***Jury Recommends DEATH for Mark Sievers*** Penalty/Sentencing Phase

[Alethea]

The Mummerts look genuinely devastated (I feel sad for the wife). It is because they know Mark and don't want him to die or do they actually think he's innocent??

Many death penalty attorneys become death penalty attorneys because they oppose the death penalty, period. They do not think the state should have the power to execute a citizen or they think the criminal justice system is so inherently corrupt/biased that there is no way for a state to fairly carry out executions. Organizations like the innocence project - where attorneys fight to get cases reopened due to mistakes or misconduct - fall along the same lines. So a good DP attorney can believe their client is guilty and deserves LWOP but not want to see their client executed. It is a difficult field.

 

[kaen]

Yeah, I can't imagine "he is kind" and "he is loving" and "he's so smiley" and "he always has a spring in his step" sways a jury away from imposing the correct sentence for ordering another human being to be bludgeoned to death.

Only way it might is if you believe that CWW was a liar and MS didn't ask for it or called it off. But, the jury already determined he asked him to.

On another note, the jury did not determine that an aggravating factor was financial gain. So, I am interested why the jury thought he had her killed.

 

[beach]

Has MS had his parental rights stripped yet? If not, I wonder if they'll have to do that to get the life insurance to his daughters.

That was pretty much settled about 3 years ago. Pat (Teresa’s brother) filed suit and won. Teresa’s family has had access to much of the funds to pay for the care of the girls. They’ve had to keep a very strict, detailed accounting of all expenditures. I’m sure now that Mark has been convicted all that has been in limbo will be finally settled in full.

 

[Lhughessk]

Only way it might is if you believe that CWW was a liar and MS didn't ask for it or called it off. But, the jury already determined he asked him to.

On another note, the jury did not believe that it was done for financial gain. So, I am interested why the jury thought he had her killed.

If they didn’t believe he did it for financial gain, I can only assume they believe he did it because of an impending divorce. That he couldn’t bear to lose custody or have to share it.

I think that was part of it, but I also believe that monetary gain was another big part. He purposely lied about forgetting there was an insurance policy. He wouldn’t have done that if he hadn’t already been thinking long and hard about it.

 

[beach]

Sorry beach, I know you’re a mod and all. But you’ve given your personal opinion and that invites respectful dissent.

These girls didn’t lose their father; he lost them, thru his own choices. And that happened 4 years ago, so it’s nothing new. As far as celebrating, the one thing I celebrate is the fact that his ability to manipulate others is going to be severely limited by the nature of his death row isolation.

With respect, you don’t have a clue which posts have been removed. Save your “I know you’re a mod” qualifier because I have never discouraged opposing opinions here. In fact, quite the opposite. I encourage them. Pretty much anyone who has frequented this forum over the past 4 years will vouch for that.

 

[Teche]

Those 2 girl’s father killed their mother.
That’s a life long head trip.
I’m thankful the girls have each other.

And I hope the grandmother continues to have the support she needs and good health to be able to see the girls become adults.

 

[beach]

From what I understand, that does not automatically mean a new trial. Just that it goes before the Appeals judges, right?

Correct. It will automatically go before the Florida Supreme Court, then can be appealed before the U.S. Court of Appeals.

 

[Gardenista]

I think the jury probably thought he did it for financial gain, but they didn't think the state proved it beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

[FelicityLemon]

Only way it might is if you believe that CWW was a liar and MS didn't ask for it or called it off. But, the jury already determined he asked him to.

On another note, the jury did not determine that an aggravating factor was financial gain. So, I am interested why the jury thought he had her killed.

bbm

I thought that odd, too. Until they talk, I'm so curious. Is it Occam's Razor - something about the simplest answer usually being the correct one? Or am I mixing up with Sherlock Holmes or Poirot or whomever. Horses, not zebras, etc.

If they remained married, she would indeed have been worth more, but all signs pointed to her enlightenment of his alleged illegal activity and (cooking the books?) and divorce. He was screwed financially and he knew it. Someone upstream mentioned the possibility of double indemnity bringing his pot of gold up to near $10 million dollars. All at once, without having to actually work for it and wait for it to dribble in over the years via hard that hard work.

The biggest sign for me, is how hard he would truly have had to WORK if she had lived and her new business avenue took off. So much less time for monkey business.

If they divorced, he'd have to actually get a job because even with alimony, it wouldn't be provide the lifestyle he thought he deserved.

I dunno. I'll bet that ten million dollar lump sum "windfall" looked mighty good to him. Tsk tsk and he was only going to pay his bestest friend/brother a piddling $100,000.

 

[Oregonmama]

JMO, but there are so many different posters in here with different feelings and we have had a lot of new newbies join this case the last few weeks. I am just typing up happy posts re the DP because the crime fits the criteria and Mark is a very dangerous human. Wouldn't be surprised if witnesses and family members will feel unsafe....

 

[gitana1]

He has such odd affect... no emotion. Sipping away at his water...

Just the biggest creep to me. He acted like he was one of the attorneys. I cannot stand him. The arrogance. The cool evil. The presumption.

 

[Curious Me]

This is an interesting link with facts about the death penalty in Florida:
Death Row -- Florida Department of Corrections

MOO

It's hard for me to respect the DP sentence when it takes so long to carry it out in some states. I see in the link that one man spent 45 yrs. on Death Row and died not by execution.

