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commutes their sentence to make them eligible for release). The judge said "You have a right to assume any verdict returned by you will be faithfully carried out. Should you desire to make any recommendations after you have agreed upon your verdict you may write them on paper and return it with your verdict." Hearing this, Brown's uncle, Paul Day, became hopeful that his nephew might be spared execution. However, less than two hours later, after nearly 14 hours of deliberation, the jury came out with a recommendation for a death sentence. In response, Brown said "I knew this was coming. I don't care. The only thing I feel bad about is my folks."
502:. Brown was hanged on July 24, 1962, becoming the first man executed in Iowa since 1952. As he walked to the gallows, he said he hoped that "the people will forgive me for what I've done." Brown's last words immediately before dropping through the trapdoor were "God forgive me." He was pronounced dead at 5:05 a.m. CST. Kelley was hanged on September 6, 1962. His last words were "I'm sorry what I did." Kelley was pronounced dead at 5:46 a.m. CST. His last request was for the prison chaplain, Lester Peter, to read the
476:, but that was thrown out. He was convicted of both charges. Kelley presented a much stronger defense than Brown during the sentencing phase, with his defense emphasizing his epilepsy. A psychiatrist who examined Kelley said he had a "sociopathic personality", and found no evidence of a "psychotic reaction which would indicate that Mr. Kelley is not responsible for his acts." Another mitigating factor mentioned was Kelley's youth. At the age of 20, he would be one of the youngest people executed in Iowa.
442:
foot. About 20 minutes later, they went to a parking lot, where they saw
Kenneth Vencel was getting into his car. When they threatened him, he ran away. Brown and Kelley shot Vencel three times, once in the stomach and twice in the back. He survived his injuries. The two then drove north. However, they only drove about 25 miles before the car broke down in
506:. At 21, Kelley became both the second youngest and last person to be executed in Iowa. Among the witnesses to his executions was Vencel, who still had a bullet lodged near his spine. "I'm pretty happy to be here today," he said. "He's got it coming to him. At least they got a trial. The other fellows shot by Kelley and Brown didn't get one."
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During their deliberations, the jury asked the judge if Brown would have a chance of parole if he was given a life sentence, and how many years he would have to serve in prison if that was the case (all life sentences are without parole in Iowa, and a lifer's only chance of freedom is if the governor
441:
54-year-old Alvin
Koerhsen and ordered him to drive at gunpoint. After driving several blocks, they had him pull over. The two then shot Koerhsen seven times and dumped him onto the street. He died from his injuries two days later. After failing to turn the car back on, the two were forced to move on
483:
Hoping for leniency, Kelley pleaded guilty rather than face a retrial. At his sentencing hearing, his attorney, Robert C. Heithoff, presented additional evidence of his client possibly having a history of epilepsy. He told
Johnson that "the easy thing and perhaps the popular thing is to hang Kelley.
464:
Brown was tried first. He made no attempt to contest his guilt and was quickly found guilty. Several of his family members testified during the sentencing phase. On the stand, Brown said he had a drinking problem, had started drinking when he was around 10 or 11, and was drinking heavily during his
479:
After deliberating for 48 hours, the jury deadlocked, resulting in a mistrial and leaving Kelley's fate up to Judge Leroy H. Johnson. The jury foreman, Sam
Garnett, said all of the jurors knew Kelley was guilty, but that he and another juror wanted a life sentence. "I couldn't ask for hanging when
348:
who killed three people and wounded three others in a five-day, three-state rampage in
February 1961. The duo, who said they shot the victims to avoid leaving witnesses, were labeled the "Mad Dog Killers". Sentenced to death for a murder committed in
400:, emerged from it a few days later long enough to talk to police, and then went into unconsciousness once more. He would remain in critical condition for more than a month, but survived. Peterson died from complications from his injuries in 2007.
396:. They shot the attendant, 17-year-old James Peterson, three times. Two of the shots hit Peterson in the head, and the third likely would've hit him in the heart, but was deflected by a button on his work uniform. Peterson went into a
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In 1956, Kelley was diagnosed with epilepsy after becoming dizzy and falling down. During his murder trial, he testified that he stopped taking medication after about a year. When he was 17, Kelley volunteered for the
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Many people would applaud you. Some would rejoice. But later, after consideration and thought, people would not gain in any acclaim of death. All life is worth saving, and mercy is the highest attitude of man."
389:, met Kelley as they were working together as parking lot attendants. The two soon became drinking buddies. After Kelley robbed a gas station armed with a screwdriver, Brown used the money to buy two handguns.
480:
there were small doubts in my mind whether the killing was premeditated, whether Kelley altogether was a mentally sound person, and how much influence the older man (Brown) had on him.”
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Johnson announced that he would need two weeks to reach his decision, which was considered an unusually long amount of time. On June 7, 1961, Johnson sentenced Kelley to death.
