Post by Anja Nieser on Oct 1, 2006 5:59:59 GMT -5
LaTourette asks Governor Taft to uphold death sentence of cult
leader----Jeffery Lundgren to be executed Oct. 24 for murder of family
U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette, the former Lake County prosecutor, watched
sheriff's deputies pull the body of 7-year-old Karen Avery from her
makeshift grave.
He remembers that Karen's foot fell off her body as she was pulled from a
pit in a barn, an innocent victim of her parents' faith in a false
prophet.
Sixteen years later, LaTourette, R-Concord Township, sat at his computer
and composed a message of justice for Karen and her family, imploring Gov.
Robert Taft to uphold the death sentence of cult leader and convicted
murderer Jeffrey Lundgren.
Lundgren is slated to be executed Oct. 24 for the murders of Dennis and
Cheryl Avery and their three young daughters in April 1989.
Lundgren was leading a small group of religious followers, relying on
altered Mormon scriptures. The followers believed Lundgren was a prophet
of Jesus Christ and their faith in him would lead them to eternal glory at
the second coming of Christ, which was near.
To illustrate his power and his devotion to the will of God, Lundgren
accepted the Averys' savings and credit cards, fed them a "last supper"
and led the family into a Kirtland barn, where he bound, shot and buried
them together, according to Lake County Common Pleas Court testimony given
during Lundgren's trial.
The bodies of Dennis Avery, 49; his wife, Cheryl, 46; and their daughters,
Trina, 15, Rebecca, 13 and Karen, 7, were found after members left the
cult and alerted police.
LaTourette successfully prosecuted Lundgren and others involved in the
murders. Lundgren was sentenced to death on 5 counts of aggravated murder
and 5 counts of kidnapping. Lundgren's wife, Alice, 55, is serving 5 life
terms in prison for her part in the murders. In total, 13 cult members
were arrested in the case.
After Lundgren, 56, lobbied Tuesday for clemency before the Ohio Parole
Board, LaTourette wrote of his firsthand knowledge of the case in a letter
to Taft, urging the governor to uphold the death sentence.
"I wanted the governor to have my opinion. In my six years as prosecutor,
this was clearly the worst case we handled," LaTourette said. "When I
heard (Lundgren's) arguments for clemency, I had to do something," he
said.
Lundgren's attorney, Jim Jenkins, said his client is remorseful for having
killed the Avery family and that he has a severe undiagnosed mental
condition that was not recognized at the time of the trial. Jenkins also
said Lundgren shouldn't be killed by lethal injection because he is an
obese diabetic with high blood pressure, a condition which could make
lethal injection difficult, the Associated Press reports.
LaTourette said Lundgren showed no remorse for having killed the Averys,
either before, during or after his trial.
"Now (Lundgren) says he finds the Bible full of love. But in as late as
1998, he said he saw the death of Kirtland Police Chief Dennis Yarborough
as a "sign from God," LaTourette wrote to Taft.
Yarborough led the investigation of the Lundgren cult in the Avery murders
and suffered a fatal heart attack while jogging in 1998.
LaTourette said Lundgren's mental stability was tested twice before his
trial.
"(Lundgren) caused the death(s) of 5 people; 3 were children, and all he
could do (during his trial) was lecture us for 5 hours on his
interpretation of scripture. He has shown no remorse," LaTourette said.
Lundgren's last chance to live beyond Oct. 24 lies with Taft, who could
decide to make Lundgren's final punishment a life sentence.
Taft's press secretary Mark Rickel said the governor is writing a response
to LaTourette's letter and hasn't made a decision about Lundgren's request
for clemency.
"The governor will respond (to LaTourette) shortly. (Taft) has not
received a recommendation from the Ohio Parole Board and will not make a
decision until that recommendation is made," Rickel said.
Lundgren's is the 25th clemency case Taft has heard since 1999. Taft has
granted clemency in only one case, that of Jerome Campbell in 2003, Rickel
said. In that case, clemency was recommended by the parole board,
according to a 2003 press release from Taft's office.
"The governor takes these powers and this part of the job very, very
seriously. He weighs the views of everyone, from the board to Ohio
residents to those close to each individual case," Rickel said.
LaTourette said he is confident Taft will uphold the death sentence in the
Lundgren case.
"(Lundgren) doesn't deserve clemency, and he doesn't deserve mercy. He
didn't show those 3 little girls mercy," LaTourette said. "He has already
been given more time on earth since his conviction than the oldest Avery
girl, Trina, was able to enjoy (in) life," he said.
But it is the image of little Karen Avery that hurts LaTourette's heart
the most. Her fate, he said, was the most cruel of all.
