Neo-Nazi Gets Life Without Parole For Murder Of Gay Teenager

[Emit]

New Port Richey, Florida -- After less than 30 minutes of deliberations, a jury recommended life in prison to the man found guilty of killing a gay teen and stabbing a woman in New Port Richey.

The judge followed the jury's recommendation and on Thursday sentenced John Ditullio, 24, to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

~snip~

Each day during the trial, a makeup artist was paid up to $150 to cover Ditullio's tattoos, which include a Nazi swastika, barbed wire and an expletive.

On Thursday, the makeup artist was there, but attorneys told the judge that Ditullio didn't want to wear any makeup.

Late Wednesday night, Ditullio was found guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder.

Prosecutors say he broke into a mobile home in New Port Richey of 2006 and fatally stabbed Kristofer King, 17, because he was gay, and injured Patricia Wells because she was friends with a black man.

~snip~

Ditullio's attorneys plan to appeal the guilty verdict. They have 30 days to file their appeal.

Because of the public outcry over the cost of the state-appointed makeup artist, they told the judge they would represent Ditullio pro bono, or free of charge, during the appeals process.

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=162652&catid=8

[hyphenate]

1. I gather Florida doesn't have the death penalty?

I abhor the death penalty, but sometimes it's warranted.

[Nye Bevan]

3. I used to feel that way.

But now I am convinced life without parole is better. No drama. No Hollywood stars adopting his cause. No interventions by foreign heads of state or the Pope. No last-minute 2 AM Supreme Court hearings. No desperate appeals to the Governor. And in this case the guy might well have been adopted as a Neo-Nazi cause celebre. No, just let the guy slowly rot away in a small cell for the next 50 years or so to think about what he did. The cost of keeping him in jail for the rest of his life is significantly less than the cost of the death penalty appeals process.

[bluestateguy]

2. Uh, why did the tatoos have to be covered up?

At taxpayer expense too.

"Oh, oh, it could bias the jury!"

Maybe he should of thought of that before murdering and beating someone.

[Posteritatis]

4. I'm glad he's convicted, but I'm also glad he got a fair trial.

The right to the latter should be absolute, without even a hint of exceptions, in all cases. I'm okay with taxpayer dollars going towards that, no matter what the circumstances of the case.

[myrna minx]

5. K&R n/t