Opinion ID: 1808271
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: first degree murder convictionssentenced to life imprisonment.

Text: State v. Andersen, no written opinion. Dawson County District Court, No. 14391. Date of Sentence: July 26, 1973. Defendant and his wife resisted arrest by a patrolman, and in the struggle in the police car the patrolman was shot and killed.  State v. Kennedy, no written opinion. Lancaster County District Court, Docket 37, Page 72. Date of Sentence: September 26, 1973. Defendant was in need of money and decided to rob someone. He first attempted to rob a home but, because of a barking dog, was unable to do so. He shot the dog with a 12-gauge shotgun and left. He then returned to Kramer Lake, where he had been earlier fishing, and approached a victim, who was also fishing. The defendant shot the fisherman in the back and proceeded to rob him. The victim was still alive, so the defendant shot him three more times.  State v. Casper, 192 Neb. 120, 219 N.W.2d 226 (1974). Date of Sentence: December 13, 1973. Defendant and several friends spent the evening at several Omaha bars. They were later joined by the victim, who promised them a night on the town. Defendant was aware that the victim had two $100 bills on his person. Defendant maintained that the victim pulled a knife on the others, fearing that he, the victim, was going to be robbed. A struggle ensued between one of the parties and the victim. The other party got the knife away from the victim. He then ordered the victim to hand over the money. Defendant admitted that he joined in the robbery attempt. At some point the victim ended up in the river. It was not clear from the testimony whether he fell down the riverbank or was pushed. Both defendant and the other party maintain that the victim was unharmed and standing in shallow water when they left him. His body was found several days later, floating in the Missouri River.  State v. Wilson, 192 Neb. 435, 222 N.W.2d 128 (1974). Date of Sentence: January 4, 1974. Same facts as in State v. Casper, above. State v. Nokes, 192 Neb. 844, 224 N.W.2d 776 (1975). Date of Sentence: March 22, 1974. Defendant and his wife had entered into an adulterous relationship with the daughter of the victims. The relationship became estranged, and the difficulty led to verbal and physical altercations between the defendant and the victims' daughter. The victims became aware of the situation and thought defendant was blackmailing their daughter. Defendant and his wife went to the victims' residence to settle the misunderstanding. Defendant took a gun with him. Later, the four went to defendant's home and down to the basement. While in the basement, defendant shot and killed the father of the daughter involved in the relationship. When the mother screamed and tried to run up the stairs, defendant shot her in the back. Defendant and his wife then dismembered the bodies, wrapped the pieces in butcher paper, and later disposed of the bodies in a nearby lake.  State v. Brown, no written opinion. Douglas County District Court, Docket 88, Page 625. Date of Sentence: March 25, 1974. Defendant gave the victim, an acquaintance, a ride. They stopped near the Carter Lake area and got out of the car. After telling the victim that defendant did not get the job he had hoped to get, he struck the victim and robbed her of $82. She died from the beating, with massive contusions to the neck, and five cracked ribs. State v. Russell, 194 Neb. 64, 230 N.W.2d 196 (1975). Date of Sentence: May 31, 1974. The victim, a young boy, was a friend of defendant's younger brother. Defendant, a teenager, and victim went shopping together. They then entered an abandoned apartment. Once inside, they talked, ate doughnuts, drank coffee, and engaged in homosexual activity for a brief period of about 5 minutes, apparently at the victim's request. Defendant claimed that victim started calling him names and also made derogatory statements about defendant's grandmother. Defendant got mad, cut the cord off the telephone, and strangled the victim. The victim's face turned red and his eyes bulged. Defendant left victim there, gasping for air. The victim was 8 years of age, and the defendant was 17 years of age. m State v. Harris, 194 Neb. 74, 230 N.W.2d 203 (1975). Date of Sentence: June 26, 1974. The victim, an 81-year-old woman, was walking home from the bus stop after attending church. She was encountered by the defendant and a codefendant, who attempted to snatch her purse. A struggle ensued, and the woman was knocked down and kicked several times. She was taken to the Douglas County Hospital by a rescue squad. She sustained a number of serious injuries, including a broken hip. She died 2 months later as a result of complications secondary to the injury. m State v. Lytle, 194 Neb. 353, 231 N.W.2d 681 (1975). Date of Sentence: June 26, 1974. Same as facts in State v. Harris, above. At