The 'Grim Sleeper' Killer Receives The Death Penalty

Lonnie Franklin, Jr., the man convicted in the so-called "Grim Sleeper" case, was formally sentenced to death by a judge on Wednesday."What you've done is not justifiable under the laws of God or laws of man," Judge Kathleen Kennedy said to Franklin in court, reports the L.A. Times. In June, a jury recommended the death penalty for Franklin after he was convicted on 10 counts of murder. He was also convicted for the attempted murder of Enietra Washington, who testified during the trial.

Franklin was dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" by L.A. Weekly reporter Christine Pelisek because of a supposed period of inactivity from 1988 to 2002. During the penalty phase of the trial prosecutors suggested that Franklin never took a break in his string of murders and may have killed over two dozen women.

Franklin targeted young black women in South Los Angeles, several of whom were sex workers. Despite the string of murders, the case received very little attention from the media and, some contend, the police.

Related:
The Grim Sleeper's Earliest Known Victim Tells Her Story To The Jury
HBO's 'Grim Sleeper' Director Says Killings Were A Symptom Of A 'Racially Divided City'