Inmate dodges death in killing
Rocky Mountain News
Originally published 11:49 a.m., May 20, 2008
Updated 01:43 p.m., May 20, 2008
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Inmate Rudy Sablan was sentenced today to life in prison without parole for killing a fellow inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary in Florence.
The jury today voted 7-5 against execution.
The inmate's mother, Celia Sablan, held her head in her hands for most of the 40-minute session.
The jury deliberated about six hours.
Celia Sablan kissed the palm of her hand and held it up to her son after the verdict was read.
A cousin, Lino Sablan Tenorio, who is head of the Department of Corrections in the Mariana Islands, said said the family was grateful for the verdict.
"We're touched by it," he said. "We are from a strong Catholic-faith community. We have always believed in the Lord as the ultimate decision maker.
He said his cousin has been strong over the past week or so and "was ready for whatever the verdict might be."
Defense attorneys declined comment.
"The important thing is it's not a unanimous verdict," Justice Department spokesman Jeff Dorschner said.
The jury convicted Sablan this month of first-degree murder for the 1999 death of Joey Estrella, his cellmate.
Prosecutors said that Sablan choked Estrella with a headphone cord until he became unconscious, then sat by as his cousin and cellmate, William Sablan, cut Estrella's neck with a razor. The cousins then cut open Estrella's abdomen and removed his organs before guards noticed what was happening.
In closing arguments for the penalty phase of Rudy Sablan's trial Monday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenda Taylor called the crime "indescribable, incomprehensible brutality" and said that Rudy Sablan showed "a total lack of humanity."
She also said that Sablan has the potential to be dangerous in the future, citing previous violent acts he committed while in prison, including attacking a man with an ice pick and stomping on another inmate.
Defense lawyer Forrest Lewis said those acts ended with the October 1999 murder. Since then, he said, Sablan has reached out to his young son, who lives in Saipan. The two now have a close relationship, even though it is through letters, phone calls and rare visits.
The son, now 14, testified that he loves his father and wants to make him proud. Lewis told jurors that is a key reason to sentence Sablan to life in prison.
Lewis also noted that a federal jury decided last year not to sentence William Sablan to death. It wouldn't be fair for one cousin to receive the death penalty and the other life in prison for the same crime, he said.
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May 20, 2008
12:13 p.m.
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RickyLee writes:
FRY HIM
May 20, 2008
12:30 p.m.
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Heidi writes:
I say keep him alive so he can eliminate more dangerous criminals!
May 20, 2008
12:46 p.m.
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freedomfighter1 writes:
Some people do not learn. It is a disability. This gentleman was incarcerated for a crime. Then instead of learning the error of his ways, he commits more acts of terror/crime. Some people do not learn and for them I suggest the death penalty. I do not want to pay taxes on this monster.
May 20, 2008
12:48 p.m.
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Scott writes:
Hang 'em ... hang 'em high!
Scott
May 20, 2008
12:48 p.m.
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davies writes:
Well, I don't really believe in the death penalty, but if you're going to have one, I would think it's going to apply here.
May 20, 2008
12:48 p.m.
Suggest removal
MarineGrunt writes:
I see how it is... y'all want another white man to fry!
(Sarcasm! He's white right?)
May 20, 2008
12:55 p.m.
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freethought writes:
Hey, Scott, How do you feel about abortion? I have my guess.
May 20, 2008
1 p.m.
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davies writes:
Heidi, your taking a stand on this issue took a lot of guts... maybe just like Mr. Estrella?
May 20, 2008
1:06 p.m.
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DenverTea writes:
I don't believe in the death penalty. What he did is horrible. Release him to the victims family.
May 20, 2008
1:11 p.m.
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alwaysright writes:
Let him stay in prison for the rest of his life, If he promises to take out at least 6 more per year. if he does not preform. then string him up.
May 20, 2008
1:32 p.m.
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Scott writes:
freethough,
You're wrong bucko! I'm ambivalent about it. I'd prefer that women only get one if they were raped or their life depended upon it, but I'm against outlawing it.
Scott
May 20, 2008
2:06 p.m.
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MattGuyver_007 writes:
Why does Colorado have the death penalty? If it doesn't apply in this case then where / when would it apply?
May 20, 2008
2:06 p.m.
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PajamaPulitzer writes:
The entire Sablan family appears to be sociopathic. The regard for the life of the victim is zero. Now we know why this guy is a sicko, he got it from mama.
May 20, 2008
2:17 p.m.
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Heidi writes:
davies, I wouldn't have the guts to do what he did, especially if he got to me first!
May 20, 2008
2:32 p.m.
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mikeyg writes:
I wouldn't want to be a guard in Colorado prisons after this verdict. And if you're a petty criminal who visit to the joint is supposed to be short, you're now on the menu.
For animals like this to be able to murder, a murder so heinous, and not have any consequences, it's open season in prison. Oh, sure, he get's life in prison. So friggin' what, that's where he was already at, and doing long time. What kind of deterrent is a couple years on the backend?
Messed up, truly messed up, man.
May 20, 2008
3:12 p.m.
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vudumom writes:
It's so great he will be around as a role model for his son for many more years. I hope the old saying , what goes around comes around applies sooner rather than later in this sub-human's life. Can we find out who his new cellmate will be so we can send him a headphone cord,a razor and a nice Chanti and fava beans? Every month?
May 20, 2008
3:15 p.m.
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Scott writes:
MattGuyver_007,
The reason that Colorado State laws do not apply in this case is because the crime happened on federal property. Therefore, the crime is tried in Federal Court. However, the jurors were Coloradans so I would suspect that the punishment would have been the same whether the scumbag was tried in Federal or Colorado courts.
Scott
May 20, 2008
4:05 p.m.
Suggest removal
davies writes:
I can only guess that the reason he cut out the guts and smeared them on the door window was to let his fellow inmates know what a badass he is. The end result will probably be solitary confinement (now known as administrative maximum custody), until he's very old or very dead. Oh well, at lest he has his rewarding relationship with his son...