Court upholds death sentence in SD guard killing - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

Court upholds death sentence in SD guard killing

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SIOUX FALLS, SD (AP) -

The South Dakota Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for an inmate who killed a state prison guard during a failed escape attempt.

Fifty-year-old Eric Robert pleaded guilty to killing Ron Johnson in April 2011 and asked to be executed for the crime.

A circuit judge sentenced Robert to death and set his execution for May. The Supreme Court postponed the execution so it could review the case. It ruled Thursday that the death sentence was proper.

The unanimous ruling says the sentence is proportionate to the crime and aggravating circumstances justify the death penalty. The high court says Circuit Judge Bradley Zell can now issue another execution order.

A second inmate involved in the escape attempt, 49-year-old Rodney Berget, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to death.

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