the time of the assault Harris was 16 years of age and Lytle was 17 years of age. m State v. McDonald, 195 Neb. 625, 240 N.W.2d 8 (1976). Date of Sentence: June 16, 1975. On the evening of July 3, 1974, the defendant and two other youths were driven by a mother of one of the youths to a liquor store so that they could buy beer. Defendant was, at that time, 16 years old. Later that evening, defendant was informed that a car belonging to defendant's older brother had been hit. Defendant and his friend went outside and viewed the car. The victim was standing nearby, and there was a discussion between defendant and the victim as to whether the victim had hit the car. Defendant and his friend then went to the friend's trailer and got a gun and disassembled it. There was conflicting testimony, but either the defendant or his friend hit the victim over the head. The two then stuffed the victim into the trunk of his car, stole his wallet, and shut the lid. The car was later set on fire. The defendant's friend testified that defendant went back to the car and, later, returned, stating that he had set the car on fire. The victim was found dead in the trunk by firefighters, who were called to the scene by a policeman who saw the burning car. State v. Stewart, 197 Neb. 497, 250 N.W.2d 849 (1977). Date of Sentence: August 20, 1975. Initially sentenced to death, but sentence reduced by Supreme Court. The defendant was 16 years old at the time of the commission of the murder. He had developed a relationship with two drug dealers, who were supplying him with marijuana. He fell behind in his payments and was threatened by the dealers if he did not pay. Defendant advised the dealers that he needed 2 pounds of marijuana so that he could sell it and make a sufficient profit to pay the drug dealers. It was during this attempted transaction that the murder occurred. The dealers picked up Stewart in a van. The plan was to take Stewart to the house of the buyer so that the transaction could take place. Stewart actually had no buyer, and planned to steal the marijuana from the dealers. He had on his person his father's pistol and a can of gasoline. He told the dealers the gas was for a friend. While in the van, the defendant shot both dealers in the back of the head. One died immediately, but the other survived and witnessed the defendant pour gas all over the inside of the van and ignite it. After the defendant left, the injured dealer escaped from the burning van, and later testified. State v. Sims, 197 Neb. 1, 246 N.W.2d 645 (1976). Date of Sentence: September 19, 1975. Defendant and the victim were involved in a near accident, which resulted in defendant's having words with the victim. After a brief conversation the defendant returned to his automobile. A short time later, the defendant returned to the area where the victim's car was parked. The passenger in the defendant's automobile stepped out of the car and fired a pistol in the air. The defendant removed a shotgun from the car and walked rapidly in the direction of the deceased, who was standing against his car. The defendant stopped when he was about 10 feet away from the deceased and fired one shell, which struck the deceased in the abdomen, causing his death.  State v. Ell, 196 Neb. 800, 246 N.W.2d 594 (1976). Date of Sentence: November 10, 1975. This is a companion case to State v. Rust, 197 Neb. 528, 250 N.W.2d 867 (1977). Because the evidence indicated that Rust did the actual shooting, Ell was sentenced to life imprisonment, being convicted of felony murder.  State v. Record, 198 Neb. 530, 253 N.W.2d 847 (1977). Date of Sentence: July 2, 1976. Defendant, 18 years of age, and another were driving in an automobile when they decided to rob anyone who next came along. They drove to approximately 180th and Dodge Streets in Omaha and parked on a side road, waiting for someone to drive by so that the defendant could shoot and rob someone. At approximately 3 a.m. a car driven by the victim passed their parked car, proceeding east on Dodge Street. With the other party driving, the victim's car was pursued. As their car drove alongside the victim's as if to pass, the defendant fired a shot, breaking the glass and killing the driver. State v. Beans, 199 Neb. 807, 261 N.W.2d 749 (1978). Date of Sentence: January 20, 1977. Defendant and his wife (the victim) had concluded a bitter divorce and child custody proceedings. Defendant went to the victim's home to talk with her, taking his gun along with him. The victim had a gun in her purse. They argued, and defendant fired a shot into the wall. After the victim pulled the gun from her purse, the defendant attempted to knock it out of her hand; in the process the defendant's gun went off and the victim was killed with one shot to the abdomen.  