Joseph James DeAngelo, sitting in a wheelchair, is brought out of the courtroom for a break in the schedule for the third day of victim impact statements at the Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, in Sacramento, Calif. DeAngelo, 74, a former police officer in California eluded capture for four decades before being identified as the Golden State Killer. DeAngelo pleaded guilty in June to 13 murders and 13 rape-related charges stemming from crimes in the 1970s and 1980s. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP, Pool)
By Don Thompson
A former California police officer dubbed the Golden State Killer told victims Friday hew was "truly sorry" before he was sentenced to multiple life prison sentences for a decade-long string of rapes and murders that terrorized a wide swath of the state.
Joseph James DeAngelo, 74, pleaded guilty in June to 13 murders and 13 rape-related charges under a plea deal that avoided a possible death sentence.
The punishment imposed by Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Bowman means DeAngelo will die in prison for the crimes committed between 1975 and 1986.
Before sentencing, DeAngelo rose from a wheelchair, took off his mask, and said to the court: "I listened to all your statements, each one of them, and I'm truly sorry for everyone I've hurt."
DeAngelo also publicly admitted dozens of more sexual assaults for which the statute of limitations had expired. Prosecutors called the scale of the violence "simply staggering," encompassing 87 victims at 53 crime scenes spanning 11 California counties.
So many were his victims that Bowman sentenced DeAngelo in a university ballroom large enough to hold the survivors and their families, after an extraordinary three days of hearings in which they told in often heart-rending detail how he had upended their lives.
DeAngelo sat silently through those hearings, expressionless in a wheelchair that prosecutors contended is a prop to hide his still vigorous health.
He eluded capture for four decades until investigators used a new form of DNA tracking to unmask and arrest him in 2018.
Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty but settled for a life term given California's moratorium on executions, the coronavirus pandemic, and the advancing age of DeAngelo, his victims, and witnesses they needed to make their case.
Bowman sentenced DeAngelo under a plea deal that called for him to be sentenced to 11 consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole, plus 15 life terms with the possibility of parole and eight years for other enhancements.
Sheila Goffe, VP of Government Relations of the American Kennel Club, joins Cheddar Reveals to discuss the efficacy of police, military, and other working dogs, and how they're trained.
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals, Sheila Goffe, VP of Government Relations of the American Kennel Club, discusses the efficacy of police, military, and other working dogs, and how they're trained. Paul Mundell, Executive Director of the American Service Dog Access Coalition, breaks down why emotional support, therapy, and service dogs are important; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Secrets of a Dog's Nose.'
On this episode of ChedHER; Amanda Carlson Phillips, Senior Vice President of Exos' performance team, breaks down how wellness programs can fight burnout; Deena LaMarque Piquion, Chief Marketing Officer at Xerox, explains why and how women should stop saying 'sorry' so often;
Marylyn Harris, President of Harrland Healthcare Consulting, talks about how her experience in the military prepared her for a cybersecurity career, and how she's paving the way for women of color in the industry.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: Atom Limbs CEO breaks down how the Atom Touch prosthetic is different from other prosthetics on the market; CEO & Chief Scientific Officer of MyMD explains how the MYMD-1 is on track to be the first FDA-approved drug to treat aging and age-related diseases; A look at Curiosity Stream's 'The Future of Warfare.'
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals Clay Routledge, Professor of Business and author of "Nostalgia: A Psychological Resource", discusses the psychology of nostalgia: why we have it, and why it may be good for our mental health; Patrick Metzger, Writer and Technologist, breaks down how nostalgia has influenced pop culture, why it remains in a trend loop for every generation, and why that trend is likely never going to end; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'The Year That Rocked the World.'
On this episode of ChedHER: CEO of The Lactation Network breaks down how they are expanding access to lactation support for families nationwide; CEO of Vanta explains the importance of a security team for startups; Midwest Divison Area Manager at JPMorgan Chase discusses the perks of having a business mentor.
On this episode of ChedHER we hear from the CEO of Incredible Health on how she's breaking the bias this women's history month, a bestselling author gives us tips on how to create new post-pandemic habits, and we learn just how critical a business consultant can be.
On this episode of 'Cheddar Innovates': Creator of Animal Flow discusses the benefits to this unique type of workout that's rising in popularity; CEO of Vinylly breaks down how the app takes your streaming music data and some personal questions to find your next love match; A look at Curiosity Stream's 'Secrets of the Universe.'
Activism is growing around the country in response to school boards banning books from shelves that focus on sexuality, gender, identity, or race. Jen Cousins, co-founder of The Florida Freedom to Read Project, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
