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Thread: Stephen Marc Stone Sentenced to LWOP in 2013 AL Slaying of Krista and Zachary Stone

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    Stephen Marc Stone Sentenced to LWOP in 2013 AL Slaying of Krista and Zachary Stone


    Stephen Marc Stone, left, has been charged with killing his wife Krista and son Zachery


    State seeks death penalty in Huntsville double murder case

    The man charged with killing his wife and son appeared in court on Wednesday.

    Stephen Marc Stone faces two counts of capital murder. He is being held without bond in the Metro Jail.

    Police said Stone strangled his wife, Krista, and then strangled and drowned his 7-year-old son, Zachary in February.

    A Huntsville Homicide Investigator took the stand Wednesday and said the day before the murders, Stone left a note for Krista that said, "I need to go for a drive," and he went to Florida.

    The investigator said when Stone came back late, Krista woke up and confronted him. There was no big argument, but he began to choke her.

    He said Stone then went to Zachary's room and started choking him, but he didn't die. He then put Zachary in the bathtub, where he drowned.

    The next morning, the investigator said Stone took the two girls down to Leeds, and stopped at Walmart to change clothes.

    He walked into Leeds Police Department and made his confession.

    Investigators said they found the victims in the family's home on Chicamauga Trail in south Huntsville in the master bedroom, both of them on the bed.

    Stone's defense attorneys, Brian Clark and Lonzo Robinson, said there is no evidence in the home that Stone was the killer.

    The judge approved the defense's motion to review the crime scene.

    Prosecutors Rob Broussard and Tim Gann plan to seek the death penalty.

    http://www.waff.com/story/22122592/s...le-murder-case
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    Huntsville man charged with killing his wife and son given February trial date, but likely to be moved back

    The capital murder case of a Huntsville man charged with strangling and drowning his wife and young son on Feb. 24 in south Huntsville has a trial date set for early next year.

    But the Feb. 10, 2014 trial date for Marc Stone, set by Madison County Circuit Judge Donna Pate, according to court records, is likely to be pushed back given the volume of work that's involved in a capital murder case.

    Madison County District Attorney Rob Broussard has said the DA's office will seek the death penalty for Stone, who faces two capital murder charges in the deaths of his wife, Krista Stone, and their 7-year-old son, Zachary, at the family's home on the 13000 block of Chicamauga Trail Southeast.

    Broussard said this afternoon that the February trial will almost certainly be moved back.

    "It's probably doubtful that either side would be ready by Feb. 10," Broussard said.

    Under Alabama law a capital murder conviction leads to one of two possible sentences, life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

    The jury in a capital case has two stages of deliberation: the trial with the question of guilty or not guilty, and, if there's a conviction, a penalty phase where the jury is asked to recommend to the court a life or death sentence.

    In many capital cases the defense spends as much time in its trial preparation working on the penalty phase as it does the guilty phase. The defense normally looks for so-called "mitigating" evidence that will help persuade a jury to recommend the life sentence rather than death. The defense's effort to gather that evidence can be time-consuming and the strategy often involves a psychological profile developed by a defense expert, the gathering of information about the defendant's life and locating sympathetic character witnesses.

    If the defense's psychological expert prepares a report, the prosecution will have its own expert analyze that report, which could lead to additional work for both sides.

    Death penalty cases also involve a larger-than-usual pool of would-be jurors and the defense often explores the question of whether pre-trial publicity about the case may have harmed the defendant's right to an unbiased jury.

    Death penalty convictions are subject to a lengthy appeals process and the court and both sets of attorneys know their work will be carefully scrutinized.

    Stone admitted to police that he killed his wife and son, according to testimony from Huntsville Police Department investigator Michael Leftwich during Stone's May preliminary hearing.

    Stone told Leftwich that he was confused and something had "broken" inside of him Feb. 23, the day before the killings. He spent the day driving around the state, including as far as Troy, and skipped a visit to Huntsville from his parents, who live in Leeds.

    Stone described returning late that night and killing his wife and son, Leftwich said. The couple has two daughers, who were 4 and 2 and the time. Leftwich asked Stone why he didn't hurt the two girls.

    Stone told him it was unnecessary, after killing Zachary he was "free."

    Stone told Leftwich that after the killings he took a brief nap, watched TV and in the morning when the girls got up, he told them their mother and Zachary were still resting.

    Stone took the girls to Hardee's for biscuits and then drove down to Leeds.

    After reaching his parents' house, Stone said he told his mother he needed to go to Walmart to buy the girls' coats since he'd forgotten to bring them. Instead he went to the Leeds Police Department.

    Leftwich testified the case for Huntsville police began after the Leeds Police Department called to report that Stone had come into their police station and told officers that he killed his wife and son. Stone gave Leeds police the address, the names of the victims and even described which doors in the house were locked.

