On top of death, Hausner receives more than 400 years in prison

By Nick R. Martin | March 30th, 2009 | 11:41 am | No Comments »


Dale Hausner

Live from the courtroom: Serial Shooter Dale Hausner was sentenced to hundreds of years in prison today on top of the six death penalties he received last week for a killing spree that lasted more than a year across the Phoenix area.

Shackled and dressed in jail stripes, Hausner told the judge to “let me have it” before his final sentenced was read. “I’m not going to point the finger at anyone else,” he said.

The final tally of his sentence came to 364 years plus two consecutive life terms in prison, guaranteeing that Hausner, 36, will never see the outside world again.

The former airport janitor was convicted earlier this month of six murders and 74 other crimes. A jury sentenced him Friday to death for each murder, and Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Roland Steinle handed down the sentences this morning for the remaining convictions.

During the past seven months, authorities proved to a jury that Hausner spent dozens of nights during 2005 and 2006, cruising the Phoenix valley in his car, looking for pedestrians, bicyclists, dogs and horses who were easy targets. Hausner denied he ever took part in the shootings, and even told the jury he disagreed with their decision after he was convicted.

One of Hausner’s brothers, however, seemed to break with that sentiment. “The Hausner family does not justify or condone these horrible crimes that were committed against innocent people,” Randy Hausner wrote in a statement released to the media. “The jury has decided and we accept their decision.”

Their mother was the only member of the family to watch the proceedings from the gallery today. “Dale has waived his rights and wishes to expedite this procedure,” Randy Hausner’s statement continued. “We stand by that decision, and we stand by the victims of these crimes.”

Before Dale Hausner was given his final sentence today, the judge heard statements from three of his victims, each of whom was affected deeply by the shooting spree.

Debra Swier told the judge about how she and her family was traumatized after their horse, Apache, was shot in July 2005. Having to testify was as painful as any of it, she said. “Of course we felt great relief once he was arrested, and more relief once he was convicted,” Swier said. “But the last time that I came here to testify, I had nightmares for two weeks, having to look at his face and him look back at me.”

Shooting survivor Daryl Davies told the judge he had been “stuck ever since they left me for dead on the pavement” in a May 2006 shooting. “I have not worked since,” said Davies, who walked into the courtroom with the help of a cane. “My days are spent in the doctors office and therapy. My organs are riddled with shotgun pellets.”

Finally, Phoenix police detective Clark Schwartzkopf read a statement from the family of Paul Patrick, who survived his June 2006 shooting, only to have suffered complications from the attack earlier this year. Patrick is currently recovering from those complications in a Phoenix hospital. “He went from a strong, able man to a man who can walk no more than a few steps,” the statement said. “Twice we were told by the doctors that he would not live, and twice he proved them wrong.”

Moments later, Hausner was brought before the judge and sentenced to every year of prison that prosecutors asked for.