"Please Spare My Life": Anthony Kirkland's Statement to His Jury, 2010

Name: "Please Spare My Life": Anthony Kirkland's Statement to His Jury, 2010
Uploaded: 2010-03-17
Duration: 2 min 11 s
Description: Facing a death sentence for the murders of two girls, Anthony Kirkland told his jury he did not expect forgiveness, would not blame them if they chose death, and asked them to spare his life.

Facing a death sentence for the murders of two girls, Anthony Kirkland told his jury he did not expect forgiveness, would not blame them if they chose death, and asked them to spare his life.

Subject: Anthony Kirkland
Recorded: March 16, 2010
Runtime: 2:11

Content warning: Refers to the murders of two teenage girls and two women, and to rape and child abuse in the defendant's family.

The Statement

On March 16, 2010, four days after a jury convicted him of murdering 14-year-old Casonya Crawford and 13-year-old Esme Kenney, Anthony Kirkland stood before the same jury in Cincinnati and read an unsworn statement. This WLWT report by John London shows parts of it. Kirkland speaks of "these four murders", says he does not ask for or expect forgiveness, and says he is responsible for the deaths of "those four young ladies". He ends: "I do not blame you if you kill me. I don't deserve to live, but please spare my life."

Historical Context

In 1987 Kirkland killed Leola Douglas and set her body on fire; he served a sentence for voluntary manslaughter and was paroled in 2003. Between 2006 and 2009 he killed Casonya Crawford, Mary Jo Newton, Kimya Rolison and Esme Kenney in Cincinnati. Esme Kenney was killed while jogging on March 7, 2009; police searching for her found Kirkland in nearby woods that evening. At his 2010 trial he pleaded guilty to some counts, and the jury convicted him of the rest on March 12, 2010.

Circumstances of the Statement

Under Ohio law a defendant in the penalty phase may make an unsworn statement: he is not under oath and cannot be cross-examined. Kirkland did not testify at his trial. The same day the jury heard Dr. Scott Bresler of the University of Cincinnati describe Kirkland's childhood, including his father's violence towards his mother. Under cross-examination, Bresler also said that Kirkland himself had abused his sisters when he was a young teenager.

What the Recording Covers

The report alternates London's narration with short passages of Kirkland's statement and of Bresler's testimony. London reports that Kirkland cried when he spoke about Esme, said he could not control his rage, said he was "pretty high" at the time, and agreed with those who had called him evil and a monster. Kirkland's own words in the clip are a plea: he wanted it to stop, he did not want to hurt, and he asks the jury to spare his life.

What Makes the Recording Significant

It records a convicted serial killer pleading for his life to the jury that would decide his sentence, in his own words and in open court. The jury recommended death, and on March 31, 2010, he was sentenced to death for the murders of Crawford and Kenney and to 70 years to life for the murders of Newton and Rolison.

Archival Importance

The Ohio Supreme Court upheld the convictions in 2014 but in 2016 vacated the death sentences. A new jury recommended death in 2018, and he was resentenced to death on August 28, 2018. This report preserves part of the statement Kirkland gave at the first sentencing.

Important Caveats

The video's title says Kirkland "testifies"; he did not. He gave an unsworn statement, not under oath and not subject to cross-examination. Only excerpts of the statement are heard, selected by the station. London's summaries of what Kirkland said are the reporter's. Kirkland's explanations (rage, drugs, his upbringing) are his claims and the defense's mitigation case, not findings.

Narrator: Anthony Kirkland told the jury today he cannot believe how horrible he is, that he'll never be at peace.

Anthony Kirkland: I have [unclear: "hurt" / "heard"] so many people with these four murders.

Narrator: And that he hated himself.

Anthony Kirkland: I do not ask for nor expect any forgiveness for it.

Narrator: His unsworn statement followed a revealing day in the penalty phase of his murder trial.

Attorney: Morning, Dr. Bresler.

Dr. Scott Bresler: Morning, sir.

Narrator: UC psychologist Dr. Scott Bresler peeled back the cover of Kirkland's criminal adulthood to give a disturbing glimpse into his childhood experiences. The court was transfixed by the description of his life at age nine: his father beating and raping his mother in front of Anthony, his brother and two sisters.

Attorney: Who else abused these sisters of Anthony Kirkland, in addition to his father?

Dr. Scott Bresler: Anthony.

Attorney: How old were his sisters at the time?

Dr. Scott Bresler: They were all young. He was a young teenager, [unclear: "they'd say" / "I'd say"].

Attorney: How young is young?

Dr. Scott Bresler: Thirteen.

Narrator: Thirteen. The age Esme Kenney was when she was strangled by Kirkland, who cries when he talks about her, saying she should have never died. Casonya Crawford was fourteen. [He] says he couldn't control his rage, and that he was pretty high at the time.

Anthony Kirkland: I know that my words mean nothing. And I am responsible for the death of those four young ladies.

Narrator: Kirkland says he doesn't know why, that he got so angry he couldn't stop himself. Dr. Bresler delved into his disorder, saying Kirkland's pattern of disregard for others and pathological lies manifested itself at an early age. His attorneys vetted Kirkland's wording, knowing a parade of excuses wouldn't fly.

Anthony Kirkland: I wanted it to stop. I didn't want to hurt.

Narrator: There was a long pause as he gathered himself, and the court heard him agree with those who called him evil and a monster.

Anthony Kirkland: I [unclear: "couldn't have" / "wish I could have"] stopped the rage and the anger, and make the bad Anthony go away. I do not blame you if you kill me. I don't deserve to live, but please spare my life.