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Roadblocks attached to death penalty cases in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry has used it before.

He used the death penalty in cases when officers in Marion County were killed by a suspect.

In 2011, he used the death penalty cases in the case of Thomas Hardy, who later pleaded guilty to shooting and killing Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officer David Moore.

Curry pulled it out again.

In 2014, he announced he would pursue the death penalty for Major Davis Jr., who later plead guilty in the murder of IMPD Officer Perry Renn.

Curry currently is pursuing the death penalty in Jason Brown’s case. Brown is accused of shooting and killing Southport Police Department Lt. Aaron Allan on July 27.

This all comes at a critical time.

Boone County Prosecutor Todd Meyer is faced with whether or not he will use the death penalty in the Anthony Baumgardt case. Prosecutors on Wednesday formally charged Baumgardt with the murder of Boone County Deputy Jacob Pickett.

During his preliminary hearing, Baumgardt asked a judge if he could request the death penalty for himself.

Jack Crawford, an Indianapolis defense attorney who is not connected to the Baumgardt’s case, made it clear that death penalty cases come with potential roadblocks.

“In reality, the death penalty case is very expensive and, for a county the size of Boone County, it could be a serious expenditure it can run $1 (million) to $2 million, and the state pays half the cost. The prosecutor will have to factor that in,” Crawford said.

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