Pleasantville Killer Faces Death Penalty

A double murderer facing the death penalty is trying to convince a jury to spare his life.

Brian Wakefield admitted he killed a couple in Pleasantville, N.J.

In what has been called one of the ugliest crimes in Atlantic County history, Wakefield was convicted of the murders of Shirley and Richard Hazard.

The death penalty phase of the trial began Monday to decide whether Wakefield lives, or dies in the gas chamber in Trenton, N.J.

The victims' bodies were found stabbed, beaten and burned in the basement of their two-story home. Within 24 hours, police arrested Wakefield, 23.

According to the autopsy, there is no evidence that Shirley Hazard was alive at the time that she was set on fire. However, there was some evidence that Richard Hazard may have been burned alive.

Wakefield admitted his guilt. Now, 36 months later, a jury of 12 men and three women must decide on his sentence.

The state said Wakefield should die for taking the lives of a couple married almost 50 years.

The defense attorney said there are reasons his life should be spared.

"We're arguing that this brain injury here -- which fits into a mitigating factor -- there's a psychological condition that we're going to argue that his history of abuse and neglect is of such significant nature that it has impacted on who he is and that should be considered," said Lucas Phillips, the defense attorney.

The penalty phase of the trial is expected to take two or three weeks because the jury will hear all of the details of what happened three years ago.

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