This Article is From Jul 29, 2015

Indian Guilty of Double Murder to Present Himself in US Court

Indian Guilty of Double Murder to Present Himself in US Court

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Washington: A 29-year-old Indian software engineer, facing death penalty for a double murder, has told a US court that he would present himself during an appeal to the State Supreme Court in Pennsylvania.

Raghunandan Yandamuri has been found guilty of double murder of 61-year-old Satyavathi Venna and her 10-month-old grand-daughter Saanvi Venna at their apartment in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania in October 2012.

A software engineer on H-1B visa, he killed Satyavathi and her grand-daughter following a failed kidnapping bid.

After a hearing last week, Montgomery County Judge Steve O'Neill allowed Raghunandan to represent himself, but only after warning about how strict and rigid the procedures of the high court are, local media reported.

However, the judge has appointed two standby attorneys Stephen Heckman and Henry Hilles, to help Raghunandan, a native of Andhra Pradesh, if needed.

Raghunandan is facing death sentence by lethal injection.
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