Judge Warns Defendant that Satan Awaits, Bemoans Lack of Death Penalty Option
A Maryland judge lamented that the death penalty was not an option after hearing a murder defendant’s jailhouse threats caught on tape.
In the recorded conversations, defendant Jose Vasquez recalled smiling at the victim’s family members—people he described as punks—during the trial, mocked jurors for taking too long to convict him, and advised his brother how he could intimidate witnesses, the Washington Post reports.
In court, Vasquez was more contrite, saying God will judge him because he knows he is “going home” some day.
Judge Michael Algeo of Montgomery County seemed disgusted, according to the Post account. The Washington Post’s Crime Scene blog had additional details. Vasquez’s comments, Algeo said, revealed “a human being that doesn’t give a damn about life, about the sanctity of life, about anybody else’s life. To me that simply argues that there is a place for the death penalty in this state.”
“Not a single ounce of remorse,” Algeo said. “Mr. Vasquez, you said God knows, God knows the deal, and you’ll be going home some day. And I suspect the devil will be there to greet you.”
