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Page4B.Pl WGROl'ND DAILY NKVVS, Saturday Morning Jan 28.1978Convicted Trigger Man Sentenced To Death in the Electric ChairJACKSONVILLE Fla I PI Calling the for-hire murder of former banker Forrest J Harris cruel and atrocious.” a circuit judge Friday sentenced Krnest Charles lowns. convicted trigger man in the killing, to death in the electric chair Judge Dorothy Pate also sentenced Downs to Jo years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder She said the death sentence was based on the fact a crime was committed for mone\ and that Downs had a previous felony convictionBefore sentencing. Downs drew ap plause from members of his family, including his mother and grandmother, when he told Pate. If vour decision is9death for me. then Larr\ Johnson shouldhave to sit there and hold my handwJohnson testified for the state, after being granted immunity from prosecution He said he was with Downs the night of April 23. 1977. when Harris was killed and saw Downs pump four bullets into Harris' head Testimony disclosed that Downs and Johnson were paid $5,000 to kill Harris State Attorney Fd Austin said he wasWsatisfied all the principals” in the Harris murder were accounted for. referring to the late Ronald B Garelick, alleged mastermind in the plot w ho had $500,000 in life insurance on Harris. John Barfield, the middleman convicted of murder lastweek, and Downs himselfTwo hours after Barfield's arrest lastAug 4. Garelick was killed when his plane crashed at Craig Field after a 30 minute flight Investigators said he might have committed suicide since they could find noWmechanical problems with the plane The jury that convicted Downs had recommended the death sentence.Downs' attorney. Richard Brown, requested a new trial prior to Friday’s sentencing, arguing that the jury should have been sequestered during the four davs between the end of the trial and the jury’s meeting to recommend a sentence Austin said it was speculative to argue this would have changed the jury’s recommendation and Pate said the time span seemed reasonable to her
Newspaper Details
Fort Walton Beach Playground Daily News
Fort Walton Beach, Florida, US
Sat, Jan 28, 1978
Page 12
Full Page
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USA 08 Jan 2020
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