Anthony Kirkland

Anthony Kirkland
c. 2010 Inmate Mugshot
Born (1968-09-13) September 13, 1968
United States
Criminal penalty Death
Conviction(s) Murder
Details
Victims 5
Span of crimes
 1987–2009
Country United States
State(s) Ohio
Date apprehended
 March 8, 2009

Anthony Kirkland (born September 13, 1968)[1] is an American serial killer. Between 2006 and 2009, Kirkland murdered two women and two girls in the Cincinnati area, following a 16-year prison term for the 1987 killing of his girlfriend.

1987 killing

On May 20, 1987, Kirkland killed his girlfriend, Leola Douglas, and set her body on fire. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and served 16 years in prison.[2] He was released from parole in 2004.[3]

2006–2009 murders

From May 4, 2006, through March 7, 2009, Kirkland murdered four females (two women and two teenagers), three of them by strangulation. In each case, he had burned his victim's body in an attempt to conceal evidence of rape.[4][5] Kirkland was arrested near the scene of his last murder victim in possession of her watch and iPod.[4]

Victims

Kirkland's five victims include:

  • Leola Douglas, age 27, killed May 20, 1987;[3]
  • Casonya Crawford, age 14, murdered May 4, 2006;[4][6]
  • Mary Jo Newton, age 45, murdered June 14, 2006;[4][6]
  • Kimya Rolison, age 25, murdered December 22, 2006;[4][6] and
  • Esme Kenney, age 13, murdered March 7, 2009.[4][6]

Trial

On the morning of his trial, Kirkland voluntarily entered a plea of guilty to the murder and abuse-of-a-corpse charges relating to Mary Jo Newton and Kimya Rolison. On March 12, 2010, the jury found Kirkland guilty on all the remaining counts, including all the death-penalty specifications; the jury recommended a sentence of death. On March 31, 2010, he was sentenced to death.[7] The court sentenced Kirkland to death for the aggravated murder of Esme Kenney (while committing or attempting to commit a rape) and for the aggravated murder of Casonya Crawford (while committing or attempting to commit a robbery). The court also sentenced Kirkland to 70-years-to-life for the murders of Mary Jo Newton and Kimya Rolison.

Kirkland is presently incarcerated at Chillicothe Correctional Institution in Ohio.

Appeals

On May 13, 2014, the Supreme Court of Ohio upheld Kirkland's conviction and death sentence.[8][9][10]

On October 16, 2014, the Supreme Court of Ohio granted a motion by Kirkland for a stay of execution.[11]

On April 6, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Kirkland's appeal.[12]

In May 2016, the Supreme Court of Ohio granted a motion for a new sentencing hearing for Kirkland.[13]

On November 9, 2017, Perry Ancona and Norm Aubin, the most recent attorneys for Kirkland, successfully made a request to Judge Patrick Dinkelacker of the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas that they be removed from the case. According to them and prosecutor Mark Piepmeier, an attorney with the state public defender's office who is not Kirkland's attorney of record has been discussing the case and his sentencing with him.[14]

Kirkland resentencing hearing began with opening statements on July 25, 2018.[15] On August 6, 2018, the jury recommended that Kirkland should be sentenced to death.[16]

On August 28, 2018 a Hamilton County judge agreed with the jury and sentenced Kirkland to death.[17][18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Offender Details
  2. ↑ Police: Anthony Kirkland suspect in several murders - FOX19.com-Cincinnati News, Weather & Sports
  3. 1 2 http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090311/NEWS0107/903110316/Anthony-Kirkland-law-1987-2009
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kirkland sentenced to death | Cincinnati.com | cincinnati.com
  5. ↑ http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090310/NEWS0107/903100391/Coroner-Esme-strangled
  6. 1 2 3 4 State of Ohio vs. Anthony Kirkland, Case No. 2010-0854, In the Supreme Court of Ohio, Merit Brief of Appellant Anthony Kirkland, at Page 1
  7. ↑ Jurors find Anthony Kirkland guilty of all 12 counts, including aggravated murder | Cincinnati.com | cincinnati.com
  8. ↑ "Death sentence upheld for killer of 2 teen girls". Washington Times. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  9. ↑ Maloney, Kathleen (13 May 2014). "Supreme Court Rejects Death Penalty Appeal of Hamilton County Man in Murders of Two Women and Two Girls". COURT NEWS OHIO. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  10. ↑ "Court rejects serial killer's death sentence appeal". cincinannati.com. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  11. ↑ "The Supreme Court of Ohio State of Ohio v. Anthony Kirkland" (PDF). 16 October 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  12. ↑ Johnson, Alan (6 April 2015). "Child killer Anthony Kirkland loses early round at U.S. Supreme Court". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  13. ↑ "Anthony Kirkland, convicted Cincinnati killer, granted re-sentencing". YAHOO! NEWS. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  14. ↑ Serial killer's attorneys removed from case
  15. ↑ "Defense argues for life without parole in first day of Anthony Kirkland resentencing". July 25, 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  16. ↑ "Kirkland victim's grandmother: 'Lay down and take your punishment'". August 6, 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  17. ↑ https://www.wlwt.com/article/judge-sentences-serial-killer-anthony-kirkland-to-death/22849567
  18. ↑ "Judge sentences convicted serial killer Anthony Kirkland to death". August 28, 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
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