Posted on 08/26/2005 6:11:23 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) A male stripper was sentenced Friday to 25 years to life in prison for killing a female impersonator with a samurai sword.
Michael Jennings, 34, could have received the death penalty for the 2002 death of Gary McMurtry. His lawyers had asked a three-judge panel to hear the case rather than a jury because they felt judges would better understand their defense, that Jennings was insane at the time of the crime.
The judges convicted Jennings of aggravated murder, aggravated burglary and felonious assault.
Prosecutors said Jennings, dressed in a black ninja outfit with a hood, broke into McMurtry's home, stabbed him 13 times and slashed his roommate Brian Bass with the sword when Bass confronted him.
Jennings testified Thursday that he killed McMurtry but lied about it to police and his family for two years.
``I did not want to admit to murder because that's not what I thought I did,'' Jennings said.
He testified that he believed McMurtry, whom he had worked with for years, and another roommate, Scott Cole, were out to get him.
``I do feel what I did was a move of self-defense,'' Jennings said. ``I was sad and surprised that I actually did it. I didn't plan it out very well or I might have gotten away with it.''
Court records show Jennings was ruled incompetent to stand trial in December 2002 and was committed to a Columbus mental health facility, where he was injected with anti-psychotic medications under court order until he was ruled competent in February.
He had been diagnosed with psychosis and paranoia before the attack, his lawyers said.
Ninja ping!
``I was sad and surprised that I actually did it. I didn't plan it out very well or I might have gotten away with it.''
Warning, inmate is not allowed use of edged utensils.
JOhn Belushi lives LOL
Pong
Have him commit seppukku
I thought of Johnny Holmes at first after reading the headline.
You ninja's are nuts.
Shades of Sideshow Bob!
Fwiw, He/She was Miss Gay Ohio.
An unusual trio. Not your everyday samurai slaying.
Pinging Male Strippers Killing Female Impersonators with Samurai Swords list.
This is, I assume, a rather low-volume list ;)
... let me try to define what it is that the readers of Sunday papers mean when they say fretfully that you never seem to get a good murder nowadays.
-- Orwell, Decline of the English Murder.
What a loss!
I am tempted to say, "What a lady, what a night."
I just hate it when male strippers do such a thing. Don't you? ;)
Do you mean to tell me somebody paid to watch that guy strip?
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