Mary dropped off the children and went to a friends house, where she was informed that her daughters had called. [41] Before making the challenges of mental capacity, Battaglia read about relevant legal cases at Polunsky Unit's law library. His execution brought an end to a lengthy legal battle to spare his life. A few seconds later he opened them back up and lifted his head. I would like to say the next time you see me is when they put the needle in your arm.But I'm not going to waste the time to be there. [2] He had committed domestic violence against Ghetti; on one occasion he assaulted her outside of the school Christie attended, on another, he caused her a broken nose,[16] and in another, he assaulted her at a bus stop in retaliation for the arrest request, causing her to be admitted to a hospital. You were very brave girls.. [31], Battaglia's capital murder trial began on April 22, 2002, and was held at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas. Pearle called 911. Dr. John Battaglia is a Psychiatrist in Madison, WI. Don't do it!" Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. His profanity-laced Christmas greeting to Pearle was an apparent reference to that. The former certified publicaccountant, who has spent years trying to convince peoplethat he didn't get a fair trial,was convicted of capital murder in the deaths of Faith, 9, and Liberty, 5. [2], The woman who would become his second wife, Mary Jean Pearle, resided in Highland Park, Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The courts twice granted a stay of execution so he could be evaluated. He seemed jovial, strapped to a gurney while witnesses arrived to watch his execution at the state's Huntsville Unit. "I've seen enough of him," she said before returning minutes later to watch as a physician examined Battaglia and pronounced him dead. John Battaglia, who shot to death his two young daughters in 2001, when they were visiting him for dinner, has been put to death by lethal injection Credit: Reuters His estranged wife Mary Jane. John Battaglia sat stone-faced Tuesday as photographs of his daughters' bullet-riddled bodies flashed on the screen a few feet away during the second day of his capital murder trial. admits guilt in ex-wife's shooting in front of daughter. Another unsuccessful appeal challenged the effectiveness of the pentobarbital Texas uses as its execution drug. His lethal injection was the nations third this year, all in Texas. The daughter then asked: Mommy, why do you want Daddy to go to jail?" THE VERDICT, "John Battaglia to be executed tonight after twice dodging death for killing his daughters", BATTAGLIA v. STATE, AP-74,348 (Tex.Cr.App. Battaglia told The Dallas Morning News in 2014 his daughters were his best little friends and that he had photos of them displayed in his prison cell. "Mommy, why do you want Daddy to have to got to jail?" Battaglia was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in April 2002. But, the ruling said, any lack of understanding must be because of a psychotic disorder, not a callous, amoral character. When asked what he would say to people who consider him the demon for shooting his daughters multiple times at his Dallas apartment as they spoke to their mother, his ex-wife, on the phone, he blamed the media for his plight. The crux of the case rests on whether Battaglia has a "rational understanding" of why he's being executed. Well, hi, Mary Jean. The board spokesman, Raymond Estrada, said the board voted 7-0 Monday, declining to commute Battaglia's death sentence to life imprisonment. Battaglia shouted an obscenity at her on the phone, the documents showed. They lived in Dallas and had their first daughter, Mary Faith, in 1992, and their second, Liberty, in 1995. By the time police arrived, Battaglia had fled. They divorced nine years later. Oh, I feel it, he said. There were more gunshots. No, Daddy, Don't! According to court documents John Battaglia was involved in a bitter divorce with his ex wife and decided the best way to get revenge was to murder his six and nine year old daughters while he was on the phone with her. Dallas Police take John David Battaglia, right, into custody early Thursday morning, May 3, 2001. It was the third execution in Texas and the nation this year. Battaglia saved his last words for his ex-wife, Mary Jean Pearle, The Dallas Morning News reported. Oh, thats a lot.. When she called back, he put the phone on speaker and demanded that his wife speak with daughter Mary Faith. When Battaglia was asked repeatedly whether he would take responsibility for shooting his daughters and whether he had any remorse for the crime, he called himself the victim. A few seconds later he opened his eyes and lifted his head. Pearl called 911 and police found the dead girls in Battaglias apartment. He gasped twice and started to snore. ", JudgeElsa Alcaladissented, as she often does in death penalty cases, saying the court used the wrong standard in determining Battaglia's competence, not the "rational understanding" precedent the U.S. Supreme Court set inanother Texas death penalty case. The punishment was delayed more than three hours until the U.S. Supreme Court rejected appeals from his lawyers to review his case. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. As a result, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor-level assault charge and was given two years' probation. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. While his daughters, 6-year-old Liberty and 9-year-old Faith. The girls mother testified in court that she found a message from Battaglia the next day on their answering machine. They argued he was faking mental illness to avoid execution. Shortly after receiving the injection, Battaglia continued to speak. According to The Guardian, there had been fears Battaglia's execution would be botched amid a spate of alarming scenes in Texas executions. Last modified on Tue 21 Jan 2020 10.46 EST. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas, John Battaglia, who murdered his daughters, waits to hear whether he's sane enough to be executed, who shot his daughters in an act of revenge against his ex-wife in 2001, Three of the four psychologists who evaluated Battaglia testified, How a Texas girl scared of school shootings was punished, Dallas-Fort Worth could see severe thunderstorms, large hail, tornadoes Thursday, Author of Texas drag bill says video of him wearing dress was a joke back in school, Dallas GOP dinner featuring Florida Gov. It took four officers to subdue him. Merry Christmas, Battaglia told Pearle, the words of the holiday greeting derisively divided by an obscenity. HUNTSVILLE, Texas A former Dallas accountant condemned for fatally shooting his two young daughters while their mother listened helplessly on the phone was put to death Thursday night in Texas. It took four officers to subdue him. Related: Death row prisoner Alva Campbell should be given firing squad option after botched execution attempt, lawyer says. His surviving daughter from his first marriage told The Dallas Morning News in 2014 that her father also was diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, a deep need for admiration and lack of empathy. Here is the justification that writer Sarah Mervosh and her editors offered for the story in the News. During a two-day hearing that ended Tuesday, the judge questioned whether Battaglia actually believes he didn't kill his children because of a mental illness -- or whether he has naturally developed a coping mechanism. