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. He said someone suffering from delusionswould stick to his irrational story no matter what. Battaglia called Pearle from the apartment. Despite a last-ditch effort to stop his execution, John Battaglia was put to death Thursday night after hours of delay. On May 2, 2001, Battaglia learned that a warrant had been issued for his arrest. The Dallas man who killed his two daughters in 2001 was executed Thursday night. John Battaglia was executed for the May 2001 killings of his nine-year-old daughter, Faith, and her six-year-old sister, Liberty. I dont feel like I killed them, he said. This is nothing more than legal maneuvering, Clark said. A grown-up daughter from a previous marriage said he was diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder. But prosecutor Christine Womble painted Battaglia as an intelligent man who researched case law in the prison library so that he could portray himself as incompetent. On August 15, 2016, Battaglia was given an execution date of December 7, 2016. A state judge and the state appeals court described Battaglia as highly intelligent, competent, not mentally ill and faking mental illness to avoid execution. [44] The Texas Senate unanimously passed Bill 140, which was signed into law by Texas Governor Rick Perry, taking effect on September 1, 2001. To outsiders, Pearle's life had appeared as picture-perfect as her home. According to the Dallas Morning News, Battaglia's Continue reading John . %InlineRelated-url="https://www.aol.com/article/news/2018/01/30/mother-of-4-dies-just-2-days-after-coming-down-with-flu/23347989/" CTA="SEE ALSO" title="Mother of 4 dies just 2 days after coming down with flu"%. It was the states third execution of the year and second this week. Pearle is just one person in town who surely felt sick at the sight of John Battaglia. Battaglia has numerous citations in Dallas County for assault on both of the women who are now his ex-wives. Mary Jean Pearle said that," Battaglia said. 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. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. They divorced nine years later. Faith was shot three times, Liberty five. Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark said the claims arent true. Battaglia was also carrying a fully loaded revolver in his vehicle. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The time of death: 9:40 p.m. CST 22 minutes after the lethal dose began. Looking at the chaplain standing at his feet, he asked, "Am I still alive?" Jon grabbed his gun and shot Faith three times and shot Liberty five times with his gun. With Pearle on the phone he shot and killed his daughters, ages 6 and 9. After 14 years on death row, John Battaglia, 60, is scheduled to die by injection shortly after 6 p.m. in the nation's busiest death chamber. Battaglia was put to death for the May 2001 killings of his 9-year-old daughter, Faith, and her 6-year-old sister, Liberty. Pearle stated that he previously doted upon them, and until he killed the girls, she did not believe he was willing to harm them despite his earlier domestic violence towards adult women. 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. [25], On October 31, 2017, Battaglia's death warrant was signed, and a new execution date was set for February 1, 2018. 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. In 1987 Battaglia admitted guilt to a misdemeanor charge and was punished with probation for a two-year period. Battaglia v. Stephens United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Its our 10th year participating in Amplify, and to celebrate, weve got $15,000 in matching funds from four generous Tribune supporters. [2] He had committed domestic violence against Ghetti; on one occasion he assaulted her outside of the school Christie attended, on another, he caused her a broken nose,[16] and in another, he assaulted her at a bus stop in retaliation for the arrest request, causing her to be admitted to a hospital. Battaglia became infamous for the murder of his daughters, Faith, 9, and Liberty, 6, in 2001. 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Faith received three gunshot wounds, two of which would have been fatal almost immediately. [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. I just want to tell you how very, very brave you were, and I hope you are resting in a better place now. The ruling gave his attorneys 60 days to argue before the Court of Criminal Appeals. Does John Battaglia Remember He Murdered His Children? 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. [1] Asked by the warden if he had a final statement, the inmate replied: "No," then changed his mind. At the time of the shooting, Pearl was seeking to have him arrested for violating a protective order by threatening her. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an appeal that argued a lower court improperly refused his lawyers money to hire an expert to further examine legal claims hes mentally incompetent for execution. Battaglia's demeanor was described as "jovial" as he prepared to meet his end by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit in Texas. Although he is aware of the states rationale for his execution, he does not have a rational understanding of it, appellate attorneys Michael Mowla and Gregory Gardner wrote. A few seconds later he opened his eyes and lifted his head. John Battaglia and Mary Jean Pearl were married in 1991. Psychologists testified that he suffers from a delusional disorder that makes him believe he did not kill his children. His surviving daughter from his first marriage told The Dallas Morning News in 2014 that her . Updated: 10 PM Central. After his state and federal appeals were denied, he was set for execution in March 2016. by Jolie McCullough But as Battaglias execution neared, his appeals were struck down one after another: The 5th U.S. Grow your relationship with Jesus Christ! 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Pearle turned away from an execution-viewing window after Battaglia stopped breathing and walked to the back of the witness area. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Copyright 2023 My Crime Library | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. Liberty was shot four times and had a graze wound. . John David Battaglia with his daughter Liberty. The killings did receive a lot of coverage after officers discovered the girls' bodies. ", After that, he told the warden: "Go ahead, please.". Pearle then told the girls to run, but, it was too late. John David Battaglia has been executed. She returned $12.40 to win. 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.. and could be heard a few seconds later saying: No, Daddy, please dont, dont do it.. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. John Battaglia was executed Thursday for the killing of his two daughters in 2001. Attorneys contended the state's supply was outdated and Battaglia was at risk for unconstitutionally cruel punishment. Battaglia wanted a federal court to stop his execution due to the substantial risk of cruel and unusual punishment.. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Blessed are the merciful,for they will be shown mercy. [27] During the phone call, he asked Faith to ask Pearle, "Why do you want Daddy to go to jail?" Not loaded yet, but, it was the states third execution of the website a grown-up daughter from delusional! Was too late from a previous marriage said he was diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder this nothing. 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