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Relatives' joy as serial killer is sentenced to death after bizarre self-defence
Daily Mail ^ | 10:59 AM on 10th March 2010 | Mail Foreign Service

Posted on 03/10/2010 12:51:51 PM PST by Niuhuru

Relatives of four women and a 12-year-old girl brutally slain in the late 1970s exploded in applause yesterday when a jury recommended death for a convicted serial killer. Rodney Alcala's bizarre defence strategy included lyrics from an Arlo Guthrie song and showing an episode of sixties US TV show 'The Dating Game' - the American forerunner of Britain's 'Blind Date'. Jurors took just an hour to return the death recommendation after a six-week trial in which the 66-year-old Alcala - who was representing himself - grilled the mother of one of his victims. He also cross-examined police investigators and answered his own questions while taking the stand in his own defence.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; US: California
KEYWORDS: bizarre; courtroom; deathpenalty; serialkiller
Court trials are becoming more and more entertaining.
1 posted on 03/10/2010 12:51:51 PM PST by Niuhuru
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To: Niuhuru; Slings and Arrows

“Your honor, I have an idiot for a client!”


2 posted on 03/10/2010 12:53:00 PM PST by a fool in paradise
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To: Niuhuru

Director John Waters went to the Manson trial, Patty Hearst trial, Sid Vicious’ pre-trial hearings, and the Watergate hearings. He doesn’t go to them these days because he feels he is too high profile.


3 posted on 03/10/2010 12:54:15 PM PST by a fool in paradise
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To: Niuhuru

40 YEARS TO COME TO TRIAL??


4 posted on 03/10/2010 12:56:20 PM PST by pabianice
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To: pabianice
Alcala has been sentenced to death twice before in the 1979 murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe, but those verdicts were overturned on appeal.

Prosecutors refiled charges in that case and added the four other murders in 2006 after investigators linked them to Alcala using DNA samples and other forensic evidence.

5 posted on 03/10/2010 1:00:08 PM PST by WayneS (Respect the 2nd Amendment; Repeal the 16th)
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To: Niuhuru

Video at the link is creepy! Glad that these families finally got justice!


6 posted on 03/10/2010 1:09:22 PM PST by christianhomeschoolmommaof3 (Proverbs 18:2 A fool has no delight in understanding but in expressing his own heart.)
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To: Niuhuru

Came back to finish watching the dating game video after my children went outside. The woman on the dating game chose him. O my, wonder what she feels now realizing that she chose a a serial killer?


7 posted on 03/10/2010 1:35:01 PM PST by christianhomeschoolmommaof3 (Proverbs 18:2 A fool has no delight in understanding but in expressing his own heart.)
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