John Battaglia, who celebrated his 61st birthday earlier this month in the Dallas County Jail, gave an exclusive interview to WFAA-TV, Dallas-Fort Worth and read from two rambling pages of notes. There were more gunshots. "Well, hi, Mary Jean," he said, looking and smiling at his ex-wife. [16], Up to that point, he had not hit either of his daughters. Attorneys also took an appeal related to that issue to the Supreme Court. Grow your relationship with Jesus Christ! [13] He told Pearle, "Merry Fucking Christmas",[28] in reference to the Christmas 1999 assault. "No, daddy, please don't, don't do it!" Strapped to the gurney, Battaglia, 62, looked around as witnesses entered. Faith's final words were: "No Daddy, don't do it!" Battaglia received national attention in May 2001 after he gunned down his 9-year-old daughter, Faith, and 6-year-old Liberty at his Deep Ellum loft while their mother listened helplessly on the phone. Prosecutors and defense attorneys agree that the 61-year-old former accountant and Marinehas a factual understanding of his conviction andexecution date. "I had two ex-wives that hated me having a good time because I walked out on the stupid (expletive), stupid lying little (expletive), and they just (expletive)plotted every day to make my life miserable," Battaglia said. [17] They married on April 6, 1991. [41] Before making the challenges of mental capacity, Battaglia read about relevant legal cases at Polunsky Unit's law library. Feb. 1, 2018 Battaglia smiled as the mother of his slain children, Mary Jean Pearle, and other witnesses to his execution walked into the death chamber viewing area. The victims . Here is the justification that writer Sarah Mervosh and her editors offered for the story in the News. A Texas man who killed his two daughters while their mother listened in horror on the phone got his execution postponed so he can try to prove he's too deranged to die. During the message, he swore at her and called her names. At the time, he was on probation for hitting his ex-wife, the girls mother, and she had been trying to have him arrested for violating that probation. Battaglia was scheduled to be executed on March 30, 2016, but the Fifth U.S. Battaglia's execution was the nation's third this year, all in Texas. He seemed jovial, strapped to a gurney while witnesses arrived to watch his execution at the states Huntsville Unit. HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- A former Dallas accountant condemned for fatally shooting his two young daughters while their mother listened helplessly on the phone was put to death Thursday night in Texas. "Oh, I feel it," he said. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. She divorced him after he began physically assaulting her. I wish that you had nothing to do with your mother. Three of the four psychologists who evaluated Battaglia testified that he is not fit to be executed, primarily because his delusions prevent him from having a rational understanding of his case. The official portrait of John Battaglia used by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Death Row Information page, List of people executed in Texas, 20102019, List of people executed in the United States in 2018, PENAL CODE TITLE 5. Mary Jean Pearle was in the victims' side of the death chamber viewing area to watch him die; upon seeing his ex-wife in the witness room, Battaglia said "Well, hi Mary Jean", then, turning to the warden, stated "I'll see y'all later. Pearle, the killers ex-wife and the mother of his victims,was at the Huntsville Unit on Thursday to witness his execution almost 17 years after she listened to Faith and Libertydie and pleaded for them to run away from their father. John Battaglia was executed for the May 2001 killings of his nine-year-old daughter, Faith, and her six-year-old sister, Liberty. State District Judge Robert Burns plans to announce Friday whether Battaglia, who shot his daughters in an act of revenge against his ex-wife in 2001, has enough understanding of his case to move . John was 62 years of age. John Battaglia. For more information regarding how your financial support can help, please click here. John Battaglia and his two daughters, Liberty (left) and Faith, who he murdered on May 1, 2001. Well, hi, Mary Jean, he said, looking and smiling at his ex-wife. [14] Texas authorities stated that Battaglia killed his daughters out of retaliation because Pearle had complained to his probation officer. HUNSTVILLE, Texas - The Dallas man convicted of killing his two daughters in 2001 was executed by the state of Texas Thursday night after last-minute appeals failed to stop it.. John Battaglia was . Hours later, Battaglia was arrested outside at a tattoo shop where he had two large red roses inked on his left arm to commemorate his daughters. Battaglia then closed his eyes and looked directly up. not mentally ill and faking mental illness to avoid execution. He attended high school in Oregon and Dumont, New Jersey, ultimately graduating from Dumont High School. After their separation, John continued to stalk and harass Michelle at her home and work. Last modified on Tue 21 Jan 2020 10.46 EST. Rayfords execution was delayed for a couple of hours because of late appeals to stay his punishment. An appeals court will likely review his decision. Last week, his attorneys filed a request for a stay of execution to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying that Battaglia did not fully understand why he was being put to death. "The media gets to have only their say," Battaglia said. John David Battaglia is set for execution Thursday evening for the May 2001 killings of his 9-year-old daughter, Faith, and her 6-year-old sister, Liberty. [31], Battaglia's capital murder trial began on April 22, 2002, and was held at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas. John David Battaglia received lethal injection for the May 2001 killings of his 9-year-old daughter, Faith, and her 6-year-old sister, Liberty. No, Daddy. Stay of execution granted for dad who murdered kids. Shes evil and vicious and stupid! Battaglia forced Faith to confront her mother in the call, moments before he took her life. "I don't feel like I killed them," he said. [38] Circuit Court of Appeals granted him a stay. On December 2, 2016, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a stay of execution for Battaglia due to questions concerning his mental competency. Battaglia's execution is currently scheduled forDec. 