Michael Daniels - black

Sentenced to death in Warren, Arkansas

By: A judge, after a jury convicted Daniels after a 30 minute deliberation.

Date of crime: January 8, 2006

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Daniels killed James Williams (age 52) at a gas station. The defense admitted that Daniels stabbed Willimas in the head, chest and stomach with a Bowie knife. Daniels said he was angry after Williams cheated in a game of three-card monte, and wanted to recover the twenty dollars he had lost. Prosecutors said there was no evidence that Williams had cheated during the game.

Prosecutor(s): Thomas Deen

Defense lawyer(s): Bing Colvin

Sources: AP Alert 2/16/07 - AR 16:19:16

Gibson Derek Sales - black, age 44

Sentenced to death in Warren, Arkansas

By: A judge, following a jury’s recommendation which required only two hours of deliberation.

Date of crime: April 16, 2005

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Sales stabbed and strangled Willie York (age 56). Police found Sales in York’s home the day after the murder.

Prosecutor(s): Thomas Deen

Defense lawyer(s):

Sources: AP Alert 5/19/07 - AR 19:14:49

Steven Victor Wertz - white, age 36

Sentenced to death in Little Rock, Arkansas

By:

Date of crime: December 31, 1986

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Wertz was convicted in the shooting death of Terry and Katherine Watts. Terry was shot in the chest and his throat was slashed. Katherine was shot once in the head and once in the chest. Their 1-year-old son was found unharmed near his father’s body. There was a child custody battle going on at the time over 5-year-old Chasenda Wertz, daughter of Terry Watts and Belinda Wertz. Wertz and his co-defendant, James Snyder Jr., had been suspects from the beginning but no arrests were made for over 20 years.

Prosecutor(s):

Defense lawyer(s):

Sources: AP Alert 5/05/06 - KY 05:01:51