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Degorski's Death Penalty Deliberation Begins

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Oct 20, 2009 8:20PM

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James Degorski's mugshot
The jury charged with deciding James Degorski's sentence have begun deliberations as to whether or not to sentence him to death. Three weeks ago, the jury found Degorski guilty for his role in the 1993 Brown's Chicken Murders. Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Tom Biesty said of Degorski, "He slaughtered them that night. He wanted to do something big and he wanted to be famous. Well, he did do something big and he is famous...and now it's his judgment day." Degorski's attorney, senior Cook County assistant public defender Mark Levitt cited abuse, both sexual and physical, that Degorski and his siblings suffered by their father and told the jury, "Finding mercy where it shouldn't exist is exactly what mercy is." Juan Luna, the other man convicted in the slayings, was sentenced to life in prison in 2007.