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Faith was shot three times, Liberty five. "I am a little bit in the blank about what happened. She also said: "You are one of the most heinous murderers of modern times. February 1, 2018 / 11:41 PM By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. She had just reported him for violating probation. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Wed 8 Jan 2020 05.00 EST. We have enabled email notificationsyou will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. John had graduated from high school and worked as an accountant prior to his arrest. John Battaglia is a Business Manager for the CASE vertical. Goodnight, my little babies, he said. Attorneys contended the state's supply was outdated and Battaglia was at risk for unconstitutionally cruel punishment. It would be the third execution this . He was convicted of killing his two young daughters in May 2001 in an act of "ultimate revenge" against his estranged wife Mary Jeane Pearle, who was attempting to have him incarcerated. To outsiders, Pearle's life had appeared as picture-perfect as her home. Lab reports showed drugs were tested earlier in the month and reported a potency of 101 percent. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay so that the court could rule on his attorneys' claims that he was not mentally competent to be executed. She said she would have sent the case back to the trial court to examine if Battaglia's awareness of the reason for his execution was "so distorted by his delusional thinking that the punishment can serve no proper purpose. "First of all, who said that? I am a little bit in the blank about what happened.. "Well, hi, Mary Jean. Battaglia told The Dallas Morning News in 2014 his daughters were his "best little friends" and that he had photos of them displayed in his prison cell. They said three experts who examined him found he has "delusional disorder of the persecutory type," and was mentally incompetent for execution. It took about 22 minutes for him to be pronounced dead at 9:40p.m. Battaglia was the third man executed this year in the nation, all in Texas, and the second killer from Dallas put to death this week. At the time of the killings, Battaglia was on probation for a Christmas 1999 attack on Pearle. Lawyers for Texas contend Battaglia understands what he has done, is competent to be executed and used his intelligence to deceive the experts. [14] Texas authorities stated that Battaglia killed his daughters out of retaliation because Pearle had complained to his probation officer. CRIMINAL HOMICIDE, CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE TITLE 1. The Supreme Court has ruled that prisoners can be executed if they're aware the death penalty is to be carried out and have a rational understanding of why they're facing that punishment. HUNSTVILLE, Texas - The Dallas man convicted of killing his two daughters in 2001 was executed by the state of Texas Thursday night after last-minute appeals failed to stop it.. John Battaglia was . The high court, too, denied the complaint. [13], The funeral for the two girls was held at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Dallas, and they were buried at Hillcrest Cemetery, in North Dallas, with Pearle's father. [14] He was apprehended shortly afterward, getting into a fistfight with the arresting police officers, which left him with a black eye. During his 2002 trial, three defense psychiatrists testified that Battaglia has bipolar disorder. John Battaglia LIVINGSTON After Battaglia killed his little girls, he went to a tattoo parlor and had two red roses inscribed on his left bicep. "[29], Battaglia then visited a tattoo parlor and got two roses, representing his daughters, on his left biceps. In May 2001, Battaglia was on probation for assaulting his wife Mary Jean Pearle. John David Battaglia, Jr. (August 2, 1955 - February 1, 2018) was an American convicted murderer who was executed by the state of Texas for filicide. Without remorse or humility until the end, killer John Battaglia, who murdered his two young daughters in his Texas home in 2001, laughed and taunted his ex-wife as he was executed Thursday. Chris Pine finally reveals what was REALLY going on in Harry Styles Spitgate video, Annoyed shoppers slam Loblaws for asking to donate to charity, Scientists uncover new Easter Island moai statue in dry lake bed, Texas executes William Rayford for ex-girlfriend's slaying in 1999, Execution of Alabama cop killer who has developed dementia halted, John David Battaglia. [10] After getting into trouble with the law for using illegal drugs, he joined the Marines. Pearle then told the girls to run, but, it was too late. CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CHAPTER 37. He was convicted of killing his two young daughters in May 2001 in an act of "ultimate revenge" against his estranged wife, Mary Jeane Pearle, who had separated from him after his numerous instances of assault and violence. [7] Battaglia was executed for the murders on February 1, 2018. John David Battaglia is set for execution Thursday evening for the May 2001 killings of his 9-year-old daughter, Faith, and her 6-year-old sister, Liberty. [8] His father left the military in 1970. Ive seen enough of him, she said. [42] Subsequent appeals failed. Lawyers for Battaglia launched appeals with federal courts to spare his life, arguing he suffers from severe mental illness and his "perception of reality may be so distorted that he is incompetent to be executed. IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TEXAS NO. His execution was delayed for several hours due to appeals. John David Battaglia Jr.[4] (August 2, 1955 February 1, 2018)[5][6] was an American convicted murderer who was executed by the state of Texas for filicide. Pearle called 911. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. The Dallas Morning News reported on how John Battaglia had been due to be executed in March but won a stay of execution in the 5th U.S. "How many people are there? she asked before she was heard begging for her life.

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