Idaho Child Killer Gets Death Penalty

Joseph Edward Duncan III Sentenced For 2005 Kidnapping, Torture And Murder Of Boy

(AP)  A longtime sex offender was sentenced to death Wednesday for the 2005 kidnapping, torture and murder of a 9-year-old northern Idaho boy after federal jurors who watched video of some of the brutality deliberated just three hours.

The jurors' recommendation was binding on U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge, who thanked them, dismissed them and then sentenced Joseph Edward Duncan III.

Relatives of the victim, Dylan Groene, remained somber as the jury's decision was announced. Duncan murdered Dylan's mother, older brother and his mother's fiance to kidnap him and his younger sister, who was sexually abused along with her brother but survived.

Duncan showed no reaction other than smiling as the verdict was passed to the judge.

He took Dylan and the boy's then-8-year-old sister, Shasta, to a remote western Montana campsite where he raped, tortured and threatened them before shooting Dylan in the head and burning his body. Jurors viewed horrifying video Duncan made of him sexually abusing, torturing and hanging Dylan until the boy lost consciousness.

"This defendant is dangerous. He is a predator who takes pride in his work," prosecutor Traci Whelan said. "He earned this day. His actions ... call out for the death penalty."

Duncan acted as his own attorney but had offered no response to prosecutors' closing argument.

"I have no argument," he told the court.

With an eye toward kidnapping the two children, Duncan stalked their family. In 2005 he entered their Coeur d'Alene-area home and used a hammer to fatally bludgeon their 13-year-old brother, Slade Groene, his mother, Brenda Groene, and her fiance, Mark McKenzie.

Duncan was arrested and Shasta rescued weeks after the kidnappings when a waitress at a Denny's in Coeur d'Alene called police after recognizing the two as they ate.

Duncan pleaded guilty in December to 10 federal charges involving the kidnappings and the murder of Dylan. He pleaded guilty to the other three murders in state court, where he also could be sentenced to death.

"I am so glad this is over. Justice has been served," said Darlene Torres, Brenda Groene's mother. "It's been very painful."

She said that when she saw Duncan in court, "I seen nothing but an evil, empty, coldhearted shell."

In closing arguments, Whelan reminded the jury of Duncan's lifelong "pattern of violence," including a conviction for raping a boy at gunpoint in 1980. Duncan has told investigators he killed two half-sisters from Seattle in 1996, and he is charged with killing a young boy in Riverside County, Calif., in 1997.

Duncan may now be brought to Riverside County to stand trial in the death of Anthony Martinez.

Whelan told the jury that Duncan would pose a risk even to prison guards and fellow inmates.

"This defendant uses the time that he has to think out these plans and he is dangerous," she said. "He is adaptable and he is dangerous."

The heinousness of the evidence in Dylan's murder made it particularly difficult for the jurors to remain impartial as they deliberate, said Art Patterson, a jury consultant and senior vice president of the trial consulting firm DecisionQuest.

"Generally, for human beings, it's pretty hard to maintain impartiality when confronted with such horror," Patterson said.

"How could any juror not want to see this person removed from our list of living human beings? How could you live with yourself as a juror if there's any chance this human being could escape from jail and do something like this again?" Patterson said.

[myopinion381]

Wish I could be the one that pulls the switch on this slime ball. Don''t let him sit in prison long. Get it over with. The world will be a better place without him.

[haoli25]

I agree. He has sucked up too much oxygen already, execute him quickly!

[bobnjersey]

[In May 2005, Duncan went to Idaho, broke into the home and bludgeoned 13-year-old Slade Groene, his mother, Brenda Groene, and her fiance, Mark McKenzie, before abducting Dylan and his sister Shasta and taking them to a remote campsites and other locations in Montana. After sexually traumatizing the children for weeks, Duncan killed Dylan in front of his little sister and burned his body.]

now this is what the waterboard is for ... let''s see how long he can last ... then kill him.

[thisandthat1]

Well, if this idiot didn''t get it .... who would? Too bad they can''t fry him twice!

[avigil2]

He is the devil.

[shawnp20]

He''s got the look of a guy who likes to suck a 10 year old''s d**k!!! Pervert should be castrated with a rusty spoon and then thrown into an olympic sized swimming pool filled with rubbing alcohol!!! Skin him like a catfish, and drop hm into a tank filled with pirahna!!!!!!!

[pjh822]

Adios pig!

[michtop]

Right after the sentence was read he should have been taken outside the court house and had his throat slit. Right after his throat was slit people should have been allowed to urinate on him while he bled to death.

[azmka]

Is anyone sure that this thing is even human. Send his sick f*cking a** to a slaughter house to die like a pig. (no offense to any pigs)Then burn anything and anyone he ever loved!

