He moved to Dallas because his father lived there, and he took night classes to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and did modeling. Houston Chronicle reporter at the execution. " Pearle said then. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles have denied the death-row reprieve of John David Battaglia, 60, who fatally shot his two young daughters over 15 years ago. Lawyers for Texas contend Battaglia understands what he has done, is competent to be executed and used his intelligence to deceive the experts. ", JudgeElsa Alcaladissented, as she often does in death penalty cases, saying the court used the wrong standard in determining Battaglia's competence, not the "rational understanding" precedent the U.S. Supreme Court set inanother Texas death penalty case. He was convicted of killing his two young daughters in 2001. "You can see there is a problem here. "[25], On May 2, 2001, Pearle left her daughters with Battaglia for a planned dinner at the mall, but he instead took them into his apartment[14] in the Adam Hats Lofts [26] in Deep Ellum in Dallas. Battaglia forced Faith to confront her mother in the call, moments before he took her life. [41] Before making the challenges of mental capacity, Battaglia read about relevant legal cases at Polunsky Unit's law library. The ruling gave his attorneys 60 days to argue before the Court of Criminal Appeals. His profanity-laced Christmas greeting to Pearle was an apparent reference to that. John Battaglia would be executed by lethal injection on February 1, 2018, John David Battagliawent out with a joke and a grin. 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 . "I don't feel like I killed them," he said. He smiled and grinned before finally saying, "Oh, here, I feel it.". He was not supposed to send messages to her, and she contended that he should be incarcerated because of his history of domestic violence. They lived in Dallas and had their first daughter, Mary Faith, in 1992, and their second, Liberty, in 1995. Dr. James Womackdidn't buy thatBattaglia was delusional. John had graduated from high school and worked as an accountant prior to his arrest. Battaglia also passed psychological tests to see if he was faking it, according to testimony. he asked. Battaglia shouted an obscenity at her on the phone, the documents showed. According to court documents, shortly before Battaglia was scheduled to host his daughters for a regular dinner, a police officer informed him by phone he needed to surrender for violating his probation. Find Dr. Battaglia's phone number, address, hospital affiliations and more. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Battaglia told The Dallas Morning News in 2014 his daughters were his "best little friends" and that he had photos of them displayed in his prison cell. In March, Battaglia was hours away from dying via lethal injection when the 5th U.S. It would be the third execution this . A three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday halted the execution of John Battaglia, set to be executed hours later in Texas. While his daughters, 6-year-old Liberty and 9-year-old Faith. John David Battaglia, a former Dallas accountant, received the lethal injection on Thursday night for the 2001 killings of his 9-year-old daughter, Faith, and her 6-year-old sister, Liberty. Battaglia saved his last words for his ex-wife, Mary Jean Pearle, The Dallas Morning News reported. Those who know Battaglia well say he is not crazybut cunning and evil. Battaglia was also carrying a fully loaded revolver in his vehicle. Testimony at a hearing showed Battaglia used the prison library to research capital case rulings on mental competence and discussed with his father during a phone call from jail the "chess game" of avoiding execution. Another execution date was set for December 2016, but this time, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stepped in, saying the case needed more than the bare-bones review done by the trial court. Well, hi, Mary Jean. A defendant is considered incompetent for execution under Texas law if he does not understand why he's been sentenced to death or that execution is imminent. In July, Judge Robert Burns of Dallas County Criminal District Court ordered two doctors toevaluate him to see if he is sane enough to be executed, and last week Burns technically set another execution date for Dec. 7 although Battaglia's appeals are not likely to be exhausted by that time. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Copyright 2023 My Crime Library | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. But he never had threatened his two girls and even doted on them. The dissenting psychologist gave the judge the all clear for competency. On August 15, 2016, Battaglia was given an execution date of December 7, 2016. She returned several minutes later to watch as a physician examined Battaglia and pronounced him dead. Battaglia was the third man executed in Texas since the start of 2018 and the second killer from Dallas put to death since the start of the week. John Battaglia was executed for the May 2001 killings of his nine-year-old daughter, Faith, and her six-year-old sister, Liberty. Throughout the marriage, Mary, like Michelle, alleged that Battaglia was verbally abusive towards her. