Killer Objects to 'Scumbag Liberals' Representing Him in Court

A Clearwater man who pleaded guilty to killing his girlfriend and pleaded no contest to charges related to his 5-week-old son’s death is remaining adamant in his request for the death penalty.

Craig Wall, 39, entered his pleas last week in the 2010 death of his son, Craig Wall Jr., and the stabbing of his girlfriend, Laura Taft, 29, about two weeks later, Bay News 9 reported.

The sentencing phase of Wall’s trial began Monday, bringing more surprises into the courtroom.

Wall, who has been representing himself, told Judge Philip Federico he wanted to continue to do so, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

When the Florida Capital Resource Center sent a representative into the courtroom to argue that an attorney be appointed to represent him, Wall objected, saying he didn’t agree with “scumbag liberals” who don’t believe he’s capable of making decisions for himself, the Times reported.

“This is my case,” the Times quoted Wall as saying. “This is my life.”

Wall has more-or-less represented himself in court since Taft’s death, 10 News reported. His guilty plea came after an agreement was struck with prosecutors who assured the man they would seek the death penalty, the station reported.

See Also:

• Florida 3rd in Nation for Executions
• State Seeking Death Penalty in Bradenton Triple Homicide

It is unclear at this time how soon the sentencing phase will move forward. Wall told the court Monday he needed more time to adequately present his side of the case, the Times reported.

Wall continues to be held at the Pinellas County Jail on two charges of first-degree murder and a single count of violating a domestic violence injunction, jail records indicate. Prior to his incarceration on those three offenses, he spent 14 years in prison on armed robbery and burglary charges.

Florida is the third in the nation in the number of executions carried out, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. In 2014, the state carried out eight executions, trailing Texas and Missouri with 10 each.

Photo courtesy of the Pinellas County Jail

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