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Post by Charlene on Nov 14, 2003 21:53:02 GMT -6
with the families whose loved ones were murdered by Eugene Broxton. The media never refers to him as such but he was a serial killer who murdered at least 6 people, probably several more. His case was overturned last year on the Quijano issue and he was granted a new sentencing phase. The jury deliberated for 5 hours this afternoon and returned with the answers to the special issues which mandated a death sentence for the murder of Sheila Dockens. You can find a memorial page for another of his victims at Victims' Voices - the name is Larry Smith.
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Post by Bubbles on Nov 15, 2003 20:16:11 GMT -6
So does this mean he was resentenced to death? Am I reading that right? I am unfamiliar with the Quijano issue....Can you elaborate on that for those of us who don't know?
I'm sure the families were so grateful to have you there to support them. This must be a very difficult thing to have to constantly face.... I wish the courts would stop revictimizing these families.....
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Post by Charlene on Nov 22, 2003 7:26:29 GMT -6
So does this mean he was resentenced to death? Am I reading that right? I am unfamiliar with the Quijano issue....Can you elaborate on that for those of us who don't know? I'm sure the families were so grateful to have you there to support them. This must be a very difficult thing to have to constantly face.... I wish the courts would stop revictimizing these families..... Yes, the jury gave Broxton another death sentence. The Quijano issue was that as a psychologist testifying for the state as an expert witness, Dr. Quijano testified in several cases that, statistically, race was a factor in determining future dangerousness, a necessary component of a death sentence. He testified that, according to statistics, blacks in the prison population had an increased susceptibility for future dangerousness. I heard the defense attorney tell a reporter that Quijano "didn't do anything wrong; he just told the facts" but that the federal appeals court ruled that the jury could not consider race-based testimony when determining future dangerousness. Our then-attorney general, John Cornyn, who already had his sights on his current senate seat, accepted this ruling without question and admitted error on the part of every prosecutor who had used similar testimony from Dr. Quijano at trial. He didn't talk to the prosecutors about his decision to admit error; didn't appeal the ruling; subsequently, six capital murderers were granted new sentencing hearings.
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