Lunsford slams Couey

[archie07 0]

Lunsford Slams Couey, Pleads For Execution

Skip directly to the full story.

AP photo

By THOMAS W. KRAUSE The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jul 18, 2007

Related Links:

Special Report: Couey Trial

ADVERTISEMENT

More from this channel:

Search for more information:

Site Search Archives Keyword

TBO.com Site Search | Tribune archive from 1990

INVERNESS - Mark Lunsford had been waiting since the early spring of 2005 to address the man who abducted, sexually abused and killed his 9-year-old daughter.

On Tuesday, he was forced to wait a little longer.

A 1 p.m. hearing that was expected to last only a few hours went into the night. Shortly before 8 p.m., Lunsford finally took the stand.

Lunsford took a few minutes to describe what he misses about Jessica Marie "Jessie" Lunsford: her tomboy nature, her hugs and kisses, her habit of stealing raisins from his cereal bowl, her friends and neighbors running through his house. Reading from a written statement and dabbing tears from his eyes, he also spoke about how the murder devastated his community.

Then, Lunsford directed his eyes at John Evander Couey, the man convicted at a trial in Miami this year of killing Jessie. The trial was moved from Citrus County after an impartial jury could not be found locally.

"I hope you hear her crying as you try to sleep at night," Lunsford said. "I hope you spend the rest of your life in fear of death."

He pleaded for Judge Ric Howard to accept the jury's 10-2 recommendation to put Couey to death.

The judge is expected to announce his decision on Aug. 10.

Couey broke into the Lunsfords' Homosassa mobile home and took Jessie to a nearby trailer where he was staying. After sexually abusing her, he told her to climb into two plastic garbage bags. Couey dug a 4-foot hole and buried Jessie alive. She was discovered missing on Feb. 24, 2005.

Lunsford's words on Tuesday came after a seven-hour hearing where defense attorneys tried to convince the judge that Couey is mentally retarded. Florida law prohibits executing the retarded.

The long hearing included only one witness, Gregory Prichard, a clinical psychologist hired by the state to evaluate Couey.

Prosecutors questioned Prichard for less than an hour. Prichard said Couey's IQ is below average but not in the retarded range.

Couey has had seven IQ tests since he was 15. The lowest recorded his IQ at 64, the highest at 89. It is not common for IQ scores to deviate by more than three or four points, Prichard said.

The judge should, therefore, pay attention only to the higher scores, Prichard said. It is possible for a smart person to score lower on a test. It is not possible for a retarded person to score high.

"A person can't do better than they are capable of doing," he said. "You can't fake smart."

Prichard testified that he interviewed Couey for about 3 1/2 hours and also interviewed several of his family members and acquaintances. Both the test results and the conversations with people who knew Couey show that he can handle tasks that would be difficult for someone with mild to moderate retardation.

Then Couey's public defender, Dan Lewan, took over questioning. The questions were intensive and exhaustive, focusing on minute detail.

Prichard said that as a result of interviews with Couey's family members, he believes Couey has proved his ability to set short-term goals and complete those goals. Long-term goals, however, were more difficult form him to accomplish.

Lewan repeatedly asked for specific examples of when Couey completed goals. Prichard kept saying that the test he gave does not require specific examples. As an interviewer, he is only required to ask whether Couey can do certain tasks.

Prichard also said Couey was able to play games with others. He could follow the rules.

For example, Couey enjoyed playing card games such as rummy and electronic games including Wheel of Fortune. He also enjoyed fishing.

Couey, Prichard said, often showed good sportsmanship, not going into a tantrum if he lost, not gloating if he won - as might be common for a retarded person.

"How can you show good sportsmanship in fishing?" Lewan asked.

Prichard said he showed good sportsmanship in the card games but could enjoy fishing without supervision.

Defense attorneys also asked the judge to review testimony from the Miami trial regarding Couey's mental competence. Howard said he would review transcripts of that testimony and determine before the sentencing Aug. 10 whether Couey is retarded.

Although prosecutors seemed frustrated by Lewan's detailed questioning, the judge seemed quite relaxed.

The law is clear, he said. The defense has the right to ask as many questions as they want on this topic.

"There is no stone too small," he said.

Later, Lunsford addressed the media. He said he is not looking forward to the sentencing. He is looking forward to the day Couey will be put to death. "In Miami, he looked me in the eye. When he did, he knew I wanted him to die."