State v. Scott, 200 Neb. 265, 263 N.W.2d 659 (1978). Date of Sentence: May 6, 1977. The defendant entered the home of William and Bertha McCormic in Omaha, Nebraska, and demanded money at gunpoint. A scuffle ensued, and Mr. McCormic, who was 92 years of age, was shot twice and died. Mrs. McCormic, who was 83 years old, was shot twice and wounded. The defendant was 18 years of age.  State v. Prim, 201 Neb. 279, 267 N.W.2d 193 (1978). Date of Sentence: July 8, 1977. Defendant robbed a gas station. He ordered the attendant to lie down. When defendant thought the victim was going behind the counter to get something, defendant hit him with his gun, and it went off. Defendant took the money and fled. The victim died from a gunshot wound to the heart. The defendant was 24 years of age.  State v. Simpson, 200 Neb. 823, 265 N.W.2d 681 (1978). Date of Sentence: September 16, 1977. The defendant, his sister, and his sister's child were hitchhiking and were picked up by the victim. They had formed a plan whereby they would get the driver to stop the car and defendant's sister would pull a gun and rob him. They stopped the car, but nothing happened. As they got back on the road, defendant's sister pulled the gun and told the driver to keep his hands on the wheel and stop the car. The driver turned to disarm her, and she shot him in the back. The victim was paralyzed, so they dragged him from the car into a borrow pit off the Interstate and took his billfold. The defendant fired two more shots to the head of the victim. The defendant was 20 years of age. m State v. Schaeffer, no written opinion. Hall County District Court, Docket 28, Page 279. Date of Sentence: September 30, 1977. The defendant, a 16-year-old, together with a friend, forced the manager of the Ace Hardware Store in Grand Island into their car at gunpoint, where, after robbing him, they shot him 17 times.  State v. Roewert, no written opinion. Platte County District Court, No. 2805. Date of Sentence: December 8, 1977. The defendant and some friends were drinking at a bar in Norfolk, Nebraska, and planned to rob and kill the victim. They determined they would kill the victim so as not to be identified. The defendant went and got some knives and lured the victim out of the bar by inviting him to a party. They drove him out to a country road, where they took his billfold. While the victim was passed out from being intoxicated, the defendant cut his throat and then decapitated him. The defendant then disemboweled the victim, rolled the body over, and cut it about the back. The defendant was 23 years of age. State v. Beers, 201 Neb. 714, 271 N.W.2d 842 (1978). Date of Sentence: December 16, 1977. Defendant and his wife were separated. After drinking he went home and put a double-barreled shotgun in his car. He then found his wife with another man and threatened to kill her. She fled to the home of one Steve Gruber. The defendant continued to drive about Nebraska City looking for his wife. Meanwhile, Gruber reported to the police that the defendant had made threats. Two officers proceeded to look for the defendant. Upon spotting one of the officers the defendant did a U-turn in the alley where he was and came back to the rear of the police station. The defendant stepped out of his pickup truck with his shotgun in hand. When he was ordered to put the gun down, he began firing, and a gun battle ensued. The defendant shot both officers, killing one of them. He then fled and was caught at a rest stop near York, Nebraska.  State v. Marshall, no written opinion. Lancaster County District Court, Docket 48, Page 262. Date of Sentence: March 13, 1978. The defendant, a 20-year-old, working in a flower shop in Lincoln, Nebraska, robbed the owner, and in the course of the robbery struck the owner in the head several times with a metal bar, from which blows the victim died. State v. Hatcher, no written opinion. Douglas County District Court, Docket 101, Page 321. Date of Sentence: April 14, 1978. The defendant, being pursued by a police officer, engaged in a struggle with the police officer, and as the officer struggled with the defendant the officer's gun went off twice, the second time hitting the officer in the head.  State v. Floyd, no written opinion. Hamilton County District Court, Docket 24, Page 196. Date of Sentence: May 16, 1978. Defendant, 37 years old, attempted to rob a filling station. The attendant advised the defendant that he knew kung fu, did a kung fu scream, and jumped into a kung fu stance. Defendant shot the attendant three times in the head. State v. Nielsen, 203 Neb. 847, 280 N.W.2d 904 (1979). Date of Sentence: May 26, 1978. Defendant returned from a hunting trip, during which time he consumed a great deal of alcohol. Upon returning home he engaged in an argument with his wife. He left for a while, and when he returned, found that his wife was gone. He then went to her parents' home to look for her and got into an argument with them. The defendant called his father-in-law an obscene name and shot once at the wall to show them that his gun worked. Defendant and his father-in-law stepped outside, where defendant then shot the father-in-law. The mother-in-law screamed, and was also shot when she went outside. The father-in-law died of a gunshot wound to the head, and the mother-in-law died of a gunshot wound to the neck and left upper posterior thorax.  