Guilty Plea In Idaho Murder-Kidnap
Duncan To Serve 3 Life Terms In Deal That Spares 9-Year-Old From Testifying
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Play CBS Video Video Death Penalty Sought Prosecutors in Idaho say they plan to seek the death penalty for Joseph Duncan, who is accused of killing three people in an effort to abduct two children. Hattie Kauffman reports.
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Video Duncan Linked To '97 Murder There's a new charge against accused killer Joseph Duncan, who is currently under arrest for four murders and a kidnapping. Police say he may also be responsible for the 1997 murder of a little boy.
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Joseph Duncan III still faces federal prosecution that could result in the death penalty. (AP)
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These undated family photos provided by the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department on May 17, 2005, show Shasta and Dylan Groene. (AP)
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Photo Essay The Groene Case Images and details surrounding the ordeal of a little girl
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Interactive Children In Danger Warning signs, state-by-state child services information and a history of child welfare reforms.
Joseph E. Duncan III, 43, was charged with bludgeoning two adults and a teenager to death at the home near Couer d'Alene so he could kidnap the family's two youngest children for sex.
The young boy was later found dead at a Montana campsite. Only 9-year-old Shasta Groene, rescued after Duncan walked into a Idaho restaurant with her seven weeks later, survived. She was expected to be a primary witness against Duncan at trial.
Duncan pleaded guilty shortly before his trial was to begin Monday to three counts of first-degree murder in the deadly hammer attack on Shasta's mother, Brenda Groene; Groene's fiance, Mark McKenzie; and Groene's 13-year-old son, Slade, in May 2005.
Under his plea agreement, he is to be sentenced to three consecutive life terms without parole in Idaho.
That sentencing was delayed pending federal prosecution that could result in the death penalty, Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas said.
"We essentially gave up nothing," Douglas said. "It is virtually guaranteed he will face two death juries."
The agreement calls for Duncan to cooperate fully with law enforcement officers on the state charges and the anticipated federal charges in the kidnapping of the two children and the killing of Dylan in Montana.
©MMVI The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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- Go witness a child abuse case just once and see what these perverts have done to those children, watch them rock back and forth and look into their eyes, its enough to make you cry. Once convicted, they should never be turned loose. I think that the judges and lawyers that turn them loose, need to be thrown off the bench and disbarred.
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- Thank goodness this creep has spared Shasta the ordeal of testifying in court!
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- Hope they put him in general populationand let the other cons show him what abuse is all about.
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- BURN HIM! Slow
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