Laquaille Bryant – Black, age 26

Sentenced in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
By: a jury
Date of crime: January 19, 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response:  Bryant was found guilty of the shooting deaths of Chante Wright (age 23) and Octavia Green (age 23).  Prosecutors contend the death penalty is appropriate because two people were killed for money and one of the victims was a federal witness.  Wright was scheduled to testify against the head of a drug gang in the coming days.  Bryant maintained the shootings were spontaneous.
Sources: 5/5/10 AP Alert – PA 18:43:48, 5/5/10 AP Alert – PA 20:25:20.

Kevin Edward Mattison – Black, age 32

Sentenced in York County, Pennsylvania
By: a jury
Date of crime: December 9, 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Mattison shot Christian Agosto (age 34) in his New York home.  Prosecutors sought the death penalty because the murder was committed while committing another felony, robbery and burglary.  The attack also created a serious risk to a woman who was also in the apartment during the shooting.  Additionally, Mattison has been convicted of second-degree murder before.  Mattison also faced charges of rape, sex offenses, assault, use of a dangerous weapon, burglary and reckless endangerment.  The woman who was in the apartment at the time, Paui’elle Generette, testified that Mattison had broken in to steal a pound of marijuana from Agosto and had shot him.
Sources: York Daily Record (PA) 7/8/09 (2009 WLNR 12986888), York Dispatch (PA) 12/7/09 (2009 WLNR 24672477), York Daily Record (PA) 12/13/10 (2010 WLNR 24647725), York Daily Record (PA) 12/14/10 (2010 WLNR 24697443), 12/18/10 AP Alert – PA 14:04:50.

Maurice Patterson – Black, age 33

Sentenced in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
By: a jury
Date of crime: March 31, 2007
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Eric Sawyer (age 38) was found shot twice in the head in an alley.  Patterson was charged with the murder, which prosecutors say was ordered by Patterson because drug-dealing associates told him Sawyer was working with the police.  Sean Durrant (age 41) pleaded guilty to being the shooter but claimed Patterson ordered the shooting.
Sources: 11/25/08 AP Alert – PA 00:57:31, PA Home Page 5/17/10 (http://pahomepage.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=138245), Williamsport Sun-Gazette (PA) 5/26/10 AP Alert – PA 21:59:26, 5/27/10 AP Alert – PA 13:31:58.