On March 20, 2009, Cowley County District Judge Jim Pringle imposed a sentence of death on Justin Thurber, following the recommendation of the jury which had earlier convicted him of capital murder in the January 2007 death of Jodi Sanderholm. Pringle also sentenced Thurber to 176 months for aggravated kidnapping. The judge rejected a defense motion for a new trial, ruling … [Read more...] about Thurber Receives Death Sentence
Kansas Cases
US Supreme Court Issues Ruling in Marsh Case: Kansas Death Penalty is Constitutional
In a narrow, 5-4 decision made public on Monday, June 26, 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Kansas' death penalty law is constitutional. The ruling resulted from the case of Kansas v. Marsh. The opinion, written by Justice Thomas, says that Kansas' statute satisfies the constitutional mandates "because it rationally narrows the class of death-eligible defendants and … [Read more...] about US Supreme Court Issues Ruling in Marsh Case: Kansas Death Penalty is Constitutional
Elms's Death Sentence Gone, Now Sentenced to Hard 40
On November 20, 2004, Stanley Elms, convicted of the 1998 rape and murder of Regina Gray, was re-sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 40 years. Elms was originally sentenced to die and spent the intervening years on death row, but his sentenced was affected by the Kansas Supreme Court's ruling in the Kleypas case which would have called for a … [Read more...] about Elms's Death Sentence Gone, Now Sentenced to Hard 40
Statement issued by KCADP following the Kansas Supreme Court's ruling in the Kleypas case
The experience of Kansas' use of the death penalty these past seven years shows that we are no different than other states. Today's court decision verifies what opponents of the death penalty have said in the past twenty plus years of death penalty debate in our state: Our criminal justice system makes mistakes. The Coalition regrets that the Court did not find the entire … [Read more...] about Statement issued by KCADP following the Kansas Supreme Court's ruling in the Kleypas case