The Daily Sentinel from Grand Junction, Colorado • 3

Around the Region The Daily Sentinel Wednesday, January 8, 1997 3A Police find practice ransom note Suspected killer of priests at Bonider honie of slain 6-year-old 1 1 I i 4hi i i CD PUEBLO Pueblo County prosecutors have decided not to seek the death penalty against the man at-cused of killing two priests last August District Attorney Gus Sandstrom said at a motions hearing Monday that the decision not to seek the death penalty against Douglas J. Comiskey will help speed the trial process. Comiskey, 20, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the stabbing deaths of the Revs. Thomas Scheets, 65, and Louis Stovik, 77. Their bodies were found Aug.

7 in the St Leander Church rectory where they lived. Comiskey, who lived across the street from the rectory, pleaded innocent by reason of insanity at the hearing. He has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation before his trial. No trial date has been set. Sandstrom said the medical information provided to him last Friday by Comiskeys lawyers would not justify the death penalty.

Sandstrom said he examine Comiskeys criminal history, age and social history in considering the death penalty. He told the court there is clearly sufficient mitigating evidence to outweigh the aggravating factors for the imposition of death. Comiskeys attorney, public defender Doug Wilson, said he provided prosecutors with records of his said they had removed a homicide detective from the team investigating the slaying of JonBenet City spokesman Kelvin McNeill would not say why the detective, Sgt Larry Mason, was taken off the high-profile murder case. But authorities suggested he had strayed from the investigations tight focus. All other issues, including intense media scrutiny, will not be allowed to deter the Boulder Police Department from its singular focus, McNeill said in a writtep statement The chief (Tom Koby) has made it clear that anyone distracted from this focus will be reassigned.

The Denver Post also sought unsuccessfully to have the court-approved search warrant and affidavit which allowed Boulder police to spend 10 days searching the Ramsey residence in Boulder, unsealed. But the judge who originally approved the search warrant County Judge Diane MacDonald, said it would remain sealed for 30 more days. Police refused to comment on why they sought to seal the records. JonBenet was the reigning Little Miss Charlevoix in the community of 3,000 by Round Lake, as well as being the 1995 Little Miss Colorado. Police spokeswoman Leslie Aa-holm said Tuesday the Ramseys were cooperating with police, but investigators still were trying to set up face-to-face interviews.

Douglas J. Comiskey pleaded innocent by reason of insanity in the stabbing deaths of the Revs. Thomas Scheets, 65, and Louis Stovik, 77. clients stay at Denver General Hospital in October 1995. Based on that information where Doug was diagnosed as being paranoid schizophrenic at that time, Mr.

Sandstrom agreed to formally announce not to seek the death penalty, he said. In turn, Comiskey waived his right to a preliminary hearing on the two murder charges he faces. His attorneys also withdrew pending motions alleging prosecutorial misconduct, the original purpose of Mondays hearing. They also entered the insanity plea. Comiskey faces commitment to the mental health institute for an indeterminate period if he is judged insane.

Wilson said this may be the first case in which a plea of inanity is usecf as a defense since the insanity statute became law last year. Sandstrom said Mondays action should considerably speed up the case. He predicted Comiskey now will go to trial within the year. By THE ASSOCIATE) PRESS I BOULDER Police discovered part of a practice ransom note in the home of the 6-year-old beauty queen found strangled in her basement Dec. 26, according to sources in the murder investigation.

The Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post, citing unnamed sources, also reported today that the author of the actual three-page handwritten ransom note which demanded $118,000 in exchange for JonBenet Ramsey -appeared to try to disguise the handwriting at first. But as the note goes on, the author appears to abandon any attempts to -disguise his or her penmanship, they added. Earlier reports said the complete ransom note was written on paper taken from a legal pad found within the home, and the newspapers sources said the partial note was from the same pad. The body of the daughter of John and Patricia Patsy Ramsey was found in the basement of the home about eight hours after Mrs. Ramsey found the ransom note in the house and summoned police.

