Edgewater killer Russell Charles Bradshaw denied murdering 21-year-old Lisa Memro during the penalty phase of his trial this morning before the jury began deliberating a recommended sentence of life or death.
"I know in my heart that I wouldn't hurt Lisa just like I know in my heart there is a God," Bradshaw said in a monotone voice from the stand around 11 this morning.
Pressed by prosecutor Matt Foxman that perhaps his denial is because of his attorneys' claims that he simply can't remember, Bradshaw responded, "It was an extremely tragic event for me so I'm not really clear on what happened."
The jury began its deliberations at 3:13 this afternoon whether he should be sentenced to death by lethal injection or life in prison for slashing Lisa Memro's throat, after strangling and beating her and then having sex with her corpse.
In typical closing argument fashion this afternoon, the prosecution portrayed the 22-year-old Bradshaw as a cold-blooded killer who needs to be put to death for the Sept. 25, 2006, throat-slash slaying of the New Smyrna Beach woman while the defense asked for life in prison, saying there were a number of "mitigators" such as he had a rotten childhood, was addicted to cocaine and was too young to pay for the crime with his own life.
Even as Bradshaw's family testified of his upbringing, which included two suicide attempts, he himself, told the jury he was fine with how he was raised.
Closing arguments ended at 3 p.m., after testimony throughout the morning in the sentencing phase of the trial. The jury deliberated less than three hours Friday before returning guilty verdicts of first-degree murder and sexual abuse of a dead body. Bradshaw did not take the stand during the trial.
Prosecutor Matt Foxman said Bradshaw should be sentenced to death on two key "aggravators." They are that the killing was done in a "cold, calculated and pre-meditated" fashion and that the manner in which the killing was done was especially "heinous, atrocious and cruel."
These are Florida statutory requirements necessary to prove in order for a death sentence. The jury's decision is only a recommendation. Circuit Judge James R. Clayton has the final say.