Tax Assessor Guilty in Political Killing
A jury in Crossville, Ky., convicted local tax assessor Byron “Low Tax” Looper of murdering his political rival in 1998, apparently to eliminate the popular favorite in their Kentucky Senate race. Looper, 35, had pleaded not guilty to shooting Democratic state Sen. Tommy Burks, 58, as Burks sat in his pickup truck on his farm on Oct. 19, 1998. Looper faces up to life in prison. Looper, who colleagues said had eccentric work habits and frequently upbraided employees, showed barely any emotion when the decision was read.
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