http://www.newstimeslive.com/news/story.php?id=1025279 - ALL THE PERIODS, AT THE ENDS OF THE SENTENCES'
Sentencings end Measles case
Hallas gets 25 years, Bennett gets 19 years in killing of New Milford teen Maryann Measles
LITCHFIELD -- Two women who helped prosecutors convict co-defendants in the 1997 kidnapping, rape and murder of 13-year-old Maryann Measles were sentenced Friday.
Maggie Bennett received 19 years in prison and Dorothy Hallas was sentenced to 25 years for their roles in the death of the New Milford girl.
The sentencings bring an end to the Superior Court cases of the eight defendants charged in the girl's group killing.
Bennett and Hallas, who were friends and part of the gang that was angry at Maryann, both testified at the trial of Keith Foster, the only one of eight defendants to take the case to trial.
They were angry at Maryann because she went to police to file statutory rape complaints against some of the men. The defendants, who Maryann thought were her friends, tried to keep the killing a secret but were finally arrested in 2002.
In addressing the judge at Hallas' sentencing, the victim's mother, Cindi Measles, said that it's hard to put into words how the killing of her daughter has affected her life.
What they got
Sentences for the others in the Maryann Measles case:
Jeffrey Boyette Jr.: 25 years.
June Bates Seger: 30 years.
Ronald Rajcok: 36 years.
Deaneric Dupas: 47 years.
A.J. Walter Jr.: 60 years.
Keith Foster: 110 years
"The loss of her is unspeakable," Cindi Measles said. "Maryann was beautiful, funny, smart. She was just young and naive and didn't know where she fit in."
Judge Robert Brunetti praised Cindi Measles for how she handled herself at multiple court hearings that went on for years.
"None of us can imagine the pain you have suffered in the last nine years," Brunetti said to Measles.
The group killed her because its members thought she was going to the police with underage rape allegations against the men in the group. She had sexual relationships with all of the men. The women involved were angry because the men were either their friends or boyfriends.
Bennett was the only defendant not convicted of felony murder.
As the first person to enter into an agreement with prosecutors to testify against the others, she received a more lenient term than the other defendants.
Prosecutor David Shepack said Bennett's decision to cooperate early on in the case was "instrumental in the decision-making process for other defendants" to plead guilty.
She pleaded guilty to kidnapping, risk of injury, and tampering with evidence and witness charges. Her sentence is a 30-year jail term, suspended after 19 years, and five years on probation.
Bennett's lawyer, Vicki Hutchinson of Danbury, said her client has tried to rehabilitate herself in prison. She is a very hard worker and has been praised by her supervisors at work for having an "excellent work ethic" and someone who "takes pride" in her jobs, which have included work in the laundry room at York Correctional Institution in Niantic, the state's women's prison.
Though Hallas and Bennett were given credit for helping prosecutors, Shepack said they were still guilty.
Both Hallas and Bennett verbally attacked Maryann on River Road as the entire group circled her, taunting her. They also failed to stop the killing that ultimately occurred, Shepack said.
Bennett and Hallas were both tearful as they apologized to the judge.
"I know I have done the unthinkable and I deserve to be punished," Bennett said.
Yet, Bennett asked that she get less than 20 years. As part of the plea bargain she could have received between 15 and 20 years in prison.
Hallas previously had accepted a deal calling for a 50-year jail term, suspended after 25 years, and five years on probation. She pleaded guilty to felony murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and risk of injury to a minor.
Hallas tearfully told the judge the case haunts her and that she is very sorry. "I can't take anything back," she said emotionally.
Her sentence was already a done deal, but with Bennett's there was wiggle room and Cindi Measles asked for the maximum.
"I'm just praying for the 20," Cindi Measles said. "She had my dead daughter's body in the car."
Bennett's van was used to transport the body from River Road to a nearby marina where Maryann's body was dumped into the Housatonic River.
Foster was the only defendant to go to trial. He was sentenced to 110 years and is appealing.
Contact Karen Ali
at
kali@newstimes.com
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