Mark probably has twenty years of watching his 13" tv before he has to worry. He'll be served three meals a day plus commissary goodies, and have a daily shower. There are homeless people, some ill or elderly, who never hurt anyone in their life, forced to live like animals, so I can't feel sorry for Mark.

Court TV is discussing how random the legal system can be and that you never know. Some feel the DP is flawed. Not consistent. I have mixed feelings. I do think it isn't really effective in stopping future crimes if there's no execution for twenty plus years. It's a great plea deal tool though.

 

[gitana1]

Or that it doesn't look good for his record as an attorney.

No. That’s not at all how it works. All defense attorneys represent guilty people and it is exceedingly rare to get a guilty person off. It doesn’t “look bad” for defense counsel to lose a trial when their client is guilty and they litigated hard.

 

[iddy143]

No one here is making jokes out of it. The DP fits this crime, IMO

I’ll agree to disagree. I’ve seen some posts that are disappointing to say the least. We can’t bring ourselves down to these levels where we lose all sense of humanity. Wanting these criminals “taken care of” in jail doesn’t make you (collectively, not you specifically) much better than MS imo. I don’t condone his actions. His behavior throughout the trial was appalling. He was smug and I don’t condone any of it. All that said, he still has a mother and daughters... he’s still human. And for those reasons I can’t bring myself to have the hatred he had/has in his heart. But by all means...

 

[gitana1]

It's hard for me to respect the DP sentence when it takes so long to carry it out in some states. I see in the link that one man spent 45 yrs. on Death Row and died not by execution.

Mark probably has twenty years of watching his 13" tv before he has to worry. He'll be served three meals a day plus commissary goodies, and have a daily shower. There are homeless people, some ill or elderly, who never hurt anyone in their life, forced to live like animals, so I can't feel sorry for Mark.

Court TV is discussing how random the legal system can be and that you never know. Some feel the DP is flawed. I have mixed feelings. I do think it isn't really effective in stopping future crimes if there's no execution for twenty plus years. It's a great plea deal tool though.

Although I believe some people deserve to die, I am against the death penalty as an institution. It’s unequally applied, innocent people have been sentenced to death and executed and we are the only westernized nation to still have the death penalty. We are like Saudi Arabia or Iran when it comes to that. So that’s my dilemma.

I’m fine with the length of time because people on death row for years have been exonerated via the Innocence Project. If they’d just been taken out back and shot, oops.

That being said, I don’t feel sorry for him. Or Scott Peterson. Or any of those similar monsters on death row.

And I don’t feel sad to know that for the guilty, death row is vastly different than regular prison. He is going to have a horrible existence before he is ever executed.

Yes. It may take years but they will be far more miserable than if he was sentenced to life.

Just look at Jodi Arias. She’s living a life. She’s the queen where she’s housed. They get to work. Socialize. Engage in recreation with other inmates.

Not this convict.

And that doesn’t bother me one bit.

 

[Bobbywoo]

No. That’s not at all how it works. All defense attorneys represent guilty people and it is exceedingly rare to get a guilty person off. It doesn’t “look bad” for defense counsel to lose a trial when their client is guilty and they litigated hard.

I agree his attorneys did a great job. But if I was shopping around for a defense attorney I would look at their win/loss record. Wouldn't you?

 

[gitana1]

I feel absolutely horrible for his daughters. The rest of his family have to know the magnitude of what he did but I can't help thinking that his daughters still hold hope that he is innocent, even after the verdict. Now they have to experience him possibly being put to death. IMO TS's family did not look happy about the death recommendation.

They can’t be happy about any of this. Nothing can wipe that smug off his face and bring back their beloved.

I hope the girls have had a ton of therapy.

 

[gitana1]

I guess I thought it might be the DP when it was taking so long. Tonight, my thoughts are with Teresa's children and family. I do absolutely feel for the family of MS-- it is hard to love a criminal who has done really disgusting things to another human being. I do hope that his family can come to grips with the fact that he is guilty and find it in themselves to accept his guilt while still trying to love him.

I wonder if the judge will change the penalty in the Spencer hearing. For those who are attorneys and familiar with this process, would it be common for a judge to negate the jury's work? Could this jury have been so off base that a judge would feel compelled to change their wishes? I am curious. I think I will hate the waiting...

I think in no way is it possible for this judge to change the verdict. IMO after 17 years reading judges, this was justice to him.

 

[TTF14]

I think the jury probably thought he did it for financial gain, but they didn't think the state proved it beyond a reasonable doubt.

ITA. And I think this jury was so conscientious this was the only conclusion they could come to. Good on them.

 

[gitana1]

My goodness. I can’t bring myself to celebrate putting anyone to death, but I pray for these families.


I wouldn’t know if he celebrated his wife’s death as I wasn’t there. And if he had any part in it, then he had this coming. I’m not defending his actions, and certainly not his behavior. I just cannot find it in myself to celebrate putting someone to death. Deserved? Possibly. But you won’t see me making jokes about it. At the end of the day there are too many innocent people hurting from this to think there’s any positive outcome.

Yes but “if he had any part in it”???

He was found guilty. The evidence was incredible.