|
|
Post by LadyBlue on Nov 14, 2011 10:43:02 GMT -5
Missing Teen's Body Found In Landfill Police in Lubbock, Texas say the nationwide search for missing teen Joanna Rogers is over. After more than two years of searching and intense investigation, detectives say they've located Joanna's body in a local landfill -- and that they know who killed her. tinyurl.com/7zvxtgr
|
|
|
|
Post by LadyBlue on Nov 14, 2011 10:59:14 GMT -5
Summer Baldwin ALSO WENT MISSING
CANYON - Rosendo Rodriguez III is bound for death row, and Summer Baldwin's parents plan to watch him die.
"If I could, I would certainly push the button to start it into his veins," said Uvah Robak, Baldwin's mother.
A Randall County jury on Tuesday sentenced Rodriguez to death for raping and murdering Baldwin, 29, and killing her unborn son.
It took seven women and five men a little more than three hours to settle on the harshest of punishments.
The same jury last week convicted Rodriguez, 28, of capital murder.
"I truly believe justice was done today," said Matt Powell, Lubbock County criminal district attorney. "I don't ever want to look at another mother in the eye and say, I'm sorry I couldn't stop Rosendo Rodriguez.' "
Rodriguez's attorneys, Rick Wardroup and Fred Stangl, declined comment.
Convicted of capital murder, Rodriguez faced life in prison without the possibility of parole, or death. To secure the death sentence, prosecutors had to prove Rodriguez was likely to commit future criminal acts and was a future danger to society.
Jurors also had to find no circumstances lessened Rodriguez's crime.
In closing arguments, Tray Payne, assistant criminal district attorney, chronicled Rodriguez's path of destruction.
Starting in 1996, Rodriguez is accused of raping his then-girlfriend, raping four other women and raping and killing Baldwin.
Jurors also heard Tuesday after handing down the death sentence that Rodriguez is accused of killing Joanna Rogers.
Rogers, 16, went missing in 2004. The investigation into the killing of Baldwin provided details into Rogers' disappearance. Her body was found buried in the same landfill where Baldwin's body was discovered.
Rodriguez's defense tried to push for the lesser sentence by telling how Rodriguez had witnessed his father beat his mother and sisters and how he had a religious revival while in jail.
Payne said Rodriguez's spiritual rebirth claim was a poor reason to spare his life.
"You don't get to use the cross to hide your evil," Payne said.
Wardroup said the state failed to prove Rodriguez was a future danger and attempted to discredit the rape victims by referencing the fact some of them were drunk and one used drugs. He also tried to play up the abuse in Rodriguez's childhood in hopes of convincing at least one juror to spare his life.
He encouraged jurors to vote their conscience and stand firm on their individual decisions - in turn possibly staving off a death sentence.
Wardroup said the death penalty is intended only for the worst of the worst.
"We only have to kill the folks we can't do anything else with," he said.
Powell had the last word, telling the jury it would be hard to choose death, but it is not their fault Rodriguez deserves the death penalty.
"The law never demands a death sentence," Powell, said. "But sometimes the evidence does."
The jury agreed and punched Rodriguez's ticket to Huntsville after more than three hours of deliberation.
After a brief recess, the jurors voluntarily returned to hear the victims' families speak.
"You murdered my daughter and all I can do is say words," Larry Baldwin said to Rodriguez.
Baldwin spoke at length about his daughter growing up and how much he loved her, ending his speech with a promise to Rodriguez.
"I will be there at your execution," he said. "As you watched my daughter die, I'm gonna watch you die."
Robak called Rodriguez emotionless and evil.
She refused to call him garbage, saying he doesn't even deserve that.
"I think you ought to be destroyed and your body disposed of," Robak said.
Rodriguez will be formally sentenced in Lubbock County before heading to death row.
|
|