    Leftwich said Stone volunteered all the information.

    Stone is represented by Huntsville attorneys Brian Clark and Lonzo Robinson.

    http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/12/...with_ki_2.html
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    Doctors ordered to assess if Marc Stone, charged with killing wife and son in south Huntsville, is mentally competent

    HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- A Madison County judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for a Huntsville man charged with killing his wife and son in south Huntsville in February 2013.

    The Monday order by Circuit Judge Donna Pate asks state doctors to assess whether Stephen Marc Stone, 34, is competent to stand trial and if he understood the nature of his actions at the time of the alleged offenses.

    Pate's order said the court found reasonable grounds exist to question the defendant's competency to stand trial and his mental state at the time of the offense.

    The Madison County District Attorney's Office has said it will seek the death penalty for Stone, who police say admitted killing his wife, Krista Stone and 7-year-old son, Zachary, on Feb. 24, 2013, at their home on Chicamauga Trail.

    The couple's two daughters were unharmed and Stone drove them to his parents' home in Leeds later that morning before turning himself in to police.

    Pate's order places the capital murder case on the administrative docket, essentially taking it off the court schedule until the mental evaluation and assessment is completed.

    The judge ordered the evaluation to be done by Kirkland & King, a firm of clinical and forensic psychologists based in Montgomery. The order directs the Madison County Sheriff's Department to make Stone available as needed and holds them responsible for his custody, care and transportation.

    According to testimony at Stone's preliminary hearing in May 2013, Stone told Huntsville Police Department investigator Michael Leftwich that he and his wife had a mild argument about his failure to show up at their home while his parents visited. Leftwich testified Stone said his wife had done nothing to provoke, but he strangled her to death. He then strangled and drowned his son, Leftwich said Stone told him.

    Leftwich testified the bodies were found on the couple's bed, the boy wrapped in towels at the home they rented on Chicamauga Trail.

    Stone has no known criminal history. He and his wife both worked at Crestwood Hospital and married a year after Krista Stone graduated high school.

    After the killings Stone told Leftwich he took a brief nap, watched TV and in the morning when the girls got up, he told them their mother and Zach were still resting.

    Leftwich testified that Stone described the series of events that followed the killings.

    He took the girls to Hardee's for biscuits and then drove down to Leeds. He stopped at a Walmart in Leeds and asked a police sergeant for directions to the police station.

    After reaching his parents' house, Stone said he told his mother he needed to go to Walmart to buy the girls' coats since he'd forgotten to bring them. Instead he went to the Leeds Police Department. After he began to talk, officers there called in their sergeant, the same man who Stone had asked for directions at Walmart.

    Leeds police called the Huntsville Police Department and the bodies were discovered.

    Leftwich said Stone volunteered all the information.

    Stone is represented by Huntsville attorneys Brian Clark and Lonzo Robinson.

    He is being prosecuted by Madison County District Attorney Rob Broussard and Assistant DA Tim Gann.

    http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/in...sess_if_m.html

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    Does anyone know when this trial will start?

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    Huntsville man who confessed to strangling wife and son has death penalty trial set

    A Huntsville man facing a possible death sentence in the killings of his wife and young son is set to go on trial Feb. 22, 2016.

    Madison County Circuit Judge Donna Pate today ordered the trial date for Stephen Marc Stone, 35.

    Stone is charged with capital murder in the February 2013 strangulation deaths of his wife, Krista Stone and their son, 7-year-old Zachary Stone, at the home they rented on Chicamauga Trail in south Huntsville.

    Pate set the date following a status conference with the parties this morning.

    Madison County District Attorney Rob Broussard has said the DA's office will seek the death penalty for Stone. Pate also ordered that prosecutors must -- 30 days before trial – turn over to the defense the "aggravators" the state will name in seeking the death penalty for Stone.

    Under Alabama law, in a death penalty case, the state has to argue to a jury what aggravating factors were involved in the crime to make the death penalty the appropriate punishment. Aggravators include the argument that the killing was especially heinous and cruel, involved two or more victims, involved the possibility of deaths many people and was committed during another offense, like a burglary.

    The judge also ordered that if defense attorneys Brian Clark and Larry Marsili hire an outside expert, including one to evaluate Stone's mental condition, they must provide prosecutors with any related reports 60 days before trial.

    The killings took place early on Feb. 24, 2013. Stone later told police he felt as if something had "broken" inside of him before the killings.

    During Stone's 2013 preliminary hearing, Huntsville Police Department investigator Michael Leftwich described what Stone told him about the killings and the circumstances that led him to turn himself in to police in Leeds, where his parents lived.

    Stone told Leftwich that he and Krista Stone were having a mild argument early on Feb. 24 over his failure to be home for a visit from his parents, when he decided to strangle her. She did nothing to provoke him, Stone told Leftwich.

