27 June 2023 , 00:58
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A murderer convicted of killing an 11-year-old girl and her babysitter elbowed his attorney in court and branded the word 'killer' on his teeth before being tackled to the ground.
Joseph Zieler was sentenced to death after failing to overturn the jury's decision for the murders of 11-year-old Robin Cornell and her babysitter Lisa Story, 32, who he had raped and suffocated, on Monday.
In May, a jury in Lee County, Florida had recommended the death penalty for Zieler. He was appearing in court on Monday to appeal the decision.
However, he launched a shocking attack on his attorney Kevin Shirley just ahead of Lee Circuit Judge Robert Branning's verdict on his sentence.
Zieler was sentenced to death for the murders of Robin Cornell (centre) and Lisa Story (left) (Cape Coral Police Dept.)Zieler, who was standing in court with two police officers alongside him while still in handcuffs, asked for his attorney to join him so he could have a quiet word.
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The 61-year-old looked agitated as Shirley walked around the desk before Zieler went to whisper in his ear. But, the convicted murderer threw an elbow which connected with his attorney's chin before he was immediately tackled to the ground by the surrounding officers.
The judge asked if Shirley was OK before he calmly responded: "I'm fine. I used to box, I've taken a lot better shots than that."
Zieler swings an elbow at attorney Kevin Shirley (NBC2 News)"It seemed like he didn't want our conversation to be picked up by the microphones. So he waved me down and I bent over, and he struck me," Mr Shirley told Fox 4.
Branning kept Zieler, who was expected to plead against the death penalty recommendation, outside of the courtroom for several minutes to ensure Shirley's safety before being brought by in the officers.
Zieler, as reported by Daily Mail, snarled at Branning before brandishing the word 'killer', which was etched on his teeth.
Despite the vile message on his teeth, Zieler protested his innocence. He said: "I have nothing to do with this. I maintain my innocence."
Zieler was immediately tackled to the floor by the two officers (NBC2 News)Robin's mother Jan Cornell was in court as Branning denied Zieler's motion for a retrial and sentenced him to death inside the courtroom several hours later.
In September 2016, Zieler had been arrested after police matched his DNA with traces found at the scene. Investigators said in the trial: "The semen that was found on the bed sheet where Robin was sleeping matches the defendant to a frequency over 1 and 700 billion."
Robin and Lisa's bodies were discovered in 1990 after Jan had stayed at her boyfriend's house. Both had been beaten, assaulted and suffocated.
The following morning, Jan found the front door of her home locked and was forced to enter via the back sliding doors before discovering both bodies.
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Joseph Zieler elbows his attorney in the face ahead of his sentencing (NBC2 News)"Justice for Robin and justice for Lisa has happened," Jan said in a press conference flanked by State Attorney Amira Fox and Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore.