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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (July 18, 1996)
Anger Continued from Page 5 About 12:15 a.m., as Gov. Ben Nelson was receiving a call at the Governor’s mansion from the peniten tiary saying the execution had been carried out, the pro-death penalty side began chanting, “Just like Otey.” They were referring to Harold Lamont Otey, who was executed Sept. 2, 1994. Otey was‘the first man ex ecuted in Nebraska's electric chair in more than 35 years. Joubert was pronounced dead at 12:22 a.m. A cheer went up from the pro-death penalty group when Joubert’s pen pal from Ireland, Theresa O’Brien, with tears running down her cheeks, le ft the prison at about 12:25 a.m. As she walked past the anti-death penalty group she stopped to hug Effie Johnson of Lincoln. O’Brien stayed with Johnson when she has come to Lincoln to sec Joubcrt. O’Brien wouldnot giveacomment, but did speak quickh and quietly to Johnson before leaving the area. Johnson said she couldn’t quote what O’Brien told her. Scott Wesley, a member of Nebras kans Against the Death Penalty, said the last few months had been long. “This is horrifying,” Wesley said. “There have been no changes and the people of Nebraska haven’t learned a damn thing. We have a lot of work to do.” Sept. 18,1983 Sept. 21,1983 Dec. 2,1983 Dec. 5,1983 Jan.11,1984 July 3,1984 July 5,1984 to Oct 15,1990 Oct. 9,1984 Dec. 29,1986 to March 9,1992 Oct 11,1994 Jan. 25,1996 May 16,1996 June 14,1996 to June 27,1996 June 27,1996 June 28,1996 July 1,1996 July 8,1996 July 16,1996 July 17,1996 Source: AP Danny Joe Eberie, 13, disappears while delivering newspapers on his Sunday morning route in Bellevue. Eberie's body is found in a ditch near Bellevue, about two miles south ofOfluttAir Force Base. He was stabbed several times. Christopher Walden, 12, disappears while walking to school nearRapflbon. Walden's body is found in a snow-covered grove of trees in northern Sarpy County. He also was stabbed several times. A man attempts to assault a Bellevue pro-school teacher who memorizes toe license plate on his rented cat Sarpy County authorities teaoe the license plate to Joubert. Joubert is arrested in Bellevue and confesses in detail to toe minders erf Eberie and Walden. He is charged with two courts each of first-degree murder kidnapping and using a weapon to commit a felony. Joubert pleads guilty to two counts of first-decree minder in Sarpy County District CourtThe kidnapping and weapons charges are dropped in exchange for the pleas. Joubert is questioned, tried and convicted in Maine erf the murder of Richard Stetson, 11, of Portland, Maine. Joubert lived in Portland when Stetson was killed on Aug. 22,1982. He was sentenced to life in prison in Maine. * A three-judge panel of the Sarpy County District Court sentences Joubert to death. Joubert begins his legal battles. He comes dose to the electric chair three times during this time period, each time receiving a stay of execution in the days before. He also tries to be moved to Maine, which has no death penalty, to serve his sentence in the Stetson murder AUS. District Court judge in Omaha overturns Jouberfs death sentences, saying Nebraska's death penalty law is unconstitutionally vague. The judge ciders Joubert resentenced m Sarpy County. State appeals. Three-judge panel of the 8di UJS. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstates tie deatii penalties. State Supreme Court sets a June 28 execution date. hi tire days before his scheduled execution, Jouberfs attorneys fife a mountain of appeals. At one time, he had four suits pending in four courts. AH were denied. Six and one-half hours before Joubert was scheduled to be executed, the U.S. Supreme Court grants a temporary stay erf execution to decide whether to hear his fourth appeal to consider his case. US. Supreme Court delays ruling on Joubert appeal before death warrant expires. UJS. Supreme Court rejected the two formal appeals filed in behalf of Joubert, clearing the way for state authorities to schedule a new execution date. Nebraska Supreme Court schedules new execution date for July 17. Less than 10 hours before Jouberfs scheduled execution, the US. Supreme Court refuses two requests to delay it Attorneys stop filing suits at that point At 1252 am, Joubert is pronounced dead, ending over 12 years of legal battles. Death Row John Joubert was one of 12 mer on Nebraska’s death row. The others: ROGER BJORKLUND, 34 Sentenced Sept. 20,1994, for