Heat City

Members of Dale Hausner’s jury speak to the press during a question-and-answer session at the studios of KTVK-TV (Channel 3) in Phoenix. Courtesy of 3TV

Nine of the jurors who sentenced serial killer Dale Hausner to death last week gathered at a Phoenix television studio this afternoon to tell their story to the public. It marked the second time in recent days that members of the jury have spoken out about their experience in the seven-month long trial. This time, they did it in a session hosted by reporter Mike Watkiss from KTVK-TV (Channel 3) and being broadcast by the station this evening.

The full video of the session is already online. Heat City was on hand for the question-and-answer session and will be bringing you excerpts from it in the second of two stories about the jury posted here. The first part, which went online earlier today, featured an exclusive two-hour interview with another one of the jurors.

Part 1 of 2: The fact that no juror was tossed from the seven-month trial of serial killer Dale Hausner was a remarkable feat. Last month, Judge Roland Steinle even commented that neither he nor the attorneys in the case “in our wildest dreams ever believed” that all the jurors would still be around by the time testimony wrapped up. It is common, particularly in high profile trials, for jurors to regularly get thrown off a case. Yet somehow, this trial was the exception.

The jury’s experience has been one of the untold stories of the Serial Shooter trial. Barred until last Friday from talking to even their family members and closest friends about it, the group of Maricopa County residents spent more than half a year commuting back and forth to the downtown Phoenix courtroom. They listened to gruesome testimony. They took hundreds of pages of notes. And eventually, they convicted Hausner of 80 crimes, including six murders, and sentenced him to death for the killings.

Now, in an exclusive interview with Heat City, one of the jurors has opened up about his experience. He revealed why the jury acquitted Hausner on two of the eight murder charges. And why, even though he believes Hausner is a dangerous killer, he also thinks the former airport janitor is no criminal mastermind.

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.

Dale Hausner, center, listens on Friday as a court clerk reads the jury’s decision that he should be put to death for six murder convictions. Pool photo

In the end, he did not fight it nor did he hardly even acknowledge it was happening. Dale Hausner was handed his death in multiples on Friday, sentenced to a punishment equal to each life he took from the world. The so-called Serial Shooter barely blinked as the judgement was read. Afterward, he simply thanked the judge, thanked the jury and was led quietly out of courtroom in handcuffs.

It’s hard to know what Hausner meant by his simple thank yous to the people who had just sent him to death row. Was it a sign of respect to the court? Gratitude for giving him the punishment he asked for a day earlier? Or was it meant as sarcasm to a group he thought had wronged him?

Dale Hausner

Live from the courtroom: Serial Shooter Dale Hausner, who killed at least six people and wounded many more, was sentenced today in downtown Phoenix to the ultimate penalty: death.

Hausner remained still and unemotional as the courtroom clerk read the jury’s decision about what his punishment should be. And he stood even stiller yet, flanked by his attorneys, as the judge handed down the official sentence moments later. The only comment he made was to thank the judge after he received death times six. “Thank you, your honor.”

A deputy then placed pink handcuffs on his wrists and escorted him past the jury, out of the courtroom.

Hausner was convicted March 13 of six murders and 74 other crimes in a killing spree that stretched more than a year. The killings typically took place at night, with Hausner usually targeting people walking or bicylcing by themselves on Valley streets. A number of animals were also killed or maimed in the shooting spree.

Today is the day serial killer Dale Hausner learns whether he will be put to death for his crimes. The jury has reached a decision on the death penalty in six murder convictions, and is expected to announce their choice any minute this morning in a downtown Phoenix courtroom.

I am in the courtroom and will be covering the verdict live. Check www.twitter.com/SerialShooter for constant updates. Then check back here later for a full wrap up.

Serial killer Dale Hausner reminds jurors how many murders they found him guilty on two weeks ago. The statements came just before he asked them to sentence him to death. Pool photo by Pat Shannahan

Live from the courtroom: Serial Shooter Dale Hausner asked a jury today to sentence him to death in each of his six murder convictions, saying victims and their families needed it so they could begin to heal.

During a rambling, 30-minute speech to the jury, Hausner walked the fence between apologizing to victims and denying responsibility for the 80 crimes in which he was convicted. “I do not agree with your decision,” Hausner told jurors about their guilty verdicts less than an hour before the the 12-person panel was asked to begin deciding his fate. “But 12 sane and rational people didn’t believe me and believed Sam Dieteman.”

Dale Hausner

Live from the courtroom: Family members of some of the people murdered by serial killer Dale Hausner gave teary-eyed and emotional statements in court this morning, just hours before jurors will be asked to decide whether the Phoenix-area man should pay the ultimate price for his crimes.

The mother of victim David Estrada and the sister of victim Claudia Gutierrez-Cruz stood before the jury and spoke in-depth about the pain they’ve experienced since their loved ones were murdered.

“His life was cut so suddenly and so cruelly,” said Rebecca Estrada, whose son was killed in June 2005 at age 20. “And I just can’t tell you the devastation and the emptiness that we all feel without David.”

Live from the courtroom: The serial killer who stalked the Valley for more than a year officially waived his opportunity today to present evidence that could convince a jury to spare his life. Dale Hausner, nicknamed the “Serial Shooter,” began the final phase of his marathon murder trial this morning by telling the judge he wanted to give up the chance to defend himself against the death penalty.

Hausner was convicted earlier this month in a downtown Phoenix courtroom of six murders and 74 other crimes in a killing spree that lasted more than 12 months during 2005 and 2006. On Tuesday, the jury that convicted him also ruled that he is eligible under Arizona law to face the death penalty.

Hausner’s defense attorney, Ken Everett, also told Judge Roland Steinle this morning that his client has instructed the legal team to stay quiet when they have the chance to argue for a life sentence. “That is over our objection as well,” Everett said.