When they say that confession is the cornerstone of the prosecution's case, they may have a point? The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, led at the time by Tom Agnos, initially accusedfour men fromTucson of slayingthe temple's inhabitants. Johnathan Doody, one of the two young men charged in the 1991 murders at a Buddhist temple in Waddell, Ariz., was found guilty on all counts Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014, in Maricopa County Superior Court. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to reconsider a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that threw out Doody's confession because his Miranda rights were not properly read. Then, according to Garcia, Doody shot them all in the head with the .22, and he discharged four shotgun rounds into the bodies. Is he going to help again? 1991 Buddhist temple massacre Murdered: Nine people six Buddhist monks, a nun and two students When: Aug. 10, 1991 Where: Wat Promkunaram Temple in Waddell The story: Nine victims were. Two men were imprisoned for life in the 1991. Doody maintained his innocence and said his confession was coaxed out of him, according to The Associated Press. Doody was convicted that same year and subsequently sentenced to 281 years in prison. It was one of Arizona's most notorious murder cases: the executions of nine people, including six monks, at a suburban Phoenix Buddhist temple. [8], After the shooting, four men from Tucson were arrested. They did not seek violence.". On Friday, he sat quietly at the defense table, dressed in jailhouse stripes. [22], It was also discovered that the investigation was beginning to focus on Doody and Garcia, following the discovery of the murder weapon. His sentence was later overturned and he was retried. Allesandro "Alex" Garcia pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to life in prison in exchange for his testimony and a promise that prosecutors wouldn't seek the death penalty against him. They brought a 20-gauge shotgun from Garcia's house and borrowed the .22 rifle and knocked at the temple door. [10], The initial suspects, excluding McGraw, later filed lawsuits against Maricopa County, and in 1994, two received $1.1 million each (equivalent to $2.2million in 2022), while a third received $240,000 (equivalent to $474,000 in 2022). It was identified as the murder weapon. In 1994, both were sentenced to hundreds of years in prison for the murders; Garcia had also killed a woman camping in the Tonto National Forest between the time of the Temple Murders and his arrest. Gary Stuart: Well, we don't see a death penalty because the judge decided the death penalty was inappropriate and declined to give it at all.Based on the trial, based on the evidence and based on the judgment of the trial judge. Garcia was sentenced to life in prison after he pleaded guilty. [11], It was later discovered one of the murder weapons a Marlin Firearms .22 caliber rifle, which the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office had in its possession, but did not bother testing for nearly two months[a] was connected to two local teenagers, and had no connection whatsoever to any of the four suspects. On August 10, 1991, 16 year old Alex Garcia and 17 year old Jonathan Doody perpetrated the largest mass murder in Arizona, to date, murdering 6 Buddhist monks, 1 Buddhist nun and 2 other temple residents at the Wat Promkunaram Temple outside Phoenix. Johnathan Doody, 39, was sentenced to nine consecutive life terms after being convicted by a jury in January of nine counts of first-degree murder and armed robbery for a crime that drew international attention and remains the most deadly mass murder in the southwest U.S. states history. Doody was not eligible for the death penalty because he was 17 at the time of the murders. Johnathan A. Doody, enters the court of Maricopa County Superior Court Joseph Kreamer on Friday, March 14, 2014 in Phoenix, Ariz. Doody, convicted of killing nine people, including six monks, during a robbery at a Buddhist temple in metro Phoenix was sentenced Friday to 249 years in prison. They ransacked the temple's adjoining living quarters while holding the residents at gunpoint. There are lots of other questions but they have to start with that one. All the victims . But they only found him guilty of felony murder, not of premeditated murder. So Garcia may agree, he may disagree. So they had a very different court process. [9] Gary L. Stuart, a lawyer with deep knowledge of the case, said Doody's confession never should have stood up in court at the 1994 trial. PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona man convicted of the execution-style killings of six Buddhist monks and three others at a temple near Phoenix over two decades ago was sentenced on Friday to. Gary Stuart: There wasn't much of a language, he was fluent in English, but he was a Thai speaker. Although Arizona no longer has any mechanism to grant parole, technically, the earliest Doody could be eligible for it would be in 175 years. Doody was reconvicted on all counts in January. He was exhausted at the time. Arpaio was "Sheriff Joe"for 24 years, until losing to Paul Penzone in 2016 while battling criminal contempt charges, of which he was convicted. In 2014, he was again found guilty and sentenced to nine life sentences in prison. Thailand-born Doody also received another 33 years for eight armed robbery counts, and one count each of burglary and conspiracy after being convicted in Maricopa County Superior Court after a month-long trial. There was no other option for Kreamer. The