Tulsa County prosecutors filed notice Friday that they are seeking the death
penalty for a Broken Arrow man who is charged with murdering two people whose
bodies were found in a Tulsa church parking lot.
2 "aggravating circumstances," as defined by statute, are alleged in support of
a request for the death penalty for Zane Corbett Atchison, 25.
Prosecutors maintain that he knowingly created a great risk of death to more
than 1 person and allege that the probability exists that he would commit
additional criminal acts of violence and constitute a continuing threat to
society.
At a November preliminary hearing, a judge ordered Atchison bound over for
trial on 2 counts of 1st-degree murder in connection with the Aug. 30 shooting
deaths of Patrick Shawn, 27, and Kaylyn Kosofsky, 24, outside the Open Bible
Fellowship, 1439 E. 71st St.
Police reported that Shawn was found dead on the church parking lot pavement
near the QuikTrip convenience store at 1415 E. 71st St.
In another area of the church parking lot, Kosofsky's body was found in the
passenger seat of a car.
Joel Rosales Pina, 27, of Tulsa is also charged with the murders.
He has not yet been arrested in the case, and he is not mentioned in the
death-penalty document.
A jury can impose the death penalty if it finds that at least 1 aggravating
circumstance exists.
Jurors also can spare a defendant's life even if they find that multiple
aggravating circumstances apply.
Atchison remains in the Tulsa Jail.
He also is charged with 2 counts of robbery with a firearm linked to a July
holdup at the Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor at 9210 S. Sheridan Road.
In still another case, he is charged with assault and battery with a deadly
weapon on an allegation that he shot a man in Tulsa in August, records show.
(source: Tulsa World)
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