Convicted Killer Wants Death Penalty, Otherwise 'I Plan On Hurting People'
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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Chilling words from a convicted killer as a Broward judge decides if he should live or die.
In January, a jury recommended that Peter Avsenew be put to death for killing a gay couple in Wilton Manors.
He was in court Thursday for a pre-sentencing hearing.
It was there that Avsenew made a string of tunning statements, telling the judge he planned to hurt people.
"I have nothing to lose. There is absolutely nothing that can hurt me now. I have no consequences for my actions," he said.
Avsenew was found guilty in November of killing gay couple Kevin Powell and Stephen Adams in Wilton Manors in 2010.
He threatens there's nothing from stopping him from killing again.
"I plan on hurting people," he said. "I whole heartedly have nothing to lose and I'm going to take it out on everybody I can."
He's fighting to be put on death row as a jury recommended in January.
In the sentencing phase of the trial he fired his lawyers and would not allow the jury to hear what's known as "mitigating circumstances" or details of his life that could lessen the punishment.
"Is there a reason you just want to throw everything away and not have a life?" Asked Judge Ilona Holmes.
"What is a life in prison?" he asked. "There is none. I'd rather just kill people it's much easier, be by myself. By myself I can't hurt peoplw."
And we learned Avsenew sent a letter to the judge saying in part, "...you will never be able to stop me."
Then he went on a bigoted rant saying "It is my duty as a white man to cull the weak and tired from existence."
He continued, "Homosexuals are a disease to mankind and must be put down. I must secure an existence for white people and a future for white children."
In court he made another chilling statement.
"It's really easy to talk someone into teaching them jiu-jitsu, putting them in a choke and just holding on too long and there's nothing they can do about it. Only takes about 6 seconds," he said addressing the judge.
Sentencing is set for August 27th.
At that point the judge can either go along with jury recommendation of the death penalty or she can override it and give him life in prison.
