Ore. convict faces retrial on death sentence

Published 2:32 pm Friday, January 18, 2013

ROSEBURG, Ore. — Nearly 14 years later, Jesse Fanus has returned to the Douglas County courtroom where he was convicted of killing an 82-year-old former Marine Corps flying ace.

His conviction stands, but a judge has overturned the death sentence, ruling he was poorly represented.

The Roseburg News-Review reports Fanus appeared Thursday at a brief hearing. District Attorney Rick Wesenberg confirmed he will again ask a jury to condemn Fanus to death. The trial isn’t expected for months.

Fanus, now 33, was accused of killing Marion Carl during a break-in and robbery. Carl’s wife, Edna, who died in 2007, was grazed by one of the shots.

Marion Carl was highly decorated as a pilot, flying missions at Midway and Guadalcanal during World War II and in Korea and Vietnam.