[azmka]

I''m all for due process of the law BUT NOT IN THIS CASE! I usually don''t feel this way, but, right now I would love nothing more than to chain him to a wall and try out a few tricks from dungeon masters during the middle ages.

He should be used for medical testing while he waits on death row. Let''s start by seeing how long it take him to heal or die after poking his eyes out with a dull stick covered in feces.

[ictrep]

I agree with michtop -- really I agree with everyone. He''s wasted enough oxygen already. The Iraqui''s have the right idea -- take him to a dungeon -- hang his butt until his head snaps off.

[jennmarikp]

I agree this man should absolutely be executed however he should be raped, beaten, hung until he passes out, etc. No way should he receive a swift death. He should be tortured until he begs to die and tortured some more. Just the fact that this thing smiled when his sentence was read . . . he will do it again if he has the chance.

[pat1967-2009]

The good thing is that he pleaded guilty and represented himself at the sentencing. What that means is that he can not appeal the conviction at all. In addition, he can not appeal on grounds of poor representation during the sentencing phase. This guy should be on the fast track to no longer being a problem for anyone.

[antepamfe200]

I think that anyone who rapes, kills or harms anyone in anyway, espically children should never be let out of prison. NEVER!!! To many are let out only to do it again. Thank you.

[toolmangler-2009]

No way should he receive a swift death. He should be tortured until he begs to die and tortured some more.

Posted by jennmarikp at 05:59 PM : Aug 27, 2008



I tend to agree with you but that would make us no better than him.

[iphyt4u]

I never believed in the death penalty because I thought that by doing so, that you would be lowering yourself down to the level of barbarity as the perpetrator. After this guy came along, I feel like I should be the one who throws the switch.

[lovesamerica]

Terrible human being. He should now be put to death,immediately,with no forgivness from anyone and no last rites. and skip the last meal. He and those like him are a blight on the human race. I hope his surviving victim has all the help she needs and go on to be a caring loving person.

[maedean]

Great glad to here it. Now lets not waste all the money and time on appeals for this maggot.. Get r done. But why he is waiting put him in a cell with someone who will rape him and beat him to death..

[hf2272]

I would be willing to pay my share to let him sit in jail for about 3 mos so he can be treated the same way he treated these innocent children. then go all out as mentioned by ''jennmarikp'' and then some. let him rot in hell.

[mydiatribe]

A case for adding a new Judicial Verdict: == GUILTY & INSANE == No doubt this is a madman. No doubt that he should be put to death!

[hf2272]

I would be willing to pay my share to let him sit in jail for about 3 mos so he can be treated the same way he treated these innocent children. then go all out as mentioned by ''jennmarikp'' and then some. let him rot in hell. and by the way, ''ToolMangler'' monster''s like these would rather die quickly...

[hf2272]

I would be willing to pay my share to let him sit in jail for about 3 mos so he can be treated the same way he treated these innocent children. then go all out as mentioned by ''jennmarikp'' and then some. let him rot in hell. and by the way, ''ToolMangler'' monster''s like these would rather die quickly...

[gdig60804]

I am totally not for the death penalty. However, I would get great pleasure to see this animal die a slow and painful death. What a useless piece of ***!!!

[forevertru-2009]

Obama will let him out.

[tejasdemo]

My heart breaks every time I think about this story and these kids. There is not an emotion to describe how awful I feel for these kids.

[jeannec3]

Obama would make him his VP

[hawksprings]

I would be willing to pay my share to let him sit in jail for about 3 mos so he can be treated the same way he treated these innocent children. then go all out as mentioned by ''''jennmarikp'''' and then some. let him rot in hell. and by the way, ''''ToolMangler'''' monster''''s like these would rather die quickly...
Posted by hf2272

This is a good idea.
Then after he''s had his 3 months in jail, put him in the electric chair and set it on "Slow Roast".
Leave him there for a week or so.

[sociald63]

i''ll save the state of idaho some tax $ - just let me have 2 minutes with this pervert

[CBSTV]

Right ... Killing another person is not the moral or just answer. It is an act of depravity and revenge by society.

[nothappyatall]

"Duncan may now be brought to Riverside County to stand trial in the death of Anthony Martinez."

Whats the POINT of wasting court time and money on another case?? he is already sentenced to DEATH, he can only die ONCE;

"...was sentenced to death Wednesday for the 2005 kidnapping, torture and murder... "

[john10646]

I saw no mention of the question....why was he walking around our streets after the first conviction? Do we really think we can rehabilitate someone so deranged? Get real folks.Maybe we should have a law that says if a judge lets out these freaks..the monster must live next door to the judge

[nothappyatall]

McCain will let him out.

Posted by ForeverTru


He sure will, but he won''t win so it''s a moot point.

[hawksprings]

"Killing another person is not the moral or just answer. It is an act of depravity and revenge by society."
Posted by studio41

Wrong.
Giving Duncan the death penalty is an act of justice, and prevention of future such acts by this... animal.

