FEDERAL DEATH PENALTY CASE -- MISSOURI
GERMAN SINISTERRA
General Information
DOB: Nov. 9, 1964
Race: Colombian/black
Gender: Male
Crime and Trial
District of conviction: Western District of Missouri
Trial judge: Gary A. Fenner
Number of counts: One
Race of victim: Hispanic (Colombian)
Gender of victim: Male
Date of crime: Nov. 28, 1998
Date of sentencing: Dec. 18, 2000
Trial Counsel: Fred Duchardt and Jennifer Herndon
Legal status
Current proceedings:
- Post-judgment motion pending following district court’s denial of motion
to vacate or modify sentence pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255 (Case No.
4:04-cv-08003-GAF)
Last judicial decision:
- District court’s denial of post-conviction relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2255,
unpublished order dated Dec. 14, 2007
Current counsel:
John Jenab
110 S. Cherry, Suite 200
Olathe, KS 66061
913-390-5023
Fax: 913-764-5539
Email: jjenab@mindspring.com
William E Shull
104 West Kansas
Liberty, MO 64068
(816) 792-4242
Fax: (816) 792-0888
Email: wshull@kc.rr.com
Reported Opinions:
- Conviction and sentence affirmed by United States v. Ortiz, 315
F.3d 873 (8th Cir. 2002), cert. denied, 540 U.S. 1073 (2003)
Significant legal issues:
- district court’s denial of funding and other resources to allow a
post-conviction mitigation investigation
trial counsels’ failure to retain and use a mitigation specialist, to use
a translator when communicating with Mr. Sinisterra, and to investigate Mr.
Sinisterra’s social history (including a violent and impoverished upbringing,
history of sexual abuse and head trauma), and borderline intelligence
violation of Vienna Convention on Consular Relations stemming from police
interrogation without first informing Mr. Ortiz and co-defendants of right to
contact Colombian consul
- non-capital sentence given to more culpable co-defendants Tello (the
triggerman) and Hinestroza (the kingpin of the narcotics conspiracy)
Return to federal casetracker list