7. They divorced nine years later. Within a few more seconds, all movement stopped. "First of all, who said that? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Final efforts by his attorneys to delay the execution were ultimately unsuccessful. Chris Pine finally reveals what was REALLY going on in Harry Styles Spitgate video, Annoyed shoppers slam Loblaws for asking to donate to charity, Scientists uncover new Easter Island moai statue in dry lake bed, Texas executes William Rayford for ex-girlfriend's slaying in 1999, Execution of Alabama cop killer who has developed dementia halted, John David Battaglia. John Battaglia sat stone-faced Tuesday as photographs of his daughters' bullet-riddled bodies flashed on the screen a few feet away during the second day of his capital murder trial. [33] Jurors deliberated for 19 minutes before convicting Battaglia of the highest charge, capital murder. Another unsuccessful appeal challenged the effectiveness of the pentobarbital Texas uses as its execution drug. John Battaglia and Mary Jean Pearl were married in 1991. Police discovered the bodies of Mary Faith and her 6-year-old sister, Liberty, in Battaglias apartment with multiple gunshot wounds, the records show. Go ahead please," he said, just before a lethal dose of pentobarbital was injected into his veins at 9:18 p.m. Twenty-two minutes later, he was dead.. "The weight of their evidence" -- three of the four experts -- "very heavily went to incompetence," he said. ALCALA J. filed a dissenting opinion. He was verbally and physically abusive towards Michelle, once striking her while she was holding their daughter, causing Michelle to drop her. Police discovered that both girls had been shot and killed. Battaglia told The Dallas Morning News in 2014 his daughters . One shot was immediately fatal, while another resulted in significant blood loss. The daughter then asked: Mommy, why do you want Daddy to go to jail?" [13] During the penalty phase of the trial, Battaglia's lawyers argued that their client should not receive the death penalty because he had bipolar disorder. John David Battaglia with his two young daughters, Mary Faith and Liberty. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame. John David Battaglia Jr.[4] (August 2, 1955 February 1, 2018)[5][6] was an American convicted murderer who was executed by the state of Texas for filicide. The powerful sedative pentobarbital began to take effect. "Goodnight, my little babies," he said in the message. Their mother, Mary Jean Pearle of Highland Park, Texas, hung up the phone when she heard the shots, eight in all, to call 911. John David Battaglia received lethal injection for the May 2001 killings of his 9-year-old daughter, Faith, and her 6-year-old . John David Battaglia, Jr. (August 2, 1955 - February 1, 2018) was an American convicted murderer who was executed by the state of Texas for filicide. Executed on 1 February 2018. As an Account Manager for Palmer Holland, he managed a territory that encompassed western Pennsylvania, western New York, and eastern West . We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. A state judge and the state appeals court described Battaglia as highly intelligent, competent, not mentally ill and faking mental illness to avoid execution. CRIMINAL HOMICIDE, CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE TITLE 1. Join Facebook to connect with John Battaglia and others you may know. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. "No, Daddy! . "Mommy, why do you want Daddy to have to got to jail?" John Battaglia "See y'all later. "And then I hear Faith go, 'No, Daddy, please don't do it,' and I heard (gunshots), and I hear him yell, 'Mary F'ing Christmas!' He learned earlier that day that a warrant was out for his arrest for violating that probation and he could face jail time because he also had convictions forhitting his first wife. Battaglia then closed his eyes and looked directly up. by Jolie McCullough Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. [12] He ultimately became an accountant. Around Easter in 2001, Battaglia called and left a telephone message for Mary. "[7][43], During the 2000s, this was one of a spate of domestic homicides related to the Park Cities, Highland Park and University Park, two wealthy enclaves in the metroplex. The dissenting psychologist gave the judge the all clear for competency. Faith received three gunshot wounds, two of which would have been fatal almost immediately. John Battaglia was executed Thursday for the killing of his two daughters in 2001. John Battaglia shot and killed his two young daughters in 2001. Battaglia called Pearle from the apartment. Battaglia was executed by lethal injection at 9:40p.m. CST on February 1, 2018, at the Huntsville Unit in Huntsville, nearly sixteen years after his original sentencing. [11] He became a sergeant and left the Marines to become an accountant. Attorneys contended the states supply was outdated and Battaglia was at risk for unconstitutionally cruel punishment. Pearle declined to be interviewed afterward. ", Follow Rebecca Lopez on Twitter:@rlopezwfaa. A 2007 U.S. Supreme Court ruling required rational understanding in execution cases -- a hazy term that has not been defined by the courts. John David Battaglia, 62, was executed by lethal injection on 1 February 2018 in Huntsville, Texas for the murder of his two daughters. An accountant that writer Sarah Mervosh and her editors offered for the story the... In 2014 his daughters n't, do n't do it! gunshot wounds, two of which would been... 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