Louisiana Convicted Killer Saves Self from Death Sentence

            The death sentence was avoided when a murderer signed a deal to avoid being executed for killing a young mother of four children. He was convicted by a jury eleven years earlier, but his sentence was delayed initially by a catastrophic event  that occurred in New Orleans and the surrounding area. It was known as Hurricane Katrina.  Also, there was a devastating flood that quickly followed the tremendous storm.  Normally, the same jury would re-assemble within a week or two to determine the punishment for the crime.  However, it would take many months for the judicial system to get back into operation.  Further delays to sentencing were experienced due to numerous extemporaneous events.  For example, the original judge retired from the bench.  Also, changes in the district attorney’s office further delayed the situation.  Nevertheless, the St. Tammany Parish District Attorney’s office released a statement noting that its office had fought for years to execute the convicted murderer, Dominic Robinson (according to a report by the Times-Picayune newspaper, June 28, 2012).

Assistant District Attorneys of St. Tammy Parish announced that they would spare the killer a new sentencing trial and, possibly, death by lethal injection provided that Robinson admitted his guilt – which he did. In his signed contract with the state the convicted man admitted that eleven years prior, he had murdered the Mandeville mother (of four children) during a heroin-fueled carjacking that had gone wrong.  He also added that he was sorry, and that

 Samantha Juame did not deserve to die.  The victim’s father-in-law declared that he would never accept his apology.  Robinson promised to discontinue all appeals and accept a life in prison  without the possibility of parole.  Henry Jaume stated: ”We did not want this, but we’ll accept it….I want him to die for what he did.”

            According to a report by the Times-Picayune (June 28,2012)’  Robinson followed Jaume into her home in the Woodridge subdivision near Mandeville.  It is a town about located about thirty-five miles north of New Orleans above Lake Pontchartrain.  In the commission of the crime Robinson followed his victim into her home on the afternoon of July 4, 2001 with a plan of stealing her Ford Expedition.  The children ran and hid themselves in closets and locked rooms.  They were whispering accounts to police dispatchers.  As the young mother looked for her keys, the perpetrator shot her in the head, took her wedding ring and ran.

            Robinson was convicted in 2008 when Hurricane Gustav threatened the La. Coast. This delayed the sentencing phase of his trial. Notwithstanding, there were hundreds of hearings, spanning ten years and including four defendants connected with the murder.  All of them had previously pleaded guilty and are serving their time in prison.  Coincidentally, The murderer, Robinson, was already serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for an unrelated crime of carjacking and kidnapping in Terrebonne Parish.

            It was the best that the authorities could do under the circumstances in my opinion.  However, it is amazing to me how these convicted killers and kidnappers can be out on the street so soon after their convictions.  Without rehabilitation one may ask the question: is this safe for the public?