Va. Death Penalty News & Updates

Russel Burket

In 1994, Russel Burket pled guilty to the capital murders of Katherine Tafelski and her
five year old daughter, Ashley Tafelski. Burket never graduated from high school, but
was skilled in automotive repairs and had held various jobs such as a construction worker
and a bagger at a grocery store. Burket had no prior criminal record before this charge.
He had a history of mental problems including attempting to commit suicide twice. Two
clinical psychologists testified on Burket's behalf, Dr. Thomas Ryan and Dr. Gary Hawk.

Under oath Dr. Ryan stated that Burket had "intellectual abililties`in a low average to
average range." In addition Ryan testified that Burket could not perform well in several
academic areas including reading, writing and math. Dr Hawk ôopined that Burket has a
severe form of dyslexia, and that he suffer[ed] from dysthymia, which is a form of
persistent mild to moderate depression.ö However, despite the mitigating testimony of
these two doctors, the judge found the Commonwealth's psychiatrist, Dr. Mansheim,
more credible and agreed that the only mitigating factor in the case was that Burket held
no previous criminal record. The judge concurred with Dr. Mansheim that Burket's
mental condition did not effect the case and sentenced Burket to death.

Burket appealed the judge's ruling that the Dr. Mansheim was a more credible witness than his two experts. Claiming that Dr. Mansheim lied under oath in regards to
whether he read over several documents pertaining to the Burket case before interviewing
Burket, Burket believes that his experts are more credible that the prosecution's. The
Appellate Court disagreed and upheld the sentence.

Burket also contended that his confession was taken illegally. Before confessing to the crimes, Burket stated, in the presence of detectives, "I'm gonna need a lawyer." He felt that at that moments he should have been read his Miranda rights.

Russel Burket was executed on August 30, 2000.