Meanwhile, Boulder police searching the Ramseys vacation home in Charlevoix, looked for evidence of threats against the family, Denver television station KUSA reported. Police looked for "any and all tapes from answering machines, any and all caller ID devices, evidence of ASSOCIATED PRESS DOZENS OF REPORTERS attend a news conference Tuesday in Boulder, at which police spokesmen said they are attempting to conduct In-person interviews wittthe parents of JonBenet Ramsey. threats to any member of the Ramsey family, the Michigan affidavit says. The search warrant also asks that Boulder police be allowed to examine mail, correspondence or other documentation from any person, group or faction. Earlier reports said the blond Little Miss Colorado had been strangled and her skull fractured JonBenets killer placed duct tape over her mouth, a white cord around her neck and sexually assaulted her.

In addition to searching the Ramseys homes in Boulder and Charlevoix, investigators have interviewed relatives and friends in suburban Atlanta, where they lived before moving to Boulder in 1991. But affidavits in support of those warrants have been sealed by judges in both states. Boulder police on Tuesday also COD 30 Days Unlimited Local Airtime Theres no better way to introduce you to ATSST Digital PCS with up to 60 hours of power. Free Activation and First Month Access Turn on the latest in cellular technology as easily as pressing the power button. New AGET Digital PCS.

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Hello. Free Messaging for 30 Days The Blotter Compiled by sentinel staff GJ man accused of swiping Sunlight van GLENWOOD SPRINGS A Grand Junction man was arrested Tuesday evening on suspicion of auto theft and driving under theinfluence of alcohol after he commandeered a Sunlight Mountain Resort skier van and drove it from the ski area into town. Norman Peterson, 37, was in the 1980 Dodge van waiting to go to Glenwood Springs, and became angry that the van wasnt kaving right away, Gfen-wood Springs police said. Dave Martin, the Sunlight driver. Mid they would leave In another 10 minutes.

At that point, Peterson grabbed the keys from the center console and drove the van away, police said. Officers stopped the van downtown, and Peterson submitted to a blood test for alcohol He was then taken to the detoxification center. Thefts from 2 vehicles reported Tools and equestrian equipment valued at more than $1,000 was stolen Monday from a vehicle parted in the driveway of 3223 Chipela Court, the Mesa County Sheriffs Department reported. The Grand Junction police reported that $1 worth of corns were stolen from a vehicle at 2885 Music Lane. The theft reportedly occurred sometime between Friday and Monday.

Shoplifting suspects arrested Monday Luis Bravo, 30, was arrested by Grand Junction police Monday on suspicion of theft Bravo is accused of stealing an $8 item from Texaco, 459 Pitkin Avc. Police cited a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of shoplifting Monday. The boy is accused of stealing three bandannas valued at $6, police said. Tire slasher causes $9,000 in damage GLENWOOD SPRINGS Police are checking footprints found in the snow after Glenwood Springs Ford employees found flat tires on 59 vehicles parked at the dealers West Glenwood lot In all 72 tires were slashed, and damage is estimated at $9,000. In police are investigating a broken side door window a Lar- frmrialp police car that was parted for service at Berthod Motors.

It must have been an unhappy customer, Mid Glenwood Springs Police Lt Lou Valerio. Driver cited after hitting pedestrian GLENWOOD SPRINGS Jeffrey Edwards, 23, of Glenwood Springs was ritpd on suspicion of careless driving after his car struck a 72-year-old Glenwood Springs woman in a crosswalk at 14th Street and Grand Avenue Sun- day morning. The woman fell to the ground and struck her head on the pavement fracturing her skulL She was in good condition at St Marys Hospital said Glenwood Springs Police Lt Lou Valerio. Text and numeric messaging. Even e-mail.

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to eld dBtak dm should tort been omitted ftx cnrrTd typographic error ih ctunp-d the mwiln rf the start In a Page One story Tuesday, the Mesa County Sheriffs Department incorrectly identified the teen-ager suspected of pulling a knife in a carjacking and chase that ended Mesa County. Seth Strike is suspected of threatening the car owner with a knife. fe owm WINNING NUMBERS Keno Tuesday's 14,19, 23,24, 26, 27, 16,37, 44, 41. 45, si S3, 57, 51 Ml Sf. Cash 5 Tuesday's numbers: 24, 24, It, 31 tti 32.

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