In giving Biela four life sentences for rape and kidnap, judge says he terrorized community
BY MARTHA BELLISLE •
[email protected] • July 30, 2010
in addition to the death sentence a jury ordered last month for killing Brianna Denison, a judge today sentenced James Biela to four consecutive life prison terms for raping Denison and two others.
Biela’s violent attacks escalated from a rape in a parking garage, to kidnapping to murder, Judge Robert Perry said. He deserves to be sentenced separately for each of these violent crimes, Perry said.
“Not only were these people terrorized, but the community was terrorized as well,” he said, adding that public safety is his first concern and he wants to ensure that Biela remains in prison even if his death sentence is over-turned on appeal.
Deputy District Attorney Elliott Sattler praised the judge’s decision.
“If anyone deserves the maximum possible punishment it’s James Michael Biela,” Sattler said.
Co-prosecutor Chris Hicks agreed.
“(Perry) listened to all of the testimony. He’s well aware of the kind of guy Biela is,” Hicks said. “I commend him for the sentence.”
Lauren Denison, Brianna’s aunt, said the family came to court today to support the other two victims and was pleased that the judge ordered a separate sentence for each crime.
“Judge Perry made it count for them,” she said. “He validated the attacks on them.”
Biela, who sat in court in a red jail jumpsuit and a black bulletproof vest, declined to make a statement during the hearing. His family, who lined the row of seats behind him, did not wish to comment.
His lawyer, Chief Deputy Public Defender Maizie Pusich, said she was not surprised by the judge’s ruling but was disappointed.
She said Biela knows they have a lot of work to do as they move forward with their appeals and said he was ready to help. She also said Biela has been polite, professional, pleasant and a model prisoner throughout the process and said he was easy to work with.
After a three-week trial that started May 10, Biela was convicted of raping and murdering Denison in early 2008, raping a college student in a university parking garage in October 2007 and kidnapping and sexually assaulting another student in December 2007.
During the penalty phase of his trial, Biela’s sisters and brothers testified that they grew up in a violent household where their father tied up and beat their mother nightly. While the jurors acknowledges the abuse, they did not believe it negated his attacks, and sentenced him to death.
Ten jurors were in the courtroom today, they said, to see this case through to the end.
Judge Robert Perry sentenced James Biela to four consecutive life prison terms with parole possible after 36 years for raping three women and for kidnapping one of them.
A jury earlier sentenced Biela to death for the murder of Brianna Denison in 2008.
They also found him guilty of raping a woman in a parking garage in October 2007 and kidnapping and raping another woman in December 2007. They also convicted him of raping Denison.
Perry said it was important to sentence Biela on each charge to honor each victim. He also said his highest concern was the safety of the community.
http://www.rgj.com/article/20100730/NEWS01/100730012/-1/CARSON/In-giving-Biela-four-life-sentences-for-rape-and-kidnap-judge-says-he-terrorized-community
