OFF THE WIRE
://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/18/3846378/da-to-seek-death-penalty-in-san.html
DA to seek death penalty in San Quentin stabbing
The Associated Press Published: Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011 - 7:56 am Last Modified: Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011 - 9:00 am NOVATO -- Prosecutors will seek the death penalty against a San Quentin inmate accused of fatally stabbing another inmate who was serving time for striking and killing a 9-year-old girl with his motorcycle while intoxicated.
Marin County District Attorney Ed Berberian said there were no mitigating circumstances to prevent him from pursuing a death sentence against 31-year-old Frank Souza.
Authorities say Souza was serving time on a murder conviction when he stabbed 44-year-old Edward Schaefer seven times in a prison yard on July 26, 2010. Schaefer had begun serving a sentence of 24 years to life less than two weeks earlier after he was convicted of killing Melody Osheroff and maiming her father, Aaron, in 2009 with his motorcycle.
Souza has pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Gerald Schwartzbach, tells the Marin Independent Journal (http://bit.ly/oWH5Ve) prosecutors are wasting taxpayer money seeking the death penalty.
