Summary of Offense:
Convicted of the prison murder of fellow inmate Justin Bregenzer, 22, at Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville in July 2005.
Justus was sentenced to death on December 23, 2008 in Dorchester County.
Summary of Offense:
Convicted of the prison murder of fellow inmate Justin Bregenzer, 22, at Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville in July 2005.
Justus was sentenced to death on December 23, 2008 in Dorchester County.
June 23, 2008
ST. GEORGE, S.C. (AP) - An inmate already serving a life sentence for two murder convictions has been sentenced to death for killing a fellow prisoner behind bars.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reports that Circuit Judge Diane Goodstein handed down the death sentence to 41-year-old Kenneth Justus on Tuesday.
Authorities say Justus went into 22-year-old Justin Bregenzer's cell at the Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville in July 2005 and stabbed him a dozen times with a makeshift knife.
Justus pleaded guilty to murder and put up no request for mercy, saying he wanted to die for his crimes.
Prosecutors say Justus robbed and killed two convenience store workers in Oconee County a decade ago.
http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9573917
November 27, 2009
Woman settles lawsuit in son's death at prison near Ridgeville
SUMMERVILLE — A woman has settled a lawsuit after her son was stabbed to death in a South Carolina prison four years ago, and hopes officials look more closely at where prisoners are assigned.
Sandra Carter was upset that her son Justin Bregenzer, a 22-year-old nonviolent offender, was housed near an inmate already convicted of killing two people, The Post and Courier of Charleston reported Friday.
Bregenzer was stabbed at the Lieber Correctional Institution near Ridgeville in 2005. Kenneth Henry Justus, 42, has been sentenced to death for killing Bregenzer.
Carter reached an out-of-court settlement of $47,500 last month with the Corrections Department, which did not admit wrongdoing in Bregenzer's death. Nor did the agency promise to change the way it assigns inmates to prisons.
She said she wants prison administrators to look beyond their regulations and consider the potential dangers of housing violent criminals near the nonviolent.
"It's not a big settlement," she said. "But they know they screwed up."
Bregenzer had broken into cars in Mount Pleasant and failed to complete a shock incarceration program. He was ordered to finish his sentence as a youthful offender in the prison system.
Bregenzer and another inmate also ran away from trash duty in the prison system and stole a car, adding more time to his sentence.
Justus was serving two life prison sentences for killing two people in northwestern South Carolina when Bregenzer was stabbed. Justus said last year that he would plead guilty and wanted the death penalty. Prosecutors agreed, and he was sentenced to die.
Attorney Chris Murphy represented the Corrections Department in Carter's lawsuit and said the men had been friendly for months and there was no way to have predicted the attack. No explanation was ever given for the stabbing.
http://www.goupstate.com/article/200...tc=autorefresh
26971- State v. Justus
In today's South Carolina Supreme Court opinions, Justus' conviction and death sentence were AFFIRMED on direct appeal.
Absolutely ridiculous that a low level criminal got put in a cell with a convicted double murderer.
On another note, it does seem like we have another Jeffrey Motts on our hands here.
In today's United States Supreme Court orders, Justus' petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis was DENIED.
I would agree, however, the impression I got was that they weren't cell mates. Justus went into his cell and killed him, could have attacked him anywhere I suppose.Originally Posted by JLR
People who oppose the death penalty often say "Life without parole" is fine, but where do you put them? General population, so they can mingle with habitual car thieves.
I don't see a huge leap from a double murderer to a triple murderer.
Ok, he got what he wanted...He had actively sought the death penalty, and even wrote a note to the judge asking for the sentence.
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