Jessie Campbell III was convicted of capital felony, murder, attempted murder, first-degree assault and weapons violations for Aug. 26, 2000, shooting deaths in Hartford of 20-year-old LaTaysha Logan and 18-year-old Desiree Privette; and the shooting of Privette's aunt, Carolyn Privette.

Campbell was condemned to death on August 16, 2007.

Jessie Campbell III

Sentenced to death in Hartford, Connecticut

By: A judge.

Date of crime: August 26, 2000

Prosecution’s case/defense response:

Jessie Campbell shot the mother of his son while she was visiting a friend’s home. After shooting his estranged girlfriend, he turned the gun on her friend and the friend’s aunt. Only the aunt survived the shootings by cowering below Campbell and pretending to be dead. After the murders, Campbell burned the clothes he was wearing and fled to Michigan. He was captured shortly after and brought back to Connecticut for the murders.

Defense attempted to establish that Campbell’s father was addicted to crack and negatively influenced Campbell’s upbringing. Other evidence demonstrated that Campbell possessed an I.Q. of 78. Campbell’s defense team also stated they were going to challenge lethal injection as cruel and unusual punishment and attack the "capricious and arbitrary" manner in which prosecutors elect to seek a capital conviction.

Prosecutor(s): Vicki Mechiorre and Dennis O’Connor
Defense lawyer(s): David Smith and Ronald Gold

Sources: The Hartford Courant 8/18/2007 (2007 WLNR 16182886), 8/17/2007 (2007 WLNR 16017106); AP Alert - Connecticut 8/17/2007

Jessie Campbell III