New Jersey

Brian P. Wakefield—black, age 23

Sentenced to death in Atlantic County, New Jersey

By: A jury

Date of crime: 1/18/01

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Wakefield went to the door of the home of Richard and Shirley Hazard (ages 70 and 65). When Richard answered the door, Wakefield beat and stabbed him to death. Then Wakefield threw Shirley down the cellar stairs and kicked and stabbed her to death. He ransacked the home and took valuables, then set the house and bodies on fire and left in their car. Wakefield’s mitigation consisted of evidence of a traumatic childhood, and that he was high on bad drugs at the time of the killings.

Prosecutor(s): Cary Skill

Defense lawyer(s):

Sources: Press of Atlantic City 6/27/04; Star-Ledger (Newark) 2/7/04, 2/12/04