FEDERAL DEATH PENALTY CASE -- MISSOURI
WESLEY PURKEY
General Information
DOB: January 6, 1951
Race: White
Gender: Male
Crime and Trial
District of conviction: Western District of Missouri
Trial judge: Fernando J. Gaitan
Number of counts: One
Race of victim: White
Gender of victim: Female
Date of crime: January 1998
Date of sentencing: Jan. 26, 2004
Trial Counsel: Fred Duchardt, Laura O’Sullivan
Legal status
Current proceedings:
- Motion to vacate or modify sentence pending, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255
(Case No. 4:06-cv-08001-FJG)
Last judicial decision:
- Eighth Circuit’s affirmance of conviction and sentence in United States
v. Purkey, 428 F.3d 738 (8th Cir. 2005), cert. denied 127 S.Ct. 433
(2006)
Current counsel:
Gary E. Brotherton
Building 1, Suite C
601 W. Nifong Blvd.
Columbia, MO 65203
(573) 875-1571
Fax: (573) 875-1572
Email:
gebrotherton@legalwritesllc.com
Teresa L. Norris
Blume, Weyble & Norris, LLC
P.O. Box 11744
Columbia, SC 29211
(803) 765-1044
Fax: (803) 765-1143
Email: teresa@blumelaw.com
Reported Opinions:
- Conviction and sentence affirmed by United States v. Purkey, 428
F.3d 738 (8th Cir. 2005), cert. denied 127 S.Ct. 433 (2006)
Significant legal issues:
- counsel’s limited investigation of Purkey’s social and personal history,
background and specific details of physical and sexual abuse, failure to
retain and use a mitigation specialist
prosecutorial misconduct in falsely implying that Purkey stated a desire
to serve a life sentence in "Club Fed," coupled with trial and appellate
counsels’ failure to assert such misconduct
- trial court’s disallowance of impeachment of government’s mental health
expert, Park Dietz, by reference to Dr. Dietz’s erroneous testimony in the
Andrea Yates case
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