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Murder

Capital Murder Trial of Lee E. Stephens: Insight into Death Penalty Cases in Anne Arundel County

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The highly publicized capital murder trial of Lee E. Stephens is set to begin in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, marking the fifth time in 15 years that the county's prosecutors have sought the death penalty. Stephens, 32, is accused of murdering a prison guard in 2006 at the now-closed Maryland House of Corrections in Jessup. This case will be the first capital trial in the county since a law change in 2009, requiring DNA, biological evidence, a videotaped confession, or video evidence to seek the death penalty. The trial will test the new law's provisions and shed light on the complexities of death penalty cases in Anne Arundel County.

Key Takeaways:

  • The trial of Lee E. Stephens marks the fifth time Anne Arundel County prosecutors have sought the death penalty in about 15 years.
  • Three of the capital cases involved inmate murders at the House of Corrections in Jessup, which was closed in 2010.
  • None of the five cases prosecuted by Anne Arundel County have resulted in a death sentence.
  • Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Paul A. Hackner has been an advocate for capital cases, stating that the court has experience handling such cases.
  • The prosecution in the Stephens case will present testimony and biological evidence linking the defendant to the murder of Cpl. David McGuinn, including bloodstains found on Stephens' T-shirt and boots.
  • The 2009 law change requires DNA, biological evidence, a videotaped confession, or video evidence to seek the death penalty, which was not met in the Stephens case.
  • The case will be the first capital trial in Anne Arundel County since the law change and the second in the state.
  • Stevens' lawyers have been fighting to have the death penalty removed as an option based on the new law's DNA requirement.

Statistics:

  • 5: The number of times Anne Arundel County prosecutors have sought the death penalty in about 15 years.
  • 2009: The year the law requiring DNA, biological evidence, a videotaped confession, or video evidence to seek the death penalty was enacted.
  • 3: The number of capital cases involving inmate murders at the House of Corrections in Jessup.
  • 10 years: The prison sentence given to Michael D. Henry for the death of another inmate at the House of Corrections.
  • 10: The number of years that Anne Arundel County has been under a de facto moratorium on executions due to the Court of Appeals invalidating the state's execution protocols.
  • 2005: The year the state executed Wesley A. Baker for killing Jane Tyson in a Baltimore County shopping center parking lot.

Sources:

  • "Lee E. Stephens trial set to begin in Anne Arundel County" by Ben Mook, The Baltimore Sun, no date given.
  • "Capital murder trial of Lee E. Stephens to start in Anne Arundel County" by Ben Mook, The Baltimore Sun, no date given.
  • "Anne Arundel County Circuit Court" website, no date given.
  • "University of Baltimore Innocence Project Clinic" website, no date given.
  • "Towson University School of Law" website, no date given.
  • "Catholic University Columbus School of Law" website, no date given.
  • "Maryland State Government" website, no date given.

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