conviction was based on Doody's improperly obtained confession. There she saw six Buddhist monks, a nun, a novice and a temple boy arranged in a circle, lying dead on the floor. Or they could try to use his trial testimony; they have that as a matter of record. On the 25th anniversary of what's dubbed the worst mass murder in Arizona history, the Buddhist community held a special ceremony to honor the lives lost. They were Thai immigrants, like Doody, or of Thai origin, peaceful people: Buddhist monks, a nun and a novice, a temple worker. Gary Stuart: -- there's no forensic evidence of any kind to place him at the crime scene. But that part of the investigation stopped after McGraw's phone call led to the Tucson Four's arrest the actual murder weapon sat behind a door in a detective's office for weeks before being tested. Garcia said Doody was the mastermind of the plan to rob the temple. After announcing the verdict, the jury began deliberating aggravating factors in the case immediately. 555 North Central Avenue, Suite 500 False arrests, false confessions, armed robbery, mass murder and international pressure all begin in a small Buddhist Temple in the West Valley community of Waddell. From my perspective, there can be no other sentence, Judge Joseph Kreamer said in handing down his decision. The nine victims were all members of the temple: the high priest, Pairuch Kanthong; five monks, Boochuay Chaiyarach, Surichai Anuttaro, Chalerm Chantapim, Siang Ginggaeo and Somsak Sopha; a nun, Foy Sripanpiaserf; a novice monk, Matthew Miller; and a temple worker, Chirasak Chirapong. The shocking story went international, and in their haste and desire to solve the case, Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies rounded up four men from Tucson and extracted false confessions from them. He imposed sentence and then sent Doody back to prison. A jury said otherwise. Doody was originally convicted in 1994, but the decision was thrown out because the U.S. appeals court said his confession was coerced. [4] Doody's second trial resulted in a mistrial in 2013. Ajahnsurayat said it had been hard for some in the community to move forward from the pain caused by this tragedy, but the spiritual leaders reminded the community about the cornerstone of their religion. If you read the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' opinion, they start on the first page of their opinion -- it's a long opinion, 106 pages -- they start with what happened in Tucson. The commemoration comes four years after a judge sentenced Jonathan Doodyto nine consecutive life sentences. Sheriff Arpaio joined monks for to honor victims. A county attorneys spokesman declined comment on the sentence. Copyright 2016 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. "The Charleston shooting is the largest mass shooting in a house of worship since 1991", "27 years later, Waddell Buddhist temple commemorates victims of 1991 temple massacre", "Jurors find Johnathan Doody guilty in Buddhist temple massacre", "Judge declares mistrial in temple killings retrial of Johnathan Doody", "Teen-ager convicted in Buddhist temple massacre", "Old Time Crime: Two teenagers held responsible for a mass murder that caused international outrage", "Johnathan Doody who killed nine people, including six monks and a nun at a Phoenix temple gets 249 years in prison", "Valley Buddhist temple massacre has had lasting impact", "Youth Pleads Guilty to Buddhist Massacre: Murder: He agrees to testify against accomplice in deal that spares him the death penalty. Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at 602-444-2474 or perry.vandell@gannett.com. By declining to hear the case, the U.S. Supreme Court lets-stand a lower court decision to toss out the confession of a man convicted of killing nine people at a Buddhist temple in the west Valley. Garcia, who was the key witness for the prosecution at Doodys latest trial, pleaded guilty to the murders and an unrelated homicide and was sentenced to 271 years in prison in 1993. He added that Buddhists believed in Karma, and they knew the person who committed this crime would be taken care of through Karma -- it was not up to them. Agnos was eventually defeated by Arpaio in the November 1992 general election. This is probably the largest mass murder in the history of Arizona," said Arpaio. DoodyandGarciawere high school classmates both living inGarcia'shome. As of 2023[update], it is the deadliest mass shooting in Arizona history. Saturday, more than 100 monks and community members gathered at the temple. Garcia pleaded guilty in 1993 to avoid the death penalty,[16] and was sentenced to 271 years in prison. Montinis Take: Always believed Doody was guilty. murdered at the Buddhist Temple in Waddell. Their living spaces had been ransacked and personal property stolen. Sheriffs officials said their motive was robbery. [9] Doody was convicted in 1994[16] and sentenced to 281 years in prison. PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona man convicted of execution-style killings of six Buddhist monks and three others at a temple near Phoenix in 1991 is set to be sentenced on Friday. But they grew quiet and somber as they joined the prayers and chants in Thai and Vietnamese, holding their hands in front of their chests. In August 1991, nine people were found dead at Wat Promkunaram, a Thai Buddhist temple west of Phoenix, making the crime the state's biggest mass murder. Other than his name and birth date, he said nothing during the hearing. Ninemembersof a West ValleyBuddhistTemple are arranged in a circle as they are