Killer Gets Death Sentence Again
For the second time in 16 months, an Orange County Superior Court jury in Santa Ana has decided that Thomas Francis Edwards, 43, should die for the shotgun murder of a 12-year-old girl in the Cleveland National Forest five years ago.
Edwards was convicted in March, 1983, of slaying Vanessa Iberri and wounding her girlfriend, Kelly Cartier, also 12. Jurors, however, could not agree on whether Edwards should go to the gas chamber.
A new jury in a second penalty trial, at which Edwards refused to let attorneys represent him and presented no defense, concluded that he should die. Before sentencing, however, Edwards asked to have public defense attorneys reinstated in his case and the judge complied.
Deputy Public Defender Michael P. Giannini won Edwards a new penalty trial, which ended Thursday with the jury’s death recommendation.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
