Roger Gillett - white, age 29

Sentenced to death in Forrest County, Mississippi

By: A jury.

Date of crime: March 2004

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Gillett was convicted of the murders of his cousin Vernon Hulett and Hulett’s girlfriend, Linda Heintzelman. Gillett and his girlfriend Lisa Jo Chamberlin, who was also charged with murder, were living with Hulett and Heintzelman at the time of the slayings and the victim’s bodies were found inside a freezer at an abandoned farmhouse by law officers searching for drugs. Hulett’s throat had been slashed, while Heintzelman had been smothered with a pillow. In a taped confession Chamberlain said that the victims were killed because they wouldn’t open a safe in Hulett’s home. At Gillett’s trial, the prosecution described the two days of torture that Heintzelman suffered before she was finally smothered. The defense called eight witnesses during the sentencing phase of Gillett’s trial who spoke on behalf of Gillett’s moral character. These witnesses included a priest, who testified that Gillett wanted to be baptized in prison and that he had a genuine faith. Gillett’s mother also provided tearful testimony and brought forth pictures of her son as a baby.

Prosecutor(s): Jon Mark Weathers, Ben Saucier

Defense lawyer(s): James Lappan

Sources: AP Alert-MS 08/3/06 05:01:25, 11/4/07 01:07:13; http://djournal9to5.wordpress.com/2007/11/05/in-the-news-50/

William Wilson - white, age 24

Sentenced to death in Lee County, Mississippi

By: A judge

Date of crime: April 2005

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Wilson was convicted of the murder of 2 year old Mallory Conlee. At the time of the girl's death, authorities said they had received a report that a motorcycle had fallen on her head. The defense brought forth the mitigating factors of Wilson’s age and lack of prior felonies.

Prosecutor(s):

Defense lawyer(s):

Sources: AP Alert-MS 05/31/07 00:01:07; http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2007/may/31/tots-slaying-nets-death-penalty/