A mentally ill Texas man imprisoned for more than 35 years despite his original murder conviction being overturned was found guilty a second time on Wednesday.
Jerry Hartfield, 59, was convicted of murder in the September 1976 slaying of 55-year-old Eunice Lowe, who sold tickets at the bus station in Bay City, Houston.
Mail Online
The sentencing phase will begin Thursday, the judge said. Prosecutors said Hartfield faces five to 99 years in prison or a life sentence, but said before the trial that he could be immediately eligible for parole because of time served.
Jurors decided against a conviction of capital murder, which carried an automatic sentence of life in prison.
Neither the defense attorneys nor the prosecutors would comment on the verdict, though the two defense attorneys fist-bumped after the jurors were let out of the courtroom.
At a hearing last Friday, a psychologist testified Hartfield's IQ is 67, below the threshold of 70 considered mental impairment.
Lisa Tanner, an assistant Texas attorney general assisting prosecutors, told jurors that Hartfield 'butchered' Lowe 'for a little bit of money.'
Evidence showed nearly $3,000 and Lowe's car were taken, and the car was recovered in Houston only after Hartfield told investigators where they could find it.
Testimony in the trial showed the woman was beaten with a pickaxe that left her fatally wounded and that her attacker had sex with her after she was dead.
'It's about what he did to that sweet lady,' Tanner said. 'She didn't deserve it.'
Hartfield's lead attorney, Jay Wooten, had said during closing arguments that missing and shaky evidence and a questionable confession should be enough to keep him from being convicted again.
The defense also had suggested Hartfield shouldn't be convicted of capital murder because the robbery was an afterthought and not directly related to the killing.
'A lot of things are missing from this case,' Wooten said. 'Like anything you have at your home since 1976, there are parts missing, there are parts that no longer fit.'
Mail Online
20 comments:
Good one!the should slay him for all i care,evil man.
#sad indeed
Okk
Okk
Double jeopardy?
Gbesere
it is well
Na wavo
Eeeeeeeeeyah! Sorry Man. Linda take note!
What about double jeopardy in US law? Shouldn't that have kept him from being tried and convicted twice for the same crime?
They shld have sentenced to life imprisonment now
#IT will ONLY get BETTER
#it MUST end IN praise
They shld have sentenced to life imprisonment now
#IT will ONLY get BETTER
#it MUST end IN praise
Paying for his sins since 1976! What a waste! 70s kengbe uwa!
He is black.. he will be made to rot in prison
isi nbaka
Anyone who commits murder should be jailed
Biko he should b punished accordingly if found guilty.
Dude looks like an old version of Kanye without the beard!
he needs DELIVERANCE!!
Na wa o, this man has spent virtually all his life in prison. Just imagine, since from the 70s.
#TeamBlessed#
And if he's innocent nko?
~D great anonymous!
I think say na Kanye west papa self
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