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By Fred Guarino

The Lowndes Signal

A Lowndes County jury, which convicted triple murder suspect Deandra Marquis Lee on six counts of capital murder on Thursday, Oct. 25, sentenced him in a penalty trail following the convictions to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Monday, Oct. 29.

Lee was convicted on Oct. 25 for the 2012 deaths of 9-year-old twins Jordan and Taylor Dejerinett from Montgomery and their 73-year-old caretaker Jack Mac Girdner of Hope Hull.

Monday, after hearing opening and closing arguments from prosecution and defense attorneys and hearing from witnesses, including relatives of the victims and Lee, as well as  experts in neuropsychology and psychotherapy, the jury began deliberating Lee’s fate at about 12:49 p.m.

The choice the jury had to make was to sentence him to death or life in prison without possibility of parole.

The jury returned with the decision for life without possibility of parole on an 8-4 vote at 2:58 p.m.

The jury selection  for the Lee trail was completed and the entire trial was held at the Charles Smith Sr. Courthouse Annex in Hayneville due to a bat infestation in the courtroom of the Lowndes County Courthouse.

Lee was found guilty of capital murder during robbery (Taylor Dejerinett); capital murder during robbery (Jack Girdner); capital murder during robbery (Jordan Dejerinett); capital murder of two or more persons pursuant to one scheme (all victims); capital murder of victim under 14 (Taylor Dejerinett); and capital murder of victim under 14 (Jordan Dejerinett).

Monday, following the jury’s  penalty decision, 2nd Judicial Circuit Judge Terri Bozeman Lovell sentenced Lee to life without possibility of parole on all six counts of capital murder.

“I was very pleased with the guilty verdicts in the cases against Lee,” Lowndes County 2nd Judicial Circuit District Attorney Charlotte Tesmer said, Monday.

“I realize the enormous task placed on jurors  when asked to determine death or life without parole of Mr. Lee,” she said. “I respect their verdict of life without parole.”

Tesmer also said, “I appreciate the work of the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, State Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshals in this case.

Lee has about 40 days to appear the conviction.