shot execution style by teenagers who robbed then of $2,600 in cash and valuables. Simply put, nine human beings stood in the way of the defendant and his dream car. But in October, the jury reached an impasse, and Kreamer declared a mistrial. Today, 25 years later, the monks of the WatPromkunaramTemple continue their mission, "to provide a suitable, safe and peaceful environment for the practice and study of Southeast Asian Theravada Buddhism for both education and spiritual growth in the United States.". "In Buddhism we teach love and kindness,we teach forgiveness.". In an unrelated search of a vehicle in the area, a Merlin Model 60, .22 caliber rifle was found. A second jury deadlocked on his fate in October 2013, but he was convicted in a second retrial. The two teenagers weren't the first people investigators suspected in the slaughter. Ted Simons: And the Supreme Court said we're not going to look at this again, because the 9th got it right. Ajury found him guiltyof nine counts of first-degree murder, nine counts of armed robbery and one count each of burglary and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Arizona PBS is a member-supported service of Arizona State University. How did he confess? PHOENIX (REUTERS) - An Arizona man convicted of the execution-style killings of six Buddhist monks and three others at a temple near Phoenix over two decades ago was sentenced on Friday to spend . They cooperated with their killers. The loss of six monkswas a very personal one for Buddhists, who had a very close relationship with their monks. Toggle Controversy over investigation subsection. They looked at this case a year ago this time and they sent it back to the 9th circuit and said take a second and look at this and write another case called Florida vs. POW. [5], The third trial concluded in January 2014 and found Doody guilty on all counts, including the nine murders. And Kreamer wondered how two teenagers Doody, who was 17, and his best friend, Alex Garcia, who was 16 could have committed so much violence. But the Tucson men were cleared in the case, and three of them won lawsuits against the county. Doody was sentenced to 281 years in prison. March 14, 2014, 5:13 PM UTC. March 14, 2014 12 AM PT. On the 25th anniversary of what's dubbed the worst mass murder in Arizona history, the Buddhist community held a special ceremony to honor the lives lost. "Good luck to you.". The district court was ordered to either release Jonathan Doody or allow the State to retry him. Maria Schaffer, one of Doodys attorneys, told the court she will appeal. The same jurors also found aggravating factors in the killings, meaning Doody may receive a harsher prison sentence. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Capital punishment was not an option for prosecutors since Doody was 17 at the time of the murders. [9] Charges against the four, later dubbed the "Tucson Four" by the media,[12] were dropped, resulting in a major controversy over the investigation. Investigators determined that Doody and Garcia acted alone. The suspects stole about $2,600 in cash and valuables from the temple and the victims. A man who robbed and shot to death nine people, including Buddhist monks and family members, in an Arizona temple was sentenced to 239 years in prison Friday, Maricopa . "It's very sad. Gary Stuart: Thanks Ted. Gary Stuart: Well, there are some housekeeping details. By Lou Cannon August 17, 1991 PHOENIX -- The gunshot slayings of nine people in an isolated Buddhist temple 20 miles west of downtown have brought the small and widely scattered Thai community. Fascinating stuff. The Thailand-born man was also convicted of armed robbery and one count each of burglary and conspiracy by jurors, according to Maricopa County Superior Court. That's what the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals held. So that's a big problem for the prosecutor. March 14, 2014 4:27 PM PT. AZ International Auto Show & New Car Buyer's Guide 2020 Model Year, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Ted Simons: What happens now? He admitted that he was there, that there were several others there, none from Tucson, and all from the west side of town. REUTERS/Charlie Leight/The Arizona Republic/Pool. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy, Verdict in first trial was thrown out in 2010%3B second trial ended in a mistrial, Johnathan Doody%27s confession was off-limits in retrials, Doody has been in custody since he was 17. In the early hours of August 10, 1991, a mass shooting occurred at Thai Buddhist temple Wat Promkunaram (Thai: ; RTGS:Wat Phrom Khunaram) in Waddell, Arizona, killing nine people. 50:56. He may not say that. On the night of August 9, 1991, two men break into the Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Phoenix, AZ and murder all 9 people inside. "You are now remanded to the Department of Corrections," Kreamer said. On Aug. 10, 1991, nine bodies were found face-down on the floor of the Wat Promkunaram Buddhist temple in Waddell, Ariz., west of Glendale, Ariz., near Luke Air Force Base. They ransacked the temple's adjoining living quarters while holding the residents at gunpoint. Doody was originally convicted in 1994, but a U.S. appeals court threw out the decision in May 2011, saying it was based on a coerced confession, and a retrial was ordered. [9], Doody's conviction was overturned in 2008 by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and again in 2011. Last time it did. Gary Stuart: They looked very carefully at Doody's confession. But the charges were dropped when the men recanted