State v. Bennett, 204 Neb. 28, 281 N.W.2d 216 (1979). Date of Sentence: July 27, 1978. While there was some dispute in the evidence, it appears that the defendant sought to rob the victim while on a public street. He struck the victim with a large rock, and then apparently became scared and called the rescue squad. He later went to the hospital to check on the victim's status. The victim died as a result of the head wounds inflicted by the rock. m State v. Anderson, no written opinion. Douglas County District Court, Docket 102, Page 85. Date of Sentence: September 25, 1978. The defendant, a 15-year-old, together with his brother and a friend, decided to rob someone. The three were in one car and followed a man in another car until he stopped at a stop sign. Defendant got out of the car and pulled a gun on the victim, telling him to move over. The friend drove the victim's car, and the victim was placed in the passenger seat. Defendant got into the back seat. They drove around for several minutes and parked off the highway. They took the victim's billfold at gunpoint. When the victim started to struggle, the defendant shot him in the head. State v. Robbins, 205 Neb. 226, 287 N.W.2d 55 (1980). Date of Sentence: February 16, 1979. The victim and his wife were separated. The victim was under the impression that his wife was having an affair with the defendant. Actually, the defendant was living with the wife's 16-year-old daughter. Defendant and a friend went to the victim's house, apparently to straighten out the misunderstanding. A fight ensued, and the defendant shot the victim six times. Defendant and his friend later returned and took money from the victim's wallet. State v. Ditter, 209 Neb. 452, 308 N.W.2d 350 (1981). Date of Sentence: November 15, 1979. Defendant and his wife, the victim, were separated. Defendant went to his wife's apartment, where he broke in. He ordered a girlfriend of the victim to remove the parties' two minor children, and then ordered his wife to disrobe. While requiring his wife to beg for her life, he fired four shots into her body. Shots were fired at different intervals. When the police broke in, the victim was still alive, but died before the rescue squad arrived.  State v. Thornton, no written opinion. Douglas County District Court, Docket 105, Page 263. Date of Sentence: January 3, 1980. The defendant entered the victim's apartment through a boarded-up doorway in the basement. His intent was to break and enter for the purpose of burglarizing the home. He took money, drugs, and a radio while the victim was asleep on the sofa. She was awakened by the noise of the defendant. She screamed, and the two struggled. Defendant strangled her with a gag.  State v. Bussard, no written opinion. Red Willow County District Court, No. 11,542. Date of Sentence: February 22, 1980. The defendant, defendant's brother, and two friends were shooting pool at a bar. They met the victim at the bar, and the group decided to go for a ride and shoot rabbits. They rode in the victim's car and stopped first at defendant's home to get a gun. They then drove out of town and stopped to shoot at some lights. The defendant told one of his friends that he was going to shoot and rob the victim because the victim was an undercover drug agent. They turned off the road and decided to shoot at a beer can. Defendant then shot the victim in the nose. When the victim hollered, the defendant fired several more shots into the victim's head from close range. They then took off the victim's clothes and stole his billfold. They dumped the body over a fence and returned to town. They then returned to the scene, where they buried the body and set the car on fire. The defendant was 24 years of age. State v. McGee, no written opinion. Sarpy County District Court, Docket 38, Page 170. Date of Sentence: April 14, 1980. This defendant, together with several others, was part of a social family. The defendant was told that if he wanted to get in good with the family he would have to kill the victim, another member of the family, or else he himself would be killed. On the night of the murder a party was held at the home of one of the family members. Most were drinking and took drugs. The victim was given a drink which was drugged. Later, while defendant and two others went upstairs to load a gun, the victim was downstairs with another. The others came down, handed the defendant the gun, and told him to kill the victim, which he did, shooting him 15 or 16 times. The body was thrown in a creekbed in Iowa, where it was found a week later. State v. Boyer, 211 Neb. 139, 318 N.W.2d 