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John Couey gets death penalty
Friday, August 24, 2007
John Couey has been sentenced to death for the 2005 murder of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford.
Citrus County circuit judge Richard Howard pronounced the sentence Friday afternoon. Couey was convicted earlier this year of kidnapping, raping and murdering Lunsford, who was a 3rd grade student at Homosassa Elementary School.
Couey, who lived near Lunsford, broke into the mobile home where she lived to burglarize it. He took her from her bedroom and after raping her, he put her inside two plastic bags, one inside the other, and buried her alive. A medical examiner said Lunsford suffocated after being alive at least five minutes and as long as eight minutes inside the bags.
"(Couey) caused a slow, suffering, conscious death," Howard said. "She suffered a smothering, asphyxiating death."
The only other sentence Couey could have received was life in prison. The Miami jury that convicted Couey of Lunsford's murder also recommended death by lethal injection, but under Florida law, judges make the final decision as to what the sentence should be.
Howard listed several aggravating circumstances in pronouncing the sentence, including that the murder was especially cruel and that the Lunsford was killed to eliminate her as a witness. Howard said Couey thoroughly planned and carried out Lunsford's murder.
Howard rejected the mitigating factors Couey's defense team raised in the sentencing phase of his trial, including the defense statements that Couey has a substandard IQ and is brain damaged.
By Florida law, the Florida Supreme Court will review Couey's death sentence.
Since Lunford's murder, her father, Mark Lunsford, has become an activist against sexual offenders and predators. Couey was a convicted sexual offender when he murdered Lunsford.
Source
Friday, August 24, 2007
John Couey has been sentenced to death for the 2005 murder of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford.
Citrus County circuit judge Richard Howard pronounced the sentence Friday afternoon. Couey was convicted earlier this year of kidnapping, raping and murdering Lunsford, who was a 3rd grade student at Homosassa Elementary School.
Couey, who lived near Lunsford, broke into the mobile home where she lived to burglarize it. He took her from her bedroom and after raping her, he put her inside two plastic bags, one inside the other, and buried her alive. A medical examiner said Lunsford suffocated after being alive at least five minutes and as long as eight minutes inside the bags.
"(Couey) caused a slow, suffering, conscious death," Howard said. "She suffered a smothering, asphyxiating death."
The only other sentence Couey could have received was life in prison. The Miami jury that convicted Couey of Lunsford's murder also recommended death by lethal injection, but under Florida law, judges make the final decision as to what the sentence should be.
Howard listed several aggravating circumstances in pronouncing the sentence, including that the murder was especially cruel and that the Lunsford was killed to eliminate her as a witness. Howard said Couey thoroughly planned and carried out Lunsford's murder.
Howard rejected the mitigating factors Couey's defense team raised in the sentencing phase of his trial, including the defense statements that Couey has a substandard IQ and is brain damaged.
By Florida law, the Florida Supreme Court will review Couey's death sentence.
Since Lunford's murder, her father, Mark Lunsford, has become an activist against sexual offenders and predators. Couey was a convicted sexual offender when he murdered Lunsford.
Source
