Post by thinkinkmesa on Mar 12, 2008 12:44:09 GMT -5
Top court refuses to hear appeal
WARREN — The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of Jason Getsy, who is facing death by lethal injection for a 1995 murder-for-hire killing in Trumbull County.
Getsy, formerly of Hubbard, was convicted of aggravated murder in the slaying of Ann Serafino, 68, of Hubbard, and attempted murder for wounding her son, Charles Serafino, in the same attack.
Prosecutors said John Santine offered Getsy and two others $5,000 to kill Charles Serafino, a business rival, and any witnesses because of a dispute over Serafino’s landscaping business.
Santine, who was convicted of aggravated murder, was sentenced to life in prison, as were Richard McNulty and Ben Hudach, who entered guilty pleas.
LuWayne Annos, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor, said Tuesday the prosecutor’s office must wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the question of lethal injection’s being cruel and unusual punishment.
If the high court rules that it is not cruel and unusual punishment, Annos said the prosecutor’s office will ask the Ohio Supreme Court for an execution date.
In the meantime, Annos said, she expects Getsy to seek clemency from Gov. Ted Strickland. If that occurs, the prosecutor will oppose it, she added.
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in the case. The appellate court found that Getsy’s death sentence was not disproportionate to Santine’s sentence of life in prison.
www.vindy.com/news/2008/mar/12/top-court-refuses-to-hear-appeal/
WARREN — The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of Jason Getsy, who is facing death by lethal injection for a 1995 murder-for-hire killing in Trumbull County.
Getsy, formerly of Hubbard, was convicted of aggravated murder in the slaying of Ann Serafino, 68, of Hubbard, and attempted murder for wounding her son, Charles Serafino, in the same attack.
Prosecutors said John Santine offered Getsy and two others $5,000 to kill Charles Serafino, a business rival, and any witnesses because of a dispute over Serafino’s landscaping business.
Santine, who was convicted of aggravated murder, was sentenced to life in prison, as were Richard McNulty and Ben Hudach, who entered guilty pleas.
LuWayne Annos, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor, said Tuesday the prosecutor’s office must wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the question of lethal injection’s being cruel and unusual punishment.
If the high court rules that it is not cruel and unusual punishment, Annos said the prosecutor’s office will ask the Ohio Supreme Court for an execution date.
In the meantime, Annos said, she expects Getsy to seek clemency from Gov. Ted Strickland. If that occurs, the prosecutor will oppose it, she added.
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in the case. The appellate court found that Getsy’s death sentence was not disproportionate to Santine’s sentence of life in prison.
www.vindy.com/news/2008/mar/12/top-court-refuses-to-hear-appeal/