NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A man who said he’d rather accept the death penalty than sit through arguments over his fate after being convicted of killing a baby and her grandmother has been sentenced to die.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (http://bit.ly/1sP6ZLH) that jurors Tuesday night sentenced Raghunandan Yandamuri (rag-oo-NAHN’-dahn yahn-duh-MOHR’-ee) for the 2012 slayings of 10-month-old Saanvi Venna (SAHN’-vee VEHN’-ah) and 61-year-old Satayrathi Venna (saht-yah-VAH’-thee VEHN’-ah) in King of Prussia.
He was convicted Thursday of first-degree murder.
Prosecutors say 27-year-old Yandamuri had planned to kidnap the two but botched it. They say he wanted money for gambling debts.
At a hearing Friday, Yandamuri told a judge he’d rather be executed than listen to others debate his fate. After consulting with his court-appointed attorney at the judge’s urging, he agreed to remain at the hearing.
___
Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, http://www.inquirer.com
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
