Weeping Jurors Give Killer Life In Prison

"Remorseless" Murderer Killed 11 People When He Parked An SUV On L.A. Train Tracks

(AP)  Jurors who wept while listening to victims' relatives recommended life in prison rather than death Tuesday for the man they convicted of murdering 11 people by causing a commuter rail disaster.

The penalty phase in the trial of Juan Alvarez, 29, had gone the jury late Monday and the panel signaled it had reached a decision Tuesday morning. Sentencing was scheduled for Aug. 20.

The panel had heard the prosecution describe Alvarez as a remorseless, smirking defendant who didn't think of the case as a tragedy, while the defense painted him as a mentally disturbed man who was almost aborted by his mother, was shaped by a childhood of horrific abuse and became a methamphetamine addict.

Early on the morning of Jan. 26, 2005, Alvarez parked his gasoline-doused sport utility vehicle on railroad tracks, causing a Los Angeles-bound Metrolink train to derail and crash into another train going the other way.

In addition to the 11 people killed, about 180 were injured in the wreck in Glendale, northeast of Los Angeles.

Prosecutors said Alvarez was trying to get his estranged wife's attention that day. Prosecutors disputed his claims of being suicidal and contended he actually had been thinking of killing his wife before derailing the train.

The defense maintained Alvarez was only trying to kill himself but changed his mind at the last minute and couldn't get the SUV off the tracks before it was struck.

During the penalty phase, jurors cried openly during testimony by survivors of the dead.

Superior Court Judge William Pounders admitted outside the jury's presence that he also had been affected emotionally by the survivors' testimony and told lawyers that to balance things out he would allow jurors to hear a tape of telephone message left by Alvarez for a cousin a few minutes after the catastrophe.

"I didn't mean to do this. ... A lot of innocent people died. I don't deserve to live. ... I apologize for everything. Please pray for me, please," Alvarez sobbed in the phone message which the judge acknowledged sounded "patently made up."

[libsluv2spit]

these jurors would be weaping a lot more when they find out how much it would cost california tax payers to keep this ''poor soul'' for the rest of his life..
so when you hear that california is broke..well you know where its going..

as the liberals say.."who would pick my cabbages?"

[blackyowe]

I doubt he knew the other train was coming and that is what caused the carnage. Not that I think what he did is OK but he did not exactly try to kill all those people. It''s s a sad, sad case. I hope the families of the dead find some kind of peace its so horrible.

[love4all2]

some comments here are just vile.. especially the racist ones. how could there be damage to a baby for thoughts of aborting it? other than the effects of the child hood following the birth...people get a grip. This guy killed 11 innocent people. he should be sent up the river. but there are also alot of white and black people in prison no need for racist remarks

[minnick8-2009]

This piece of non-human should have been aborted. He should not have had the opportunity to kill and maim these people.

Posted by gramto11

I always love it when someone declares that a living person shouldn''t have been born in the first place. After a baby is born, it is too late for that. His mother most likely made mistakes, and, he could have suffered abuse, but as an adult, he was responsible for his actions. He should be made to pay restitution for the damage he caused. His life wouldn''t be worth a plug nickle.

[gramto7]

This piece of non-human should have been aborted. He should not have had the opportunity to kill and maim these people.

[l00ker]

Oh well, that''s his problem now, and may he get his sorry @ss rheemed by as many inmates as those he killed and maimed. Who cares about this ***.