(source: Star Beacon)
leader----Jeffery Lundgren to be executed Oct. 24 for murder of family
U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette, the former Lake County prosecutor, watched
sheriff's deputies pull the body of 7-year-old Karen Avery from her
makeshift grave.
He remembers that Karen's foot fell off her body as she was pulled from a
pit in a barn, an innocent victim of her parents' faith in a false
prophet.
Sixteen years later, LaTourette, R-Concord Township, sat at his computer
and composed a message of justice for Karen and her family, imploring Gov.
Robert Taft to uphold the death sentence of cult leader and convicted
murderer Jeffrey Lundgren.
Lundgren is slated to be executed Oct. 24 for the murders of Dennis and
Cheryl Avery and their three young daughters in April 1989.
Lundgren was leading a small group of religious followers, relying on
altered Mormon scriptures. The followers believed Lundgren was a prophet
of Jesus Christ and their faith in him would lead them to eternal glory at
the second coming of Christ, which was near.
To illustrate his power and his devotion to the will of God, Lundgren
accepted the Averys' savings and credit cards, fed them a "last supper"
and led the family into a Kirtland barn, where he bound, shot and buried
them together, according to Lake County Common Pleas Court testimony given
during Lundgren's trial.
The bodies of Dennis Avery, 49; his wife, Cheryl, 46; and their daughters,
Trina, 15, Rebecca, 13 and Karen, 7, were found after members left the
cult and alerted police.
LaTourette successfully prosecuted Lundgren and others involved in the
murders. Lundgren was sentenced to death on 5 counts of aggravated murder
and 5 counts of kidnapping. Lundgren's wife, Alice, 55, is serving 5 life
terms in prison for her part in the murders. In total, 13 cult members
were arrested in the case.
After Lundgren, 56, lobbied Tuesday for clemency before the Ohio Parole
Board, LaTourette wrote of his firsthand knowledge of the case in a letter
to Taft, urging the governor to uphold the death sentence.
"I wanted the governor to have my opinion. In my six years as prosecutor,
this was clearly the worst case we handled," LaTourette said. "When I
heard (Lundgren's) arguments for clemency, I had to do something," he
said.
Lundgren's attorney, Jim Jenkins, said his client is remorseful for having
killed the Avery family and that he has a severe undiagnosed mental
condition that was not recognized at the time of the trial. Jenkins also
said Lundgren shouldn't be killed by lethal injection because he is an
obese diabetic with high blood pressure, a condition which could make
lethal injection difficult, the Associated Press reports.
LaTourette said Lundgren showed no remorse for having killed the Averys,
either before, during or after his trial.
"Now (Lundgren) says he finds the Bible full of love. But in as late as
1998, he said he saw the death of Kirtland Police Chief Dennis Yarborough
as a "sign from God," LaTourette wrote to Taft.
Yarborough led the investigation of the Lundgren cult in the Avery murders
and suffered a fatal heart attack while jogging in 1998.
LaTourette said Lundgren's mental stability was tested twice before his
trial.
"(Lundgren) caused the death(s) of 5 people; 3 were children, and all he
could do (during his trial) was lecture us for 5 hours on his
interpretation of scripture. He has shown no remorse," LaTourette said.
Lundgren's last chance to live beyond Oct. 24 lies with Taft, who could
decide to make Lundgren's final punishment a life sentence.
Taft's press secretary Mark Rickel said the governor is writing a response
to LaTourette's letter and hasn't made a decision about Lundgren's request
for clemency.
"The governor will respond (to LaTourette) shortly. (Taft) has not
received a recommendation from the Ohio Parole Board and will not make a
decision until that recommendation is made," Rickel said.
Lundgren's is the 25th clemency case Taft has heard since 1999. Taft has
granted clemency in only one case, that of Jerome Campbell in 2003, Rickel
said. In that case, clemency was recommended by the parole board,
according to a 2003 press release from Taft's office.
"The governor takes these powers and this part of the job very, very
seriously. He weighs the views of everyone, from the board to Ohio
residents to those close to each individual case," Rickel said.
LaTourette said he is confident Taft will uphold the death sentence in the
Lundgren case.
"(Lundgren) doesn't deserve clemency, and he doesn't deserve mercy. He
didn't show those 3 little girls mercy," LaTourette said. "He has already
been given more time on earth since his conviction than the oldest Avery
girl, Trina, was able to enjoy (in) life," he said.
But it is the image of little Karen Avery that hurts LaTourette's heart
the most. Her fate, he said, was the most cruel of all.
(source: Star Beacon)