60 (1982). Date of Sentence: April 14, 1981. Defendant had an argument with his parents the evening prior to the murder and spent the night sleeping in his car. A neighbor saw him return home in the morning and called defendant's mother, the victim, at work, as the neighbor had been instructed to do by the victim. The defendant was locked out of his home but broke a window to gain entrance. He went upstairs to his bedroom, locked the door, and loaded his shotgun. The victim came home from work and demanded entrance to defendant's bedroom. The defendant opened the door, and the two quarreled. The victim told the defendant to pack his suitcase and leave the house. At that time the defendant retrieved the gun from under his bed and shot her. He then called 911 and told them that his mother had fallen. State v. Pope, 211 Neb. 425, 318 N.W.2d 883 (1982). Date of Sentence: June 23, 1981. The victim and the defendant had been together at a bar. The victim wanted to hire someone to kill his wife, so the two were discussing the transaction. A third party may have been present. They stopped the automobile they were in so they could relieve themselves along a country road. The victim pulled out a large roll of bills, and defendant shot him in the back of the head. The defendant then took the money and dragged the body away to where it was found several days later. m State v. Hubbard, 211 Neb. 531, 319 N.W.2d 116 (1982). Date of Sentence: July 16, 1981. The defendant, 17 years of age, desired to rob someone in order to get money to buy marijuana. The defendant tried unsuccessfully to gain entry into one house. After this failure he obtained a gun from the codefendant, Juan Bradley, and went up to the victim's house. When the victim opened the door, the defendant shot the victim and fled. m State v. Bradley, 210 Neb. 882, 317 N.W.2d 99 (1982). Date of Sentence: July 17, 1981. This is a companion case to State v. Hubbard, above. The defendant was 17 years of age. State v. Scott, 212 Neb. 625, 324 N.W.2d 670 (1982). Date of Sentence: October 14, 1981. The defendant and the victim had been living together for approximately 4 years. The victim had two children with the defendant and one more with a previous boyfriend. On the evening of the murder the defendant had gone out with a friend and the victim had gone out with a girlfriend and left the children with a neighbor. When the victim returned at about 10:30 p.m., she found the defendant at the door of her apartment. He was furious with her for leaving the children out past 10 p.m. The victim's girlfriend felt that it was her fault that he was angry and attempted to calm him down. After 20 minutes with him she felt that he had calmed down. At 3 a.m. the next morning the police received a 911 call for a rescue squad. The call was made by the defendant. When the rescue squad arrived, the defendant stated that it was his fault and that he had pushed the victim down the stairs. The apartment was in disarray. There was a coffee table overturned with two legs missing. It was later determined that the body had been beaten with a leg from the table and with a leather belt, and kicked with steel-toed shoes. State v. Lamb, 213 Neb. 498, 330 N.W.2d 462 (1983). Date of Sentence: October 29, 1981. The defendant shot and killed his wife, who apparently was suffering from many physical ailments.  State v. Tucker, 215 Neb. 636, 340 N.W.2d 376 (1983). Date of Sentence: July 19, 1982. Defendant and his brother entered the International House of Pancakes restaurant for the purpose of committing a robbery. The brother asked the waitress/cashier (victim) for change for a dollar. Defendant then pulled his gun and said it was a stickup. The defendant shot the victim once in the upper right chest. The victim was 18 years of age, and the defendant was 21. m State v. Tucker, no written opinion. Douglas County District Court, Docket 111, Page 465. Date of Sentence: July 28, 1982. This is a companion case to State v. Tucker, 215 Neb. 636, 340 N.W.2d 376 (1983). The only difference is that, here, the defendant did not actually pull the trigger.  State v. Blackbonette, no written opinion. Lancaster County District Court, Docket 59, Page 108. Date of Sentence: August 23, 1982. The defendant knocked on the door of the victim's home. The victim was an elderly woman. The defendant showed her a picture ID and told her he was a police officer. When she then let him in, he tried to make his story believable by checking out the windows, as if observing someone. He told her to go up to her room in case the men broke down the door. He then located a knife and went upstairs. He asked the victim for money. When she said she had none, he stabbed her twice in the stomach. He then strangled her with a cord, which he had apparently cut from some drapery. He then stole her radio, which he later sold for $5. The defendant was 35 years of age. State v. Searles, 214 Neb. 