Parker Won't Get The Death Penalty

Robert Parker, convicted of aggravated murder in the 1995 deaths of two Shoreline women, was spared the death penalty today when a jury was unable to agree that he should be put to death.

That means he instead will be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole when he goes before a judge again March 15.

The 12-member King County Superior Court jury, which listened to three days of arguments and evidence during the penalty phase of Parker's double-murder trial, deliberated 11 hours over two days before announcing they couldn't reach a unanimous decision.

Though Parker was stone-faced upon hearing the jury's decision, his mother, Blanchie Parker, smiled widely and praised the jurors and her son's attorneys.

"God is good," she said. "Just look at my face. My baby is not going to lose his life."

Parker's attorneys expressed relief. "We are all extremely, extremely happy," said defense attorney Howard Phillips.

"It was an extremely terrifying situation and we're very, very pleased with the result," said Marcus Naylor, also a defense attorney.

Parker was convicted of murdering Renee Powell, 43, and Barbara Walsh, 53, who had been bound, gagged, raped, strangled and stabbed.

This morning, relatives of the women said they respected the jury's decision.

"As far as whether he got life or death, we weren't really concerned about that," said Robyn Stratton, a niece of Walsh's. "Celebrating someone getting the death penalty is not what our family is all about. But we're glad he was convicted and that he will spend the rest of his life in prison."

During closing arguments, senior Deputy Prosecutor Donald Raz told jurors Parker was a cold-blooded killer who, despite his mental limitations, was entirely responsible for the two murders and should be put to death.

Raz suggested that Parker knew enough to engage in surveillance of both women, to subdue and silence them and to attempt to destroy evidence that could link him to the crimes.

But Naylor cited numerous factors he insisted merited leniency for his client - Parker's low IQ, his lack of a violent criminal history, his family's love for him and his good behavior in jail for 2 1/2 years while awaiting trial.