Studio, be thankful it wasn''t your child he kidnapped, tortured, raped, hung, shot and burned.

[jankebenz]

Well Voltaire777, what have you to say now? After all it was you who came to the defence of this diobolical murdering pervert a week or so back.

[CBSTV]

Many people tend to use the word "justice" improperly. Killing a person to "punish" them for killing is not justice. It is an act of revenge. It is an act of violence. It is depravity.

Justice is the process of making something whole again. How do we restore a life after it is gone?

If revenge is an acceptable, moral principle in American law, then people ought to make arguments for the death penalty in that context. Their positions would have greater credibility.

[hbevis]

WHERE THERE IS IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCE OF A MURDER THEN KILL THE GUILTY PERSON. IN A CASE LIKE THIS IT SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT THE NEXT DAY AND TO H.E.L.L. WITH ALL THE MESSING AROUND WITH APPEAL AFTER APPEAL..

AND IF ANY OF THE PEOPLE ARE CRY BABY LIBERALS THAT ARE READING THIS, THEN THAT IS JUST TO BAD. THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE ABOUT HAD IT WITH ALL THE MESSING AROUND WITH THESE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT KILL.

[Syndicate]

This guy needs to be taken out and shot. Not for revenge or Justice but to protect society. If he is kept locked up there is a chance he could kill again. If his brains are splattered all over the court house lawn then he probably will not harm anyone in the future.

[hbevis]

This guy needs to be taken out and shot. Not for revenge or Justice but to protect society. If he is kept locked up there is a chance he could kill again. If his brains are splattered all over the court house lawn then he probably will not harm anyone in the future.

Posted by cbscrash07 at 08:40 PM : Aug 27, 2008

We need to hang then on the Court House square like we did years ago. Maybe it would make some of these perverts think before they do something like this man did. Maybe calling him a man is using the wrong word.
He is just like an animal on the loose.

[hawksprings]

studio,
Come on, get real.
YOU are using the word "Justice" improperly.

Justice is NOT defined as the ''process of making someone whole again.'' That is called ''restoration.''

Justice in this context is the process of applying the law to a criminal act. And in this case justice is the Death Penalty.
The Death Penalty is an acceptable, moral principle in American law.

This guy deserves to die.

[gogam]

People complain about human rights in China and Russia. Well, there are NO incidents like this EVER happening there because this scumbag would have been executed after the FIRST *** conviction. That makes people think twice about even committing such despicable crimes. He got released and killed again and again. Where''s the justice?

[jankebenz]

Many people tend to use the word "justice" improperly. Killing a person to "punish" them for killing is not justice. It is an act of revenge. It is an act of violence. It is depravity.

Justice is the process of making something whole again. How do we restore a life after it is gone?

Posted by studio41 at 08:33 PM : Aug 27, 2008

By your reasoning, the lives of the 4 or more he took in cold blood had no meaning or value. Those lives cannot be restored. Spending the time, money and effort to try and rehabilitate this killer, is like retraining a dog not to kill after they have tasted blood. The chances of success are very slim to none, the best thing to do is put them down.

[simplemind2]

Mr. Joseph Edward Duncan III - based on the serial heinous crimes that he''s committed - deserves a swift and speedy execution!
Not a moment to be wasted.
He''s absolutely nothing but a society trash that needs to be disposed of pronto!

[vnveteran-72]

Liberal judges are a cancer on society.

[frigginnutz]

THIS MAN SHOULD BE TORTURED VERY SLOWLY

[lovesamerica]

Well, he recieved the death penalty, do not think he can appeal, so it is a done deal. there is no reason there shouldn''t be speedy justice so that his surviving victim and family can begin to heal.

[rwsmith29456]

I don''t wish him dead. I say death is not enough punishment for him.

[hazelknows]

My heart goes out to the family. Some good can come from this though, make him a living donor, part him out like a car til there is noting left. Many people might get a second chance and we would rid society of this malevolent.

[hawksprings]

"He should be tortured and killed the same way he did to the little boy."
Posted by matvei1107

Just send him to a max security prison and have the guards look the other way for a few hours.

[hbevis]

"He should be tortured and killed the same way he did to the little boy."
Posted by matvei1107

Just send him to a max security prison and have the guards look the other way for a few hours.

Posted by HawkSprings at 10:22 PM : Aug 27, 2008

I think that you are wrong there.. They may be unable to get to him there, send him to a minimum or a medium facility and they could fix him right up and wipe that silly smile off of his face just before they beat his brains out.

[stevenga777]

The correct translation is..."Thou shalt not murder".....it is not "Thou shall not kill".
I think the death penalty should used sparingly and be reserved for only the worst monsters....and this guy fits the bill. Tale him out and shoot him asap or take him to prison and let the guards turn their backs.