PURCELL — A McClain County jury handed down three death penalty recommendations for a 30-year-old Blanchard man convicted of killing a mother and her two children.
Shaun Michael Bosse was convicted of first-degree murder on Monday. On Friday the jury recommended he be executed on all three counts.
“It’s one of those where it’s such a heinous crime, especially involving a mom and her two kids,” said District Attorney Greg Mashburn. “I really felt that the death penalty was the only appropriate punishment.”
Bosse was also found guilty of arson in the 2010 deaths of Katrina Griffin, 25, and her children, 8-year-old Christian Griffin and 6-year-old Chasity.
According to wire reports, Bosse showed no emotion as the verdicts were read. Formal sentencing is set for Dec. 18.
Members of the victims’ family wept at the verdict, and one said, “Justice.”
Katrina Griffin’s mother, Rebecca Allen, said the family drew limited comfort from the verdict.
“At least he is not going to be out there doing this to anybody else,” said Allen, who wore a T-shirt bearing the images of her daughter and grandchildren with the words “Fallen Angels,” and “Forever in our Hearts.”
Bosse’s attorney, Gary Henry, said he was “sorely disappointed” by the verdict. He said he plans to appeal the verdict and death sentences.
“Quite a bit of evidence ultimately stacked up and resulted in a conviction,” Mashburn said.
During the trial, Mashburn said DNA evidence in the case wipes out reasonable doubt claims by Bosse’s defense lawyers. He said evidence shows the victims’ blood on Bosse’s clothing, as well as scratches on his knuckles and arm and pawn tickets in his wallet indicating he hocked some of the nearly 140 items taken from the family’s home.
“We had over 300 exhibits,” Mashburn said. “The McClain County Sheriff’s Office, the OSBI, and the ATF all put in a tremendous amount of effort and time to putting this evidence together.”
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that Griffin died July 23, 2010, from multiple sharp-force trauma, while Christian died from multiple stab wounds. The medical examiner’s report says Chasity died from smoke inhalation and burns in the fire, as she had been thrown into a closet and a chair was used to block the door.
Bosse did not testify in his own defense.
Oklahoma has put four men to death so far in 2012 according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Gary Welch, 49, was executed on Jan. 1, 17 years after his sentencing.
Timothy Stemple, 46, was executed March 15, 14 years after being sentenced.
Michael Selsor, 57, was executed May 1, 36 years after being sentenced.
Michael Hooper, 40, was executed Aug. 14, 17 years after being sentenced.
All were white males.
Oklahoma requires a first-degree murder conviction in conjunction with statutorily-defined aggravating circumstances in order for a crime to be punishable by death.
Transcript Staff Writer Joy Hampton and the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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