A jury recommends the death penalty for 57-year-old Kevin Daigle, convicted in the “cold blooded” 2015 ambush shooting death of a State Trooper in Calcasieu Parish.
Calcasieu District Attorney John DeRosier says the murder was so shocking that it’s the first time in his 14 years as DA that he’s stuck with a death penalty request.
“I don’t relish the concept of asking the jury to execute somebody, and I think the verdict was entirely appropriate for the conduct that this defendant did.”
Daigle was caught on dashcam footage blasting Trooper Steven Vincent with a sawed-off shotgun after the officer responded to what appeared to be a person in duress.
DeRosier says the jury appeared to be moved by testimony from Vincent’s family about the trooper’s last moments before he headed out to his fatal rendezvous.
“This was a very fine young man who stopped home just to tell his family to have a good day while they were getting prepared to go to church. Little did they know that that would be the last time he ever walked through the doors of that house.”
It took less than 15 minutes for the jury to agree with the death penalty request.
The state has not executed someone since 2010 because it says it can’t obtain lethal injection chemicals. DeRosier says the death penalty is law, and he intends to pursue it regardless.
“The concept of not being able to obtain the drugs is an artificial rationale for not enforcing the law of Louisiana.”
A judge will give a final ruling on Daigle’s sentence in October.
