Jury hears closing arguemnts in Ill. restaurant slayings case; must decide on death sentence
By APTuesday, October 20, 2009
Closing arguments made in restaurant slayings case
CHICAGO — A jury has heard closing arguments and must now decide whether to hand a death sentence to a man convicted of helping kill seven employees of a suburban Chicago restaurant in 1993.
Defense attorney Mark Levitt asked jurors on Tuesday to spare the life of James Degorski. He says a life sentence for Degorski would be punishment enough.
Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Tom Biesty says Degorski does not deserve the jury’s mercy because he didn’t show it to those he shot and stabbed at the Brown’s Chicken and Pasta restaurant in Palatine.
Degorski’s co-defendant, Juan Luna, was convicted of murder in 2007 and sentenced to life in prison after one juror held out and refused to vote in favor of the death penalty.
