Convicted murderer sentenced to death for 1984 killings

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A man convicted of killing two women in Los Angeles in 1984 was sentenced to death after a jury recommended his execution in May.

Kevin Haley, 50, sat before a judge Wednesday morning to be sentenced for the murders he committed 30 years ago.

Judge Kathleen Kennedy agreed with the jury's recommendation, saying the defendant's crimes "are among the worst this court has ever seen."

"You don't put your hands around a woman's neck and squeeze the life out of her accidentally," Kennedy said.

Haley was initially sentenced to death in 1988 for one of the murders. But in 2004, the California Supreme Court reversed the special circumstance allegations, resulting in his retrial.

This time around, the jury ultimately ruled the special circumstances were true, saying that Haley murdered his first victim, 55-year-old Dolores Clement, during the commission of rape, sodomy, robbery and burglary.

He was also convicted of killing 56-year-old Laverne Stolzy under similar circumstances. Her daughter, Beth, was 25 years old when her mother was brutally murdered.

"I've battled deep depression, I've been under medical care, I've been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, and I've had years of nightmares," Stolzy said in court.

Her mother was getting ready for bed, when she was attacked inside her apartment and beat with a 2-by-4.

"Please figure out how to carry out this sentence. Don't risk him ever getting released or escaping. Give the taxpayers some relief and give Laverne Stolzy justice," she said.

Acting as his own attorney, Haley admitted he wanted a death sentence. He then spoke before the court and said the justice system is broken, claiming he never sexually assaulted his victims.

The judge responded by telling Haley that he's not the victim.

Capital punishment was declared unconstitutional by a California judge nearly three months ago.

No executions have been carried out in the state since a moratorium was placed on the death penalty in 2006.

The district attorney's office said Haley will be sent to San Quentin, where he will sit and wait on death row.