Regional News
Bank killer's case to be argued in Neb. top court
Published Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 06:09 PM
Jorge Galindo
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) _ Attorneys for one of the Norfolk bank killers will argue next week that he shouldn't be sentenced to death because Nebraska didn't have a valid death penalty law at the time of the crime. In September 2002, Erick Vela, Jorge Galindo and Jose Sandoval killed five people in a Norfolk U.S. Bank branch. At the time, the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that a jury, not a judge, must weigh whether a killing merits a death sentence or life in prison. In Nebraska, judges had handed down death sentences since the 1970s. Nebraska's death penalty law was changed months later, and Vela, Galindo and Sandoval were sentenced to death. Attorneys appealed, arguing that the new method of sentencing couldn't apply retroactively. The Nebraska Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case September 5th.

© 2008 The Nebraska Rural Radio Association. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Nebraska Headlines from AP
Page Sponsors
Nebraska Pump Company
Nebraska's premier wholesaler for the water well industry.
Tri City Auto Parts
Your nationwide parts locater shipping within 24 hours
Heartland Motorsports Honda Tonniges Chevrolet Mac's Creek Vineyard Dekalb KRVN Harvest Break Grey