The New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Board wants a judge to force serial killer Charles Cullen to appear in court for sentencing so he can “hear the voices and see the faces of the victims he has created through his criminal acts,” reports the Newark Star-Ledger. Cullen plans to waive his right to appear when sentenced, but the victims board argues that the rights of victims’ families far outweigh the rights of the defendant. Allowing Cullen to skip the sentencing enables him “to control the proceedings in such a manner as to effectively cause a denial of the victims’ rights,” said the board chairman.
Cullen has pleaded guilty in New Jersey to murdering 17 patients and attempting to murder two others. He told authorities when he was arrested last year that he was responsible for killing as many as 40 patients during a 10-year nursing career in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Link: http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1103696266122440.xml