[Deathpenalty]death penalty news----TEXAS

[Rick Halperin]

Feb. 18





TEXAS----new death sentence

Death Penalty Sentence


A jury has decided; 23-year old Justen Grant Hall will get death for the
murder of Melanie Billhartz.


Hall was found guilty of killing Melanie in 2002 while he was on bond;
accused of killing Arturo Diaz.

The jury deliberated for close to 6 hours. Melanie's sister read an impact
statement after hearing the verdict and broke down in tears.

The family of Arturo Diaz was also in the courtroom; they too broke down
after hearing Hall's sentence.

The family mambers say Hall has shown no remorse for what he's done.
During closing arguments Friday morning, he blew a kiss at the prosecuting
attorney while she gave her argument.

Hall looked a little fidgety after jurors handed down the verdict and gave
an obscene gesture in the courtroom.

Defense attorneys were pushing for life in prison, but say Hall told them
he'd rather get death than be in prison for the rest of his life.

(source: KTSM News)