Convicted murderer Mark Sievers, 51, appears in court Friday to learn if he gets a life or death sentence. A jury recommended last month that the defendant get the death penalty for orchestrating the murder of his wife, Dr. Teresa Sievers, 46. The judge’s decision is set to happen at 10:30 am ET.
#SieversTrial – Mark Sievers had little reaction at learning the jury recommended a the death penalty. pic.twitter.com/5cpoFC9v3R
— Law & Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) December 10, 2019
Prosecutors said he recruited childhood friend Curtis Wayne Wright, 51, to do the deed. Wright in turn got Jimmy Ray Rodgers, 29, to help out.
SIEVERS SENTENCING: Emotional moment shared between family of both Teresa and Mark Sievers. Teresa’s brother and Mark’s mother hugged as court took another recess. We are waiting to learn if Mark Sievers will in fact get the death penalty. pic.twitter.com/h7ugaOxKNf
— JessicaAlpern (@JessicaAlpernTV) January 3, 2020
BREAKING: The judge asked the state to clarify if the family of Dr. Teresa Sievers is for the death penalty. After speaking briefly in the courtroom, the family said its position is that the sentence be left up to the court so they do not have a position. pic.twitter.com/uuPMkLl9kG
— JessicaAlpern (@JessicaAlpernTV) January 3, 2020
Wright and Rodgers ambushed Dr. Sievers when she returned home alone from a family vacation, prosecutors said. She was beaten to death. Wright flipped during the ensuing investigation, pleaded guilty to second-degree in exchange for a possible 25-year sentence, and agreed to testify against his co-defendants. Rodgers was charged with first-degree murder, but convicted of second-degree murder at trial. Mark Sievers was the last to face responsibility for what happened to his wife.
[Mugshot via Lee County Sheriff’s Office]
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