Death Sentence for slaying of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia

AP WIRE ^ | 3.15.06

[Brian Mosely]

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — A judge has sentenced Joseph Smith to death for the slaying of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia.

[Brian Mosely]

URGENT Carlie Brucia’s killer sentenced to death SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — The 39-year-old former mechanic convicted abducting, raping and killing 11-year-old Carlie Brucia was sentenced Wednesday to death. Joseph P. Smith, whose abduction of the girl two years ago was caught by a security camera and subsequently aired on TV, was led from the courtroom after state Circuit Judge Andrew Owens pronounced the sentence for first-degree murder. Smith was sentenced to life in prison for both his kidnapping and capital sexual battery convictions. The same jury that convicted Smith recommended by a vote of 10-2 that he be executed. Owens was required by law to give “great weight” to that recommendation. During a hearing last month, Smith tearfully apologized for his crimes, telling Owens that he took large amount of heroin and cocaine trying to kill himself before he abducted Carlie on Feb. 1, 2004. Smith said he didn’t remember much about that day and asked Owens to spare him for the sake of his family. Carlie’s body was found four days after her disappearance on the grounds of a Sarasota church. News of the crime shook the community, and hundreds turned out for memorial services for the little girl.

[theDentist]

YES!!

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

When's the execution - dawn tomorrow? I guess I can wait 'till then.

[ExcursionGuy84]

In the words of Moe Howard:

"I'll Moider you for this!"

[Ron in Acreage]

Good thing. O'Reilly would have strung him up! Ha

[Brian Mosely]

MORE

But on Wednesday, Owens discounted those arguments. He said Carlie suffered “unspeakable terror and physical suffering” at Smith’s hands.

Carlie’s body was found four days after her disappearance on the grounds of a Sarasota church. News of the crime shook the community, and hundreds turned out for memorial services for the little girl.

During last month’s hearing, prosecutor Debra Johnes Riva dismissed arguments by defense attorney Adam Tebrugge that Smith was depressed and in the throes of a raging drug addiction for which he had previously sought help. Tebrugge also said Smith could lead a productive life in prison and be a positive influence on his three daughters if he was spared.

None of that, Riva said, “outweighs the horrible crimes that were committed against Carlie Brucia.”

During that hearing, Smith spoke publicly for the first time, saying, “I take responsibility of my crimes. I don’t understand how this could have happened. ... Every day I think about what I did and beg God for forgiveness.”

Absent from the courtroom was Carlie’s mother, Susan Schorpen, who is in jail in Pinellas County on drug and prostitution charges. She has said the pain of losing her daughter led her to institutionalize herself three times and take drugs to numb the pain.

[Redcloak]

BRING BACK OL' SPARKY!!

[SouthernFreebird]

Fire it up!

[brytlea]

Judge N on Fox said 18 months to 2 years is it. Automatic appeal. It was very hard to listen to the whole thing, but I did.
susie

[HairOfTheDog]

ENOUGH Pretty Dead Girls on the News! (*Vanity Rant*)

[mlc9852]

Florida may have some problems but they will hand down the death penalty when necessary.

[domenad]

Drop down to the fifth ring and cook, Smith. If I were you, I'd start soaking daily in Stubb's marinade.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

During a hearing last month, Smith tearfully apologized for his crimes, telling Owens that he took large amount of heroin and cocaine trying to kill himself before he abducted Carlie on Feb. 1, 2004.

If my drug program was in place this fellow might have croaked when he took the drugs!!

[mtbopfuyn]

I listened to the whole hour long statement by the judge. He's what judges should be. He laid it all out so there's no way Smith can get anything overturned. Justice is served.

[LYSandra]

Tahnk God! I had to leave after listening for the whole lunch hour! I thought it may go that way but was worried anyway. My heart broke for Caryle's family having to listen to all of the awful details and seeing that animal right in front of them. I just hope they get to the execution NOW! Not 20 years from now.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

It'll take 15-20 years before it happens.

[Old Grumpy]

I wish he would be released into the general prison population so the death sentence could be carried out faster and more appropriately.

[ssaftler]

I'll take 2026 in the "When will this piece of trash assume room temperature?" pool.

[mlc9852]

Yeah, and he can think about it every day for that long, too. Florida will fry him, no doubt.

[FormerLib]

If we're going to have a death penalty, this is the sort of criminal who has certainly earned it.