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Kelley and Brown were charged with first degree murder and armed robbery for killing
Koerhsen in Iowa. Prosecutors announced they would seek a death sentence for both of them.
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According to Brown's mother, sister, and uncle, he had a rough life and dropped out of school after 8th grade to help his family. His father was a frequently absent alcoholic.
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527:. Although there have been a number of attempts to reinstate the death penalty in Iowa, none have been successful. Since Kelley's executions, prisoners of the
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426:. Brown later said "I took this old man into the rear room, and I told him to turn around. He didn't do as I asked, so I shot him with my gun."
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453:. However, they drew the suspicion of a ticket manager in Iowa, who contacted the police. The two were promptly arrested in Council Bluffs.
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411:. They also shot the bartender, 30-year-old George Koch, six times. He survived his injuries. They then took a bus to
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Executions in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri: A Comprehensive Registry, 1866-1965
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passed a law that abolished the death penalty as a possible punishment; it was signed into law by
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On
February 20, Brown and Kelley shot and killed 52-year-old Howard Trowbridge while robbing his
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with his father's permission, but was discharged 17 days later after suffering from a
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have been executed in Iowa but no one has been executed under Iowa law.
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Iowa and the Death
Penalty | A Troubled Relationship | 1834 - 1965
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declined to intervene, Brown and Kelley were both executed at the
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The next day, the duo killed 60-year-old Harry
Goldberg during a
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On February 18, 1961, Brown and Kelley robbed a gas station in
684:"State v. Kelley, 253 Iowa 1314 | Casetext Search + Citator"
708:"Brown Dies on Gallows, Asks Forgiveness of God, Society"
344:(February 17, 1941 – September 6, 1962) were American
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576:"Charles Noel Brown (1933-1962) - Find A Grave..."
385:Brown, an ex-con who had served prison time for
551:List of most recent executions by jurisdiction
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805:20th-century executions of American people
472:Kelley's lawyers initially planned for an
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754:"Charles Kelley Dies on Gallows in Iowa"
490:After their appeals failed and governor
449:Kelley and Brown took a bus en route to
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546:Capital punishment in the United States
299:February 18, 1961 – February 22, 1961
140:February 18, 1961 – February 22, 1961
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340:(June 21, 1933 – July 24, 1962) and
810:American people executed for murder
825:People executed by Iowa by hanging
820:People convicted of murder by Iowa
632:Hearn, Daniel Allen (2016-01-29).
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729:"'Sorry' Slayer Dies on Gallows"
529:United States federal government
194:Kelley at the time of his arrest
800:20th-century executions by Iowa
556:List of people executed in Iowa
35:Brown at the time of his arrest
16:Executed American spree killers
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541:Capital punishment in Iowa
214:Hennepin County, Minnesota
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760:. 1962-09-06. p. 1
735:. 1962-09-07. p. 5
496:Iowa State Penitentiary
233:Iowa State Penitentiary
74:Iowa State Penitentiary
409:Minneapolis, Minnesota
518:Iowa General Assembly
457:Trials and executions
451:Kansas City, Missouri
758:The Minneapolis Star
435:Council Bluffs, Iowa
429:The two then took a
342:Charles Edwin Kelley
182:Charles Edwin Kelley
605:Haws, Dick (2010).
275:First degree murder
244:The Mad Dog Killers
116:First degree murder
85:The Mad Dog Killers
830:Serial killer duos
579:www.findagrave.com
355:capital punishment
338:Charles Noel Brown
23:Charles Noel Brown
645:978-0-7864-9870-3
618:978-0-557-91151-6
375:grand mal seizure
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717:. July 25, 1962.
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509:Another man,
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762:. Retrieved
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688:casetext.com
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611:. Lulu.com.
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500:Fort Madison
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235:, Iowa, U.S.
227:(1962-09-06)
76:, Iowa, U.S.
68:(1962-07-24)
795:1962 deaths
790:1941 births
785:1933 births
422:robbery in
361:Early lives
779:Categories
764:2022-01-27
739:2022-01-27
693:2022-01-27
669:2022-01-27
664:Justia Law
584:2022-01-27
562:References
504:23rd Psalm
206:1941-02-17
47:1933-06-21
439:carjacked
394:Minnesota
357:in 1965.
535:See also
522:Governor
413:Nebraska
326:Revolver
253:Executed
167:Revolver
94:Executed
387:forgery
381:Murders
371:Marines
312:Injured
291:Details
257:hanging
153:Injured
132:Details
98:hanging
642:
615:
405:tavern
321:Weapon
304:Killed
216:, U.S.
162:Weapon
145:Killed
57:, U.S.
711:(PDF)
424:Omaha
285:Death
126:Death
640:ISBN
613:ISBN
431:taxi
398:coma
351:Iowa
296:Date
222:Died
200:Born
137:Date
63:Died
41:Born
498:in
433:to
407:in
255:by
96:by
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