and authorities could not pin the crime on them. There was this long exhaustive time period where his will was overborne. Doody was arrested and later convicted for all nine murders. He testified that the murder spree was Doodys idea, in an effort to steal from the monks. Then, according to Garcia, Doody shot them all in the head with the .22, and he discharged four shotgun rounds into the bodies. Doody was questioned by investigators for 12 hours in October 1991 and admitted to his involvement. Doody, who did not testify during his last trial, also did not speak during the sentencing. It took 14 pages of transcript to explain those rights to him by the interrogating officers. Four men from Tucson were originally arrested for the killings after an interrogation by sheriffs deputies resulted in their confessions. Gary Stuart: No. "For the Buddhist community their relationship with their monk (is) very, very close. By David Schwartz PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona man convicted of the execution-style killings of six Buddhist monks and three others at a temple near Phoenix more than two decades ago was sentenced on Friday to spend the rest of his life in prison. Ted Simons: What was the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rule regarding a confession used in the trial? [9], Doody's attorneys later appealed, claiming Doody's father had not been present during the interrogation and that Doody's confession was not voluntary because authorities improperly administered the Miranda warning. PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona man convicted of the execution-style killings of six Buddhist monks and three others at a temple near Phoenix more than two decades ago was sentenced on Friday to spend the rest of his life in prison. If the jury believes that, if they believe that came out of his mouth, they listened to it with headphones and read his transcript. They later recanted and all charges were dropped. "These people were not violent. Doody was a 17-year-old high-school student when he confessed to participating in the 1991 temple murders. But Doody's case was thrown out by the 9th U.S. Doody went back to trial last August, but in October, the jury reached an impasse and the judge declared a mistrial. Acting on a tip, sheriff's investigators initially arrested four men from Tucson, who were interrogated at a Phoenix hotel room until they confessed. Defense attorneys have disputed those claims, saying there were no corroborating witnesses to place Doody there that day. So that's a big giant question as to whether or not the retrial will be successful. It eventually turned into a campaign issue when Joe Arpaio, who was a former DEA agent at the time, campaigned on a promise to restore credibility to the office. Kreamer had no choice but to send Doody to prison for the rest of his life. Ajahnsurayat, an Abbott based out of the Buddhist Temple in Tucson, was one of more than a dozen abbots in Phoenix for the memorial service. Once that was out of the way, we did have two folks who wound up convicted of the crime, including Jonathan Doody. But the Tucson men were cleared in the case, and three of them won lawsuits against the county. They remind the readers of the opinion that the same team of investigators that took these false confessions and coerced them also took these purportedly true confessions and coerced at least one of those. Ted Simons: All right. Good to see again. Doody has been in custody since his 1991 arrest when he was 17 years old. It's not going to come from him this time. Johnathan Doody, 39, sat impassively as the court clerk read the verdicts: nine counts of first-degree murder, nine counts of armed robbery and single counts of burglary and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. On Aug. 10, 1991, nine people were found shot to death at the Wat Promkunaram Buddhist temple in Waddell: the temple's abbot, Pairuch Kanthong; the five monks, Surichai Anuttaro, Boochuay Chaiyarach, Chalerm Chantapim, Siang Ginggaeo and Somsak Sopha; a nun, Foy Sripanpasert; her nephew, Matthew Miller, who was a novice monk; and a temple employee, Chirasak Chirapong. Before he started he admitted physically being at the scene of the crime. The bodies of six monks, a novice, a nun and a temple boy were found face down in a circle in August 1991, each killed by a gunshot to the head. Johnathan Doody gets 9 consecutive life sentences in 1991 temple murders. The only person that can do that is Garcia. Doody's second trial ended in October 2013 with a deadlocked jury. So they had to die.". Reporting by David Schwartz in Phoenix; Editing by Eric Johnson, Ken Wills and Tom Brown. The Thailand-born Doody faces a maximum of life in prison when he is sentenced on March 14 for the crimes, which became known as the "temple murders" in a case that has drawn attention to police tactics used to solicit confessions. There is no other evidence. Acting on a tip from a man with mental-health issues, Maricopa County sheriff's deputies arrested four men from Tucson and extracted false confessions from them. According to Garcia, he and Doody put on their high-school ROTC uniforms and boots, which they thought would disguise their footprints. Click here to see a timeline of the case. In both retrials, because Doody's confession was off-limits, the case hinged on Garcia's testimony and whether the jury believed him. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, 3-alarm fire in Phoenix near 40th Street and McDowell Road; power outages.
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