The Murder of Sherri Dally (Crime Documentary)
- 5 years ago
"After listening to Sherri Dally's mother describe how she is haunted by images of her daughter being murdered with an ax and ""thrown like a bag of trash down a ravine,"" a Ventura judge sentenced Michael Dally on Tuesday to life in prison without parole for his wife's murder.
Superior Court Judge Charles W. Campbell also ordered Dally to pay $10,000 in restitution to the state and $15,000 to the family of his dead wife.
Dally's sentencing brought to a formal conclusion the trial in which the former grocery store clerk was found guilty of conspiring with his former lover, Diana Haun, to murder his wife in 1996 for financial gain. Haun previously was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole for carrying out the killing.
Dressed in his jailhouse blues, Dally sat in court Tuesday with his chin held high, leaning back slightly in his chair at the defense table as Sherri's mother, KarlyneGuess, told the court how grisly details of her daughter's murder still plague her.
""Our precious daughter, our baby, thrown away, dumped, discarded as though she was nothing,"" she said, reading from a 13-page letter. ""Eaten by animals, birds, and rodents . . . I still picture animals tearing at her flesh, plucking at her skin, gnawing at her bones, dragging some off. Buzzards plucking her beautiful blue eyes out.""
Defense attorney Jim Farley's hand rested on Dally's shoulder as Guess described the pain her family has suffered since Sherri's murder and the hatred they feel for Michael Dally.
""How we wish we could have protected her,"" Guess said.
Dally was convicted in April of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy. But the jury deadlocked 7-5 one month later on whether he should be executed.
During Tuesday's hearing, Farley entered a motion for a new trial that Campbell promptly denied.
In letters filed with the court, Dally's family pleaded with the judge to have Dally incarcerated nearby so he could see his two sons and his aging parents.
""At least three times a week I would take the boys and they would play around the jail on the lawn,"" Dally's father, Lawrence, wrote in a letter dated May 29. ""Michael would catch a glimpse of the boys playing. Just the satisfaction that their dad was watching made the boys feel connected to their father . . . it is with their best interest in heart that we would request that if you can in any way assist or suggest that Michael be placed in a facility close to Ventura.""
The boys, Max, 8, and Devon, 10, also wrote a letter of their own.
""Dear Judge Campbell,"" they scrawled in large letters. ""We love our dad very much. We would appreciate it very much if you could [assign] our dad to a close prison so we can see him as much as we can.""
Sherri's mother, in turn, pleaded with the judge to have Dally incarcerated as far away as possible.
""He should suffer one year for every second my daughter suffered by his cruel behavior,"" she said.
Campbell said the decision on where Dally is
Superior Court Judge Charles W. Campbell also ordered Dally to pay $10,000 in restitution to the state and $15,000 to the family of his dead wife.
Dally's sentencing brought to a formal conclusion the trial in which the former grocery store clerk was found guilty of conspiring with his former lover, Diana Haun, to murder his wife in 1996 for financial gain. Haun previously was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole for carrying out the killing.
Dressed in his jailhouse blues, Dally sat in court Tuesday with his chin held high, leaning back slightly in his chair at the defense table as Sherri's mother, KarlyneGuess, told the court how grisly details of her daughter's murder still plague her.
""Our precious daughter, our baby, thrown away, dumped, discarded as though she was nothing,"" she said, reading from a 13-page letter. ""Eaten by animals, birds, and rodents . . . I still picture animals tearing at her flesh, plucking at her skin, gnawing at her bones, dragging some off. Buzzards plucking her beautiful blue eyes out.""
Defense attorney Jim Farley's hand rested on Dally's shoulder as Guess described the pain her family has suffered since Sherri's murder and the hatred they feel for Michael Dally.
""How we wish we could have protected her,"" Guess said.
Dally was convicted in April of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy. But the jury deadlocked 7-5 one month later on whether he should be executed.
During Tuesday's hearing, Farley entered a motion for a new trial that Campbell promptly denied.
In letters filed with the court, Dally's family pleaded with the judge to have Dally incarcerated nearby so he could see his two sons and his aging parents.
""At least three times a week I would take the boys and they would play around the jail on the lawn,"" Dally's father, Lawrence, wrote in a letter dated May 29. ""Michael would catch a glimpse of the boys playing. Just the satisfaction that their dad was watching made the boys feel connected to their father . . . it is with their best interest in heart that we would request that if you can in any way assist or suggest that Michael be placed in a facility close to Ventura.""
The boys, Max, 8, and Devon, 10, also wrote a letter of their own.
""Dear Judge Campbell,"" they scrawled in large letters. ""We love our dad very much. We would appreciate it very much if you could [assign] our dad to a close prison so we can see him as much as we can.""
Sherri's mother, in turn, pleaded with the judge to have Dally incarcerated as far away as possible.
""He should suffer one year for every second my daughter suffered by his cruel behavior,"" she said.
Campbell said the decision on where Dally is