Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 20, 2006 15:36:19 GMT -5
Jurors begin deliberating Rodriguez sentence
BY SHANNON PRATHER
Pioneer Press
FARGO, N.D. — Jurors now are debating whether to sentence Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. to death or life in prison for kidnapping and killing Dru Sjodin.
Sjodin would have celebrated her 25th birthday next week. Instead, her family is left to struggle with her kidnapping, rape and slaying at the hands of Rodriguez, a repeat sex offender released from prison six months before her disappearance.
That weight of that devastating loss for the Sjodins, the brutality of that attack and Rodriguez's violent criminal history against women all call for a sentence of death, a federal prosecutor told jurors this morning.
"He chose to live out his rape fantasy and Dru Sjodin suffered for his pleasure. She died for his convenience," said Drew Wrigley, U.S. Attorney for North Dakota.
Attorneys gave closing statements in Rodriguez's death penalty trial. Wrigley said he knew the jurors' task would not be easy, but said the evidence was clear. If the jury decides on death, it would be the first death sentence for either North Dakota or Minnesota in a century. Neither state has the death penalty.
"Our state and our region is a gentle place," said Wrigley, acknowledging the lack of a state death penalty. "We are not accustomed to this type of violence inflicted on Dru Sjodin."
Wrigley said that what the jury was now being asked to do was not gentle or polite, but argued that given the aggravating factors it was necessary to achieve justice.
Defense Attorney Richard Ney told jurors not to let the courtroom's calm immunize them from gravity of their decision.
"The government is asking you to put a living, breathing human being to death. Make no mistake, the finding of each of you will end a man's life," Ney said. "Your duty is not to one side or the other, it's a duty to yourself to search your hearts and minds and find what is appropriate."
Ney said the jurors needed to look at the whole person and understand that Rodriguez was the son of a poor migrant worker, poisoned by farm chemicals and sexually abused as a child.
"When you decide as a society to kill someone, we look at who they are, what they tried to be and what prevented them from being that," Ney said.
Jurors got the case around 12:30 p.m. A death sentence must be unanimous.
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© 2006 St. Paul Pioneer Press and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
BY SHANNON PRATHER
Pioneer Press
FARGO, N.D. — Jurors now are debating whether to sentence Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. to death or life in prison for kidnapping and killing Dru Sjodin.
Sjodin would have celebrated her 25th birthday next week. Instead, her family is left to struggle with her kidnapping, rape and slaying at the hands of Rodriguez, a repeat sex offender released from prison six months before her disappearance.
That weight of that devastating loss for the Sjodins, the brutality of that attack and Rodriguez's violent criminal history against women all call for a sentence of death, a federal prosecutor told jurors this morning.
"He chose to live out his rape fantasy and Dru Sjodin suffered for his pleasure. She died for his convenience," said Drew Wrigley, U.S. Attorney for North Dakota.
Attorneys gave closing statements in Rodriguez's death penalty trial. Wrigley said he knew the jurors' task would not be easy, but said the evidence was clear. If the jury decides on death, it would be the first death sentence for either North Dakota or Minnesota in a century. Neither state has the death penalty.
"Our state and our region is a gentle place," said Wrigley, acknowledging the lack of a state death penalty. "We are not accustomed to this type of violence inflicted on Dru Sjodin."
Wrigley said that what the jury was now being asked to do was not gentle or polite, but argued that given the aggravating factors it was necessary to achieve justice.
Defense Attorney Richard Ney told jurors not to let the courtroom's calm immunize them from gravity of their decision.
"The government is asking you to put a living, breathing human being to death. Make no mistake, the finding of each of you will end a man's life," Ney said. "Your duty is not to one side or the other, it's a duty to yourself to search your hearts and minds and find what is appropriate."
Ney said the jurors needed to look at the whole person and understand that Rodriguez was the son of a poor migrant worker, poisoned by farm chemicals and sexually abused as a child.
"When you decide as a society to kill someone, we look at who they are, what they tried to be and what prevented them from being that," Ney said.
Jurors got the case around 12:30 p.m. A death sentence must be unanimous.
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© 2006 St. Paul Pioneer Press and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.