WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Death row inmate found guilty a second time

Death row inmate found guilty a second time

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WIS) — A 42-year-old man already on South Carolina's death row has been found guilty of killing a 74-year-old man in a separate shooting.

The Sun News of Myrtle Beach reports a jury found Stephen Stanko guilty Monday of murder and armed robbery in the April 8, 2005, shooting death of Henry Turner. The elderly man was found dead in his home.

"It's really what this entire case is centered around and that is by the law of the state of South Carolina was this defendant legally insane," said Horry County solicitor Fran Humphries.

The prosecution put three medical experts on the stand. All of them examined Stanko.

One forensic psychiatrist said Stanko does have an anti-social condition, but does not have a mental condition that would impair his judgement.

"No particular overriding emotion, or psychosis or hearing voices, or being particularly angry, very clear discussion of what happened, and he was able to say that he remembered the details," said Dr. Pam Crawford.
 
The defense claimed Stanko was in desperate need of help.

"Here it's not working in Mr. Stanko's brain, that's how insanity could look," said defense attorney Bill Diggs as he pointed out a brain scan.

Stanko's attorney tried to convince the jury there's a defect in the frontal lobe of Stanko's brain that prevents him from knowing right from wrong.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Stanko. He is already on death row for killing his live-in girlfriend, Laura Ling, in 2005, and sexually abusing a teen girl the same day.

Prosecutors said he then went to Turner's home and shot him twice, once in the back through a pillow.

Stanko was found guilty in August 2006 in Ling's death and the teen's assault. He is appealing that death sentence.

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