849, 336 N.W.2d 571 (1983). Date of Sentence: November 26, 1982. The defendant was a resident of a state-licensed residential care facility. In this custodial foster home 90 percent of the residents require medication for psychiatric disorders. The defendant shared an apartment with five others, including the victim. The defendant and the victim had often argued over the use of the TV. On the day of the killing the defendant was told by the proprietor that he was going to have to be moved. The defendant took a knife out of the kitchen, went out to the balcony where the victim was, and stabbed her several times. The defendant admitted the killing, stating, I stabbed her good; I hope I killed her. State v. Lynch, 215 Neb. 528, 340 N.W.2d 128 (1983). Date of Sentence: December 16, 1982. The victim, a 57-year-old man, was out driving and looking for some action. He picked up the defendant, age 20, who was a hitchhiker. The defendant explained that he was down on his luck and needed some money. The victim responded to this by saying, I could get you some money if you will be my friend for a while. The defendant agreed, and the two proceeded back to the victim's apartment. The victim offered the defendant a drink, and the two went into the bedroom. There, the victim disrobed and made homosexual advances toward the defendant. The defendant refused, and the victim persisted. The victim came close to the defendant, and at this point the defendant pulled a pocketknife out and stabbed the victim several times. A struggle ensued, in which the victim was stabbed several more times in the throat area. The cause of death was hemorrhaging from the stab wounds. State v. Lee, 216 Neb. 63, 341 N.W.2d 600 (1983). Date of Sentence: January 24, 1983. The defendant had, on the day on which the murder occurred, driven in from Kansas City with his girlfriend, Bonnie Welker, and Sue Welch. The three were drinking beer and smoking marijuana. That evening the defendant and Welker were using Welker's gun to do some target practice. They later bought additional shells at K-Mart. Just by chance, the defendant and Welker met the victim, Wilbert Swick, and one Gregory Powell at the intersection of 84th and L Streets at approximately 1:20 a.m. Powell was driving Swick's Corvette, and Welker was driving a white Continental, with defendant in the passenger seat. Swick yelled to Welker something like, How is it going, baby? When defendant learned of this he became angry. He made Welker stop the car, got out with the gun, and approached Swick in the Corvette. He told Swick, Don't be flirting with my girl. He then shot Swick at close range. m State v. Nollen, no written opinion. Washington County District Court, No. 8982. Date of Sentence: January 24, 1983. The defendant, 17 years of age, and a companion broke into a doughnut shop in Blair, Nebraska, for the purpose of robbing it. They encountered the young manager, who was in the process of closing the store. They stole $200 and abducted the victim against her will. They had a knife, and drove around in the victim's car. The defendant sexually assaulted her while they were in the back seat. They tied her hands behind her back. While she was alive in the car, they ran the car off the dock into the river, causing her to drown. State v. Krimmel, 216 Neb. 825, 346 N.W.2d 396 (1984). Date of Sentence: April 21, 1983. The defendant, 20 years of age, did odd jobs for the deceased, who was an elderly (84-year-old) man. On the morning of November 4, 1982, the defendant went to the victim's residence to collect some money for jobs he had done. The victim only had $5 to give him. The defendant became enraged because he felt he was being cheated out of money owed to him. He jumped the victim as the victim was on his way to the bathroom. The defendant put a choke hold on the victim and began stabbing him in the neck and back. The coroner's report indicated 25 stab wounds on the victim. State v. Meis, 217 Neb. 770, 351 N.W.2d 79 (1984). Date of Sentence: May 2, 1983. While inside a local tavern, the defendant made vulgar comments towards the victim's friend. The defendant and the victim stepped outside, where they were involved in a fight. The victim pinned the defendant on a car and then returned to the bar. The defendant subsequently reentered the bar, aiming his revolver at victim's section of the bar. The defendant also harassed others. While the bar owner was telephoning the police, defendant left. The bar was closing, so the victim left also. The victim died from a single gunshot wound to the front part of his lower chest. State v. Jones, 217 Neb. 435, 350 N.W.2d 11 (1984). Date of Sentence: June 13, 1983. The victim and the defendant had had an ongoing dispute, the defendant maintaining that the victim had fired shots into the defendant's house, nearly hitting a child. Several days later, the defendant entered a north Omaha after-hours club. He saw the victim and asked for an apology. The victim responded by saying it was the defendant that owed him, the victim, the apology. The victim was seated at a table playing cards and the defendant was standing. The victim leaned over the table to gather his money. When the victim went for his pocket to put the money into it, the defendant, fearing that the victim had a gun, shot the victim twice. The victim fell to the floor, but was not yet dead. The defendant went around the table, got on top of the victim, and shot him three more times. The defendant's gun clicked several times after this.  