But this story isn't to retry these men. They've accepted they'll be in here for the rest of their lives. To them that's better than being put to death. (Mark Steinbach) "It can sometimes be a worse penalty grow old and remember everything you did wrong and that's why you're there." (Dale Burke) "Why kill a guy? That's agreeing with him. Hey you killed someone else, we're going to kill you. Why not lock them up so they can't harm society." Throughout the interview Burke was adamant about his feelings against the death penalty - except when I brought up Alfonso Rodriguez's name. (Burke) "I disagree with the death penalty but I'll be glad when he gets his. What he did was terrible. If you'd put him in this prison I'd beat - I'd let him have it." That's exactly how Melinda Schmidt feels about the man who murdered her 73 year old mom. December 27th 2002 Waylon Charette beat, raped and murdered Marian Swenning in Driscoll. Charette got the maximum sentence life without parole not harsh enough for Melinda. (Melinda Schmidt) "he doesn't deserve to live. At least with a death penalty it'll be a form of mental abuse not knowing when you're going to die. They can give you a sentence but who knows when. That would be more punishment than sitting there just serving time." She says life at the Pen is too easy. Being locked up for life doesn't compare to what Charette took from Melinda's mom... (Melinda Schmidt / mom murdered) she was getting into prime of life, happy go lucky, traveling, so really taking away her life like that, it should've never happened. I'd give anything to have her back." Nothing will bring her back not even a life for a life. Melinda says an execution would make her feel better even if it is vengeful. (Melinda Schmidt) "I would've loved to have the death penalty then and sat and slowly watched him die. He would've known what it felt like to mom lying their crying slowly dying knowing you're going to die." (Donnell Preskey / KX News) The inmates say the death penalty wouldn't be a deterrent for murder. Dale Burke says if people thought about the consequences they wouldn't commit the crimes. They also say they're against capital punishment because of the number of innocent people taken off death row . Donnell's series continues tomorrow night with a look at the history of the Death Penalty in North Dakota. (source: KXMB TV News) WASHINGTON: Wash. Supreme Court overturns murderer's death penalty The state Supreme Court overturned a convicted murderer's death penalty Thursday, saying evidence from his rescinded rape convictions and a prosecutor's misconduct require a new sentence. The 8-1 ruling came in the consolidated case of Allen Eugene Gregory, who appealed his convictions for rape in 2000 and his aggravated murder conviction from 2001. The majority, led by Justice Bobbe Bridge, overturned the rape convictions, saying the trial judge should have considered evidence that may have helped Gregory's defense. The justices then threw out Gregory's death sentence, saying evidence of the rapes influenced his sentencing for murder. The court also said it would have overturned the death sentence anyway, because the prosecutor committed misconduct by improperly suggesting life in prison was too lenient for Gregory. Gregory's murder conviction was sent back to Pierce County Superior Court for resentencing. He was originally sentenced in May 2001 for the rape, robbery and killing of Geneine Ann Harshfield, a neighbor in Tacoma's Hilltop area. Gregory had been a suspect in the death Harshfield, 43, who was stabbed in her home after she returned home from her bartending job in July 1996. But the murder went unsolved for 2 years, until police drew Gregory's blood for evidence after his arrest in the separate rape case. Tacoma police matched Gregory's DNA to semen stains from Harshfield's bed and her body. Justices Richard Sanders and Mary Fairhurst agreed with the Supreme Court's result Thursday, but said they differed on the reasoning. Justice Jim Johnson dissented from the ruling, writing that the ruling "comes in total disregard of Washington's victims of crimes rights." (source: Associated Press)
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----ILL., N. DAK., WASH.
Rick Halperin Thu, 30 Nov 2006 19:50:30 -0600 (Central Standard Time)
