Jury Votes for Death Penalty for Singleton

Lawrence Singleton, who raped a California teenager and chopped off her hands 20 years ago, should be executed for stabbing a prostitute to death last year, a jury recommended Wednesday.

Singleton, 70, showed no emotion as the verdict was read after an hour of deliberations. He was convicted last week of murdering Roxanne Hayes, a 31-year-old prostitute and mother of three.

The sentence recommendation comes a day after Mary Vincent--the woman he mutilated 20 years ago--testified on behalf of prosecutors.

Vincent, now 35, testified Tuesday that she was a runaway when Singleton, a retired merchant marine, picked her up in his van in 1978, offered to drive her to Los Angeles, then repeatedly raped her before hacking off her forearms and leaving her for dead.

The jury’s only other possible sentence was life in prison. It voted, 10 to 2, in favor of death. Only a majority vote is needed, and Florida judges usually follow the jury’s recommendation.

Sentencing will be March 30.