State v. Rehbein, no written opinion. Douglas County District Court, Docket 113, Page 475. Date of Sentence: June 13, 1983. The defendant used a penknife to cut the screen and enter victim's apartment in an attempt to perpetrate a robbery. The victim woke up, and the defendant feared being identified. The defendant beat up the victim with his fists and a hatchet. The victim died from multiple stab or cutting wounds to the head, neck, and upper body, as well as multiple lacerations of the scalp and forehead, inflicted by a blunt object.  State v. Massey, 218 Neb. 492, 357 N.W.2d 181 (1984). Date of Sentence: July 8, 1983. The defendant and an accomplice lured the victim up to a hotel room at the Ramada Inn and robbed him, after hitting him over the head with a vodka bottle. A scuffle ensued, and the victim and Massey ended up in the elevator. After reaching the lobby, Massey shot the victim at close range in the side, and then ran off. State v. Lopez, no written opinion. Douglas County District Court, Docket 114, Page 521. Date of Sentence: August 25, 1983. One Maxine Wells and the defendant had been drinking at Mitchell's Game Room early on the morning of March 19, 1983. Wells advised the defendant she was going to solicit someone to get some money. The defendant told her that there was a possible customer across the street. She went across the street to a restaurant, where she began talking to the victim as he entered his car. The defendant then came up from behind the victim and beat him on the head with a club.  State v. Bradford, 223 Neb. 908, 395 N.W.2d 495 (1986). Date of Sentence: December 12, 1983. The defendant and several other individuals robbed the landlord of a house where defendant's sister lived. The robbery was in progress when defendant arrived on the scene. The landlord was stabbed a number of times and then thrown into a trunk of a car and taken out to the country, where he was then thrown into a ditch. He was stabbed again and his throat cut so severely that he was nearly decapitated.  State v. Robertson, 219 Neb. 782, 366 N.W.2d 429 (1985). Date of Sentence: January 4, 1984. The defendant, a prostitute in Omaha, Nebraska, together with three other prostitutes, kidnaped a fifth prostitute who had solicited many dates that night. The four decided to rob her instead of trying to rob someone else. The victim was verbally and physically assaulted, including being forced to perform an act of oral sex on one of the prostitutes. The victim was then robbed of $25. Later, she was taken out of the car and beat to death with a stick and a bat.  State v. Perkins, 219 Neb. 491, 364 N.W.2d 20 (1985). Date of Sentence: April 3, 1984. This is a companion case to State v. Bradford, above. This defendant actually instituted the robbery and stabbed the victim a number of times. State v. Jones, 218 Neb. 713, 358 N.W.2d 765 (1984). Date of Sentence: April 13, 1984. The defendant murdered the victim, Ann Speese, and her 12-year-old daughter, Tina. Ann's body was dismembered by a saw or other mechanical means. Ann's death was due to multiple head wounds inflicted by a blunt instrument, and Tina died of asphyxiation. Autopsy reports indicated that Tina may have been sexually assaulted, but that was not clearly established.  State v. Crisp, 219 Neb. 265, 361 N.W.2d 544 (1985). Date of Sentence: June 6, 1984. The defendant had escaped while participating in the Douglas County work release program and stole the victim's car so he could leave town. Defendant stated to investigators that he struck her, knocked her out, tore her clothes off, grabbed her by the breast, stuck his hand in her vagina, and tried to pull her insides out. He admitted stabbing her. He threw her out of the car, and her partially decomposed body was found 1 month later in a field behind an Omaha manufacturing plant. Following the killing, he stole her purse and her car. The defendant was 23 years of age.  State v. Smith, 219 Neb. 176, 361 N.W.2d 532 (1985). Date of Sentence: June 12, 1984. Loray Smith was one of the participants in the beating death of Laura LaPointe, a prostitute. For fuller details see State v. Robertson, 219 Neb. 782, 366 N.W.2d 429 (1985), and State v. Joy, 220 Neb. 535, 371 N.W.2d 113 (1985).  