Jury Awards Family of Daniel Golden $37.5 Million
Last Update: 4:28 pm


Illegal Immigrant Benito Ocampo Albarran

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - The family of slain Huntsville police officer Daniel Howard Golden was awarded $37.5 million in punitive damages Tuesday by a Huntsville jury.

Golden's family had sued his convicted killer, Benito Ocampo Albarran along with the El Jalisco Mexican restaurant where Albarran worked.

The jury awarded the