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Battaglia was arrested the following day, taking four police officers to subdue him. Strapped to the gurney, Battaglia, 62, looked around as witnesses entered. Mary Jean Pearle married John Battaglia in 1991. Related: Death row prisoner Alva Campbell should be given firing squad option after botched execution attempt, lawyer says. !The Journey Begins January 1, 2023 Every year, we, Sunday, February 26, 2023 These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. John Battaglia shot and killed his 6-year-old and 9-year-old daughters in 2001 while his ex-wife, their mother, listened on the phone. [2], The woman who would become his second wife, Mary Jean Pearle, resided in Highland Park, Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. I dont feel like I killed them, he said. The punishment was carried out after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected appeals from his lawyers to review his case, contending the 62-year-old was delusional and mentally incompetent for execution. Lawyers for Battaglia launched appeals with federal courts to spare his life, arguing he suffers from severe mental illness and his "perception of reality may be so distorted that he is incompetent to be executed. Police discovered that both girls had been shot and killed. Looking at the chaplain standing at his feet, he asked, "Am I still alive?" 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.. [13] After the killings, Battaglia left a message on the answering machine in the girls' bedroom:[29], "Hi, girls. Court records show Battaglias attorneys argued that William Rayford, the other killer from Dallas executed this week, tried to sit up and jerked his head after the lethal drugs were administered. John Battaglia was executed by the State of Texas for the murders of his two young daughters. jurors heard defense testimony that Battaglia's mental illness should convince them a life . Pearle yelled into the phone for the children to run, then heard gunshots. John Battaglia and his two daughters, Liberty (left) and Faith, who he murdered on May 1, 2001. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas, John Battaglia, who murdered his daughters, waits to hear whether he's sane enough to be executed, who shot his daughters in an act of revenge against his ex-wife in 2001, Three of the four psychologists who evaluated Battaglia testified, How a Texas girl scared of school shootings was punished, Dallas-Fort Worth could see severe thunderstorms, large hail, tornadoes Thursday, Author of Texas drag bill says video of him wearing dress was a joke back in school, Dallas GOP dinner featuring Florida Gov. John David Battaglia was executed for the May 2001 killings of his 9-year-old daughter, Faith, and her 6-year-old sister, Liberty. John Battaglia is a Business Manager for the CASE vertical. His execution brought an end to a lengthy legal battle to spare his life. Their mother, Mary Jean Pearle of Highland Park, Texas, hung up the phone when she heard the shots, eight in all, to call 911. His lawyers alleged that the execution drugs being used are more than a year expired. [33] Jurors deliberated for 19 minutes before convicting Battaglia of the highest charge, capital murder. He also claimed he was drugged and didn't remember the murders. [34] On April 30, 2002, the same jury sentenced Battaglia to death. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. by Jolie McCullough Dec. 3, 2016 11 AM Central One was for Faith, the 9-year-old tomboy who. During their time together, Battaglia and Mary had two daughters together: Mary Faith, born in January 1992, and Liberty, born in January 1995. He shot them as their mother listened on the phone. Feb. 1, 2018 Ill see yall later. Police also went to discover a message left for Mary after the shooting, in which he wished the girls good night and called Mary evil and vicious and stupid.. Texas Department of Criminal Justice records received by The Texas Tribune last year indicated a similar situation: drugs set to expire in July were removed from stock, and, on the same day, the same number of vials were added back to the inventory with an expiration date set for one year in the future. It was the states third execution of the year and second this week. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP/AVNphotola/Getty Images), tap here to see other videos from our team. Stay of execution granted for dad who murdered kids. John Battaglia shot and killed his two young daughters in 2001. "[29], Battaglia then visited a tattoo parlor and got two roses, representing his daughters, on his left biceps. / AP. On December 2, 2016, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a stay of execution for Battaglia due to questions concerning his mental competency. The girls mother testified in court that she found a message from Battaglia the next day on their answering machine. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay so that the court could rule on his attorneys' claims that he was not mentally competent to be executed. Children to run, then heard gunshots his 9-year-old daughter, Faith, 1992. Here to see other videos from our team was also carrying a fully loaded revolver in vehicle... ] on April 30, 2002, the documents showed prior to his.. 2002, the 9-year-old tomboy who us analyze and understand how You use this website granted for dad who kids... Capacity, Battaglia, 62, looked around as witnesses entered four officers... Via lethal injection on February 1, 2001 they lived in Dallas and had their first daughter, Faith the. 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