State v. Ware, 219 Neb. 594, 365 N.W.2d 418 (1985). Date of Sentence: June 20, 1984. The defendant robbed a music store and shot the victim when the victim attempted to phone the police. State v. Benzel, 220 Neb. 466, 370 N.W.2d 501 (1985). Date of Sentence: October 29, 1984. The defendant and another went to the home of the victim to purchase some drugs. Once inside the house, the defendant began to beat up on the party who had accompanied him (a female). The victim told them to leave. The defendant apparently disputed whether or not payment had been made for the drugs and grabbed the victim's girlfriend and put a gun to her head. The victim went to his bedroom for a gun, and when he returned, the defendant shot the victim once in the mouth. He then attempted to shoot the girlfriend by pointing the gun at her from a distance of about 5 feet. He attempted three or four shots, but the gun misfired.  State v. Joy, 220 Neb. 535, 371 N.W.2d 113 (1985). Date of Sentence: November 29, 1984. This individual was another involved in the beating death of a prostitute. For full details, see State v. Robertson, 219 Neb. 782, 366 N.W.2d 429 (1985). State v. Haselhuhn, no written opinion. Lancaster County District Court, Docket 65, Page 96. Date of Sentence: December 11, 1984. Clement Rolenc and his former wife, the victim, were involved in a dispute about the provisions in the decree of dissolution of their marriage. Rolenc hired Robin Burchett to kill her. Rolenc and Burchett had met at a truckstop in Lincoln to arrange the murder. The day of the killing, Rolenc took his former wife to breakfast at the truckstop. There, the couple met Burchett and a third party, who was unknown to the couple. This was the defendant. Rolenc and the victim drove to the country in a car followed by Burchett and the defendant, who were in Burchett's car. The two cars stopped, and the defendant, who in turn had been hired by Burchett to actually perform the killing, transferred cars. Sitting in the back seat behind the victim while the victim's husband drove the car, the defendant slipped a belt around the victim's neck and choked her to death. Burchett and the defendant then carried the victim's body into the trunk of Burchett's car. Rolenc removed the victim's ring and took her purse. Rolenc paid Burchett for doing the job, and drove off. Burchett and defendant drove to a creek, where they tied the hands and feet of the body, attached three large pieces of concrete to it, and allowed it to sink into the water. State v. Norfolk, 221 Neb. 810, 381 N.W.2d 120 (1986). Date of Sentence: December 19, 1984. The defendant went to his aunt's home, where he obtained a butcher knife. After removing his clothing he went to his aunt's bedroom and stabbed her three or four times. He then placed his arm around her neck and squeezed until she died. After that he attempted to have intercourse with her dead body. State v. Burchett, 224 Neb. 444, 399 N.W.2d 258 (1986). Date of Sentence: January 2, 1985. This is a companion case to State v. Haselhuhn, above. Burchett was hired by Clement Rolenc to kill Rolenc's former wife. Burchett in turn hired Wayne Haselhuhn to actually do the killing. After the woman was strangled by Haselhuhn, Burchett and Haselhuhn removed her body from the car and drove to a creek, where they then weighed the body down and threw it into the creek.  State v. Dixon, 222 Neb. 787, 387 N.W.2d 682 (1986). Date of Sentence: June 17, 1985. The defendant forcibly entered the victim's home. The victim, an elderly lady, was apparently lying on the kitchen floor, trying to use the phone to call for help. The defendant grabbed the phone and ripped it from the wall. The defendant then ransacked the house, going through closets and drawers. The victim was discovered the next day, lying dead on the floor. It was extremely cold in the house, and death was apparently due to exposure to cold caused by the breaking of a window to gain access. State v. Hunt, 220 Neb. 707, 371 N.W.2d 708 (1985). Date of Sentence: October 11, 1985. The defendant knocked on the victim's door and, when the victim opened the door, forced his way in at gunpoint. He then told her to lie on the floor, and she complied. He tied her arms and legs and stuffed panties in her mouth. He took a nylon stocking and strangled her to death, then untied her, removed her clothing, and masturbated over her body. Believing that she still had a pulse, although, in fact, she was dead, he carried the body to a bathtub, where he placed the body in the water. The phone rang, and he then fled the premises, later having his wife call the police and report the murder.  State v. Domingus, appeal pending. Lincoln County District Court, Docket 92, Page 31. Date of Sentence: November 10, 1986. The defendant was convicted of killing a 35-year-old female, who died of massive head injuries after she was beaten with a board. The medical testimony indicated that the victim was alive when much of the beating was inflicted. Much of her head and skull were damaged.