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Thread: Robert Lee Anderson, Jr. Sentenced to LWOP in 2016 PA Murder of Daniel Harris

  1. #11
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    Jury goes home for the day without reaching verdict in American Legion murder case

    By Matt Miller
    PennLive.com

    After deliberating for eight hours Thursday, a Cumberland County jury had yet to reach a verdict in a trial over a June 2016 murder at an American Legion post in Carlisle.

    The jurors are weighing the case against Robert “Rocky” Anderson, who is accused of gunning down Daniel “DJ” Harris in the Haines-Stackfield American Legion post on West Penn Street.

    Senior Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Metzger is seeing a first-degree murder conviction and a death sentence for the 41-year-old Anderson. She claims Anderson killed Harris amid a long-running feud among their families.

    Defense attorney Heidi Eakin has argued that the prosecution case is based on speculation and that no viable evidence ties Anderson to Harris’ slaying.

    The jury deliberated about an hour Wednesday, then considered the case for a full day Thursday. At one point, the panel asked to see video evidence and hear recordings of wiretapped phone calls again. The jurors also asked President Judge Edward E. Guido to instruct them again on the legal application of circumstantial evidence.

    Guido sent the jurors home just before 5 p.m. Thursday with orders to take up the case again Friday morning.

    https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/0...rder-case.html

  2. #12
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    Jury convicts Carlisle man of American Legion murder, death penalty now on the table

    By Matt Miller
    PennLive.com

    After deliberating more than 13 hours Cumberland County jury Friday afternoon convicted Robert “Rocky” Anderson Jr. of first-degree murder for a fatal June 2016 shooting inside the Haines-Stackfield American Legion post in Carlisle.

    Starting Saturday morning, that same jury will hear arguments on whether Anderson, 41, should receive a death sentence for that crime.

    Anderson’s murder conviction came despite defense attorney Heidi Eakin’s argument that Carlisle police didn’t prove Anderson killed Daniel “DJ” Harris.

    Senior Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Metzger argued that Anderson killed Harris during a long-running and violent feud between their families.

    The jurors, who looked drawn and tired after weighing Anderson’s guilt or innocence over a three-day span, also convicted him of illegally possessing a firearm and reckless endangerment.

    The lead investigators in the case Detective Sergeant Daniel Freedman and Officer Jeffrey Kurtz, contended that Anderson walked into the legion on West Penn Street early on June 11, 2016 and shot Harris eight times as Harris sat in a booth.

    Witnesses were uncooperative, police said. The murder weapon was recovered three month after the killing in the trunk of a car driven by a Philadelphia man. That gun had been stolen in Carlisle in 2015 by a cousin and nephew of Anderson, investigators said.

    Eakin argued, unsuccessfully, that police focused on Anderson and ignored other possible suspects, including the Philly man.

    Anderson smiled as sheriff’s deputies removed his handcuffs before the jury entered the courtroom to render its decision. He did the same after the verdicts were announced.

    President Judge Edward E. Guido said the death penalty phase of the trial will commence Saturday morning. That phase, where the jury will determine only whether a death sentence should be applied, will be argued by Metzger and another of Anderson’s attorneys, Michael Palermo.

    Metzger will argue regarding aggravating factors in support of executing Anderson. Palermo will argue for mitigating factors against putting his client to death.

    https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/0...the-table.html

  3. #13
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    Jury refuses to impose death penalty for American Legion murder

    By Matt Miller
    PennLive.com

    Robert “Rocky” Anderson Jr. showed no emotion Monday as a Cumberland County jury decided he shouldn’t be executed for a June 2016 murder inside the Haines-Stackfield American Legion post in Carlisle.

    Instead, the jurors decided Anderson, 41, should spend the rest of his life in prison with no possibility for parole for the slaying of Daniel “DJ” Harris.

    The jury deliberated about 90 minutes before opting for a life sentence. The same panel deliberated more than 13 hours over three days last week before convicting Anderson on Friday of first-degree murder for Harris’ killing.

    Defense attorney Heidi Eakin said the murder verdict will be appealed.

    Senior Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Metzger argued during the two-week trial that Anderson killed Harris amid a violent feud between their families. Harris was shot eight times as he sat in a booth in the legion on West Penn Street.

    On Monday morning, Metzger argued that two aggravating factors justified a death sentence.

    First, she said, Anderson committed another felony during the murder by having a firearm. A prior conviction barred him from having a gun, she said.

    Secondly, Metzger said, Anderson placed others in the legion in the “grave risk of death.”

    Michael Palermo, another of Anderson’s lawyers, countered that mitigating factors, including Anderson’s “horrid childhood,” weighed against a death sentence.

    Questioned by President Judge Edward E. Guido, the jury foreman said the panel found one aggravating factor - Anderson’s illegal possession of a gun - was outweighed by several mitigating factors Palermo cited.

    Those mitigators, the foreman said, were Anderson’s life experience, his apparent desire to protect his family, his strong work ethic and mentorship.

    Guido is to sentence Anderson to life in prison in March.

    https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/0...on-murder.html

  4. #14
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    ‘I put my faith in God,’ convicted killer says as he’s sentenced to life in prison

    By Matt Miller
    PennLive.com

    Robert “Rocky” Anderson had just one thing to say Tuesday when a Cumberland County judge sentenced him to life in prison.

    “I put my faith in God,” the Carlisle man said.

    President Judge Edward E. Guido imposed that mandatory life without parole penalty less than a month after a jury convicted Anderson of first-degree murder for a June 2016 execution inside the Haines-Stackfield American Legion post in Carlisle. That same jury declined to sanction the death penalty in the case.

    The jurors concluded the 42-year-old Anderson had walked into the post and shot a rival, Daniel “DJ” Harris, eight times before fleeing.

    About 20 people were in the legion at the time, but during Anderson’ trial none of the witnesses specifically identified him as the gunman. Police said uncooperative witnesses made their investigation of Harris’ slaying difficult.

    Senior Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Metzger contended during the trial that Harris’ murder capped a long-running and violent feud between the families of the two men.

    Defense attorney Heidi Eakin, who has vowed to appeal Anderson’s conviction, insisted police arrested the wrong man based on a flimsy investigation.

    On Tuesday, Eakin noted that Guido had no choice but to sentence Anderson to perpetual imprisonment on the murder conviction. She asked the judge to run two other sentences for Anderson’s convictions for reckless endangerment and illegal possession of a firearm concurrently with the life term.

    That is what Guido did.

    Metzger made no comment during the 5-minute sentencing hearing. She said Harris’ mother, Charlene Gomez, chose not to speak, but had provided a written statement to the judge.

    After Anderson’s conviction, Gomez made an impassioned plea against the “snitches get stitches” culture. She urged witnesses to crimes to come forward and assist police in solving crimes to increase the safety of their neighborhoods.

    https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/0...in-prison.html

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