The Kansas Supreme Court issued its decision today in the capital appeal of John E. Robinson Sr., affirming his conviction for capital murder and death sentence.
Robinson was charged with multiple offenses related to the murders of women. He would lure them to Johnson County and then kill them, according to court documents.
The court upheld the conviction and death sentence for the first capital murder conviction, but reversed the second capital murder conviction because it was multiplicitous.
In a 415-page opinion (http://www.kscourts.org/Cases-and-Opinions/opinions/SupCt/2015/20151106/90196.pdf) written by Justice Caleb Stegall, the court discusses the issues raised on appeal by Robinson, who was convicted of multiple offenses related to the murders of six women from the mid-1980s until his arrest in June 2000.
A jury in Johnson County District Court convicted Robinson of two counts of capital murder for the murders of Suzette Marie Trouten and Izabela Lewicka as part of a common scheme or course of conduct that included the premeditated murders of Beverly J. Bonner, Sheila Faith, Debbie Faith, and Lisa Stasi. The jury sentenced Robinson to death on each capital murder conviction.
On appeal, Robinson asserted 19 general claims of reversible error, including numerous subclaims. The court upheld the conviction and death sentence for the first capital murder conviction, but reversed the second capital murder conviction because it was multiplicitous, meaning that it punished Robinson twice for the same offense and gave rise to a constitutional double jeopardy violation.
Justice Lee Johnson dissented, arguing that the prosecution failed to prove the capital murder charges and that the death penalty is unconstitutional under Section 9 of the Kansas Bill of Rights.
To read the Kansas Supreme Court’s decision, visit http://www.kscourts.org/Cases-and-Opinions/opinions/SupCt/2015/20151106/90196.pdf.