Linda Lou Charbonneau – white, age 53
Sentenced to death in Sussex County, Delaware
By: A judge, after a 10-2 jury recommendation of death
Date of crime: Sept. and Oct. 2001
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Charbonneau planned the beating deaths by her son-in-law of her husband, for greed; and of her ex-husband because he had become suspicious that she had killed her husband. As to her husband, she and her son-in-law and daughter buried his body—and the autopsy discovered dirt in her husband’s lungs, indicating he was still breathing when he was buried. Charbonneau became the first woman to face execution in Delaware since 1935.
Prosecutor(s): James Adkins
Defense lawyer(s): Thomas Pedersen
Sources: The News Journal 6/5/04; State of Delaware Department of Correction: http://www.state.de.us/correct/information/deathrow.shtml
Chauncy Starling – black, age 26
Sentenced to death in New Castle County, Delaware
By: A judge, after an unanimous jury recommendation of a death sentence
Date of crime: 3/9/2001
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Starling, Richard Frink, and Alfred Gaines went into a barbershop to kill Darnell Evans and shot him four times, but also accidentally shot 5-year-old, Damon Gist Jr. Ultimately, Gaines testified against Starling. After Starling was charged in the Gist and Evans murders, he attempted to murder Gaines to prevent him from testifying, but Starling argued he shot Gaines in self-defense. During sentencing, Starling expressed his innocence.
Prosecutor(s): Paul R. Wallace
Defense lawyer(s): John S. Malik
Sources: The News Journal 11/5/03, 6/11/04