    After strangling his wife, Stone then went to his son Zachary's room and strangled him. Leftwich testified. To ensure he was dead, Stone filled a bathtub and drowned the child.

    The bodies were found on the couple's bed, with the boy wrapped in towels.

    Stone has no criminal history, Leftwich testified, adding there was no history of any mental health issues reported by his family.

    Stone and his wife both worked at Crestwood Hospital and married a year after Krista Stone graduated high school.

    Leftwich testified the case began after the Leeds Police Department called Huntsville police to report that Stone had come into the Leeds police station and told officers that he killed his wife and son. Stone gave Leeds police the address, the names of the victims and even described which doors in the house were locked.

    Police and a HEMSI unit were dispatched and the bodies were found. Stone was transported back to Huntsville and gave a voluntary statement to Leftwich that the detective said was recorded on video.

    Stone told Leftwich that he was confused and something was broken inside of him Feb. 23. He spent the day driving around the state, including as far as Troy, and skipped a visit to Huntsville from his parents.

    Stone described returning late that night and killing his wife and son, Leftwich said. The couple had two daughers, who were 4 and 2 and the time. Leftwich asked Stone why he didn't hurt the two girls.

    Stone told him it was unnecessary, after killing Zachary he was "free."

    After the killings Stone told Leftwich he took a brief nap, watched TV and in the morning when the girls got up, he told them their mother and Zach were still resting.

    He took the girls to Hardee's for biscuits and then drove down to Leeds. He stopped at a Walmart in Leeds and asked a police sergeant for directions to the police station.

    After reaching his parents' house, Stone said he told his mother he needed to go to Walmart to buy the girls' coats since he'd forgotten to bring them. Instead he went to the Leeds Police Department. After he began to talk, officers there called in their sergeant, the same man who Stone had asked for directions at Walmart.

    Leftwich said Stone volunteered all the information.

    http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/in...l#incart_river
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    South Huntsville strangling suspect will be tried on Halloween

    By Lee Roop
    AL.com

    A Madison County judge today moved the trial of a man accused of strangling his wife and young son in south Huntsville to Oct. 31 - Halloween. Stephen Marc Stone had been scheduled for trial in February.

    Circuit Judge Donna Pate moved the trial after a status conference in the Madison County Courthouse at which Stone appeared. Because the trial could take up to two weeks, the move was to find that much time in the trial calendars of prosecutors and defense attorneys.

    Stone is charged with capital murder in the February 2013 strangulation deaths of his wife, Krista Stone and their son, 7-year-old Zachary Stone, at the home they rented on Chicamauga Trail in south Huntsville.

    Madison County District Attorney Rob Broussard has said the DA's office will seek the death penalty. According to AL.com news partner WHNT News 19, defense attorneys said today they will file a motion arguing that a recent Supreme Court decision makes Alabama's death penalty law unconstitutional.

    In January, the high court ruled in a Florida case that a jury, "not a judge, must find each fact necessary to impose a sentence of death," in the words of Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Alabama's death penalty law also gives a judge the final say on the penalty. Defense attorneys Brian Clark and Larry Marsili will file a motion "addressing those issues," Judge Pate's order said, "to which the State of Alabama will respond."

    The killings took place early on Feb. 24, 2013. Stone later told police he felt as if something had "broken" inside of him before the killings. He is expected to plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

    http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/in...rt_river_index
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Has his trial started?

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    According to the Madison County Circuit Court Clerk, the trial has been postponed until March 2017.
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

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    Insanity defense being pursued in Huntsville death penalty trial

    By Ashley Remkus
    AL.com

    Defense attorneys for a Huntsville man accused of fatally strangling his wife and young son are seeking to prove Stephen Marc Stone is not guilty by reason of insanity.

    An independent expert hired by the defense found Stone, 37, is not competent to stand trial in the Feb. 24, 2013 deaths of Krista and Zachary Stone, according to Madison County Court records.

    The attorneys said in court filings they are now asking for a court-ordered mental evaluation.

    The death penalty trial is scheduled to begin March 6 in Madison County Circuit Court.

    Stone admitted to strangling his 32-year-old wife and 7-year-old son after an argument about his failure to return home from a visit with his parents, according to testimony at a preliminary hearing.

    After killing his wife, Stone also strangled the boy and drowned him a bathtub to make sure he was dead, police have said. The bodies were found on the couple's bed with the boy wrapped in towels.

    The defense attorneys are arguing the court must understand Stone's mental and emotional state before determining whether he's competent to stand trial.

    "His competency is also important in determining whether the defendant is competent in assisting in his own defense," a defense motion reads.

    A status hearing is set for Feb. 10 at 11 a.m.

    http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/in...rt_river_index
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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