the kid napping, rape and murder of Candice Harms, 18, of Lincoln. The UNL fresh man disappeared Sept. 22, 1992 and was missing for nearly three months before another man convicted in the case led police to her shallow grave. The case faces automatic review by the Nebraska Supreme Court. PETER LYNN HOCHSTEIN, 42, and C. MICHAEL ANDERSON, 44 Sentenced Aug. 24,1978, for the mur der of Omaha real estate man Ron Abboud in October 1975. A U.S. Dis trict Courtj udge reduced the sentences to life in prison on Jan. 16,1996, on the basis of a ruling by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that part of Nebraska’s death penalty law was un constitutionally vague. The state is appealing the decision. May 16,1996, ordered that Reeves b resentenced because the state- Su preme Court did not give him enougl information when it reaffirmed his deat! sentence. The state is appealing the decisior MICHAEL RYAN, 47 A cult leader, sentenced Oct. 16,198( for torturing and killing James Thimr at a farm near Rulo in 1985. Earliei Ryan pleaded guilty to second-degre murder in the killing of 5-year-old Luk Stice at the farm. He has lost two appeals before th state Supreme Court, the latest on Jul 21,1995, when the high court said h wasn’t entitled to a new trial. The ruling upheld a decision by th Richardson County District Court. Th state Supreme Court had set a Dec.' 1995, execution date before a U.S. Dis trict Court judge ordered an indefmit stay of execution. An appeal was file' in November 1995 in the U.S. Distric Court of Nebraska. JOHN LOTTER,25 Sentenced Feb. 21, 1996, for killing three people in a farmhouse near Humboldt on New Year’s Eve, 1993. Prosecutors said Lotter murdered Teena Brandon, 21, a woman who posed as a man, to silence her because she had accused him of rape. Lisa Lambert, 24, and Philip DeVine, 22, were killed because they were poten tial witnesses to the crime. The case faces automatic review by the Ne braska Supreme Court. CAREY DEAN MOORE, 38 Sentenced June 20, 1980, for killing two Omaha cab drivers in August 1979. The U.S. Supreme Court ordered him resentenced in Douglas County Dis trict Court, where he was resentenced to death in April 1995. He has appealed the sentence to the Nebraska Supreme Court. CHARLES JESS PALMER, 58 First sentenced to death Aug. 7,1980, for killing Grand Island coin dealer Eugene Zimmerman in 1979. Palmer has been tried three times and sen tenced to death three times. One ap peal was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 1994. His latest appeal was fded March 22, 1996, in the Ne braska Supreme Court. RANDOLPH REEVES, 40 Sentenced Sept. 11, 1981, for killing two Lincoln women in March 1980, one of whom was raped. The other woman was pregnant. Both women were stabbed to death. U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Nebraska Supreme Court to review his sentence in 1991. The state court reaffirmed his death sen tence. A U.S. District Court judge on Compiled by Th< JERRY SIMPSON, 40 Sentenced April 30,1996, for killing fellow prisoner Kevin Goodenow o North Platte in 1993. Simpson stabbet Goodenow at the Lincoln Correctiona Center over a drug payment. Simpsoi was servinga life sentence for killing; California man in 1976 near Sidney The case faces automatic review ft the Nebraska Supreme Court. CLARENCE VICTOR, 63 Sentenced Nov. 21,1988, for beating 82-year-old Alyce Singleton to death in her Omaha home in December 1987 The U.S. Supreme Court refused tc review his case. A federal appeal is or hold while a state appeal proceeds ir Douglas County District Court. A U.S District Court judge stayed an execu tion that had been scheduled for Sept 22,1995. ROBERT E. WILLIAMS, 59 Sentenced June 30, 1978, for killing two Lincoln women in 1977. Williams confessed to murdering Catherine Brooks and Patricia McGarry, both 25 He also told police he had killed Vir ginia Rowe, a Cornell, Iowa, farm wife was who found raped and dead in her home the next day. He also has admit ted that he raped, shot and left for dead another woman in Minnesota who survived. Williams came within three hours ol beingcxecuted March 22,1995 before the state Supreme Court stayed the execution and ordered the Lancaster County District Court to determine il there had been jury misconduct in the case and, if so, whether it warranted a new trial. The Lancaster County Dis trict Court denied Williams’ request for a new trial on Feb. 8, 1996. An appeal was filed May 30,1996, in the Nebraska Supreme Court. 1 Associated Press