The End of the Story

Trial

Verdict & Sentence

Case Background

Kenneth Osburn stands accused of murdering 17-year-old Casey Crowder of Pine Bluff, AR. The Prosecution is seeking the death penalty.

Trial

The trial began on January 10, 2008. The case went to the jury on January 17, 2008. Deliberations are expected to continue on Friday morning at 9 a.m.¹

I am really surprised this case went to the jury so quickly because there are many issues regarding how investigators obtained Osburn’s confession.

Verdict & Sentence

The jury in the Kenneth Osburn kidnapping and murder case came to a unanimous decision of guilty. The jury was stuck 11-1 during the penalty phase regarding life in prison or death on the murder charge. Because they did not have a unanimous decision the it was up to the judge to determine the sentence. He sentenced Osburn to life in prison without parole.²

The jury then had to deliberate the sentence on the kidnapping charge. They deliberated for a few minutes deciding on a life sentence as well. The judge ordered both life sentences to be served consecutively.

1. Melissa Dunbar-Gates, “Jury Starts Deliberations in Osburn Murder Trial,” Todaysthv.com, January 17, 2008,http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=59149. [↩]
2. Jeannie Nugent, “Osburn Found Guilty,” The Commercial, January 18, 2008, http://www.pbcommercial.com/articles/2008/01/19/news/news1.txt. [↩]