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Two college students' killer spared death penalty

WASHINGTON, Pa. - A southwestern Pennsylvania jury has decided against the death penalty for a former Pittsburgh man accused of fatally shooting two Ohio college students in 1999.

Yesterday's verdict means Terrell Yarbrough, 29, will spend life in prison for slaying Franciscan University students Aaron Land of Philadelphia and Brian Muha of Westerville, Ohio.

Yarbrough's attorney says he was neglected by his heroin-addicted parents and has such a low IQ that his execution should be barred by a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court decision banning the execution of the mentally disabled.

Yarbrough was previously sentenced to death in Ohio. He was retried and convicted in Washington County after the Ohio conviction was overturned because the killings happened in Pennsylvania. - AP

Comments

Posted 09:00 AM, 11/06/2009

KHAYES7356

What was the vote?

Posted 08:02 PM, 11/06/2009

nb378

He had a high enough IQ to know how to use a gun.

Posted 10:19 PM, 11/06/2009

TPaine

i don't get this mentally disabled bs. if they are capable of taking someone's life then they should be held accountable regardless of IQ. put the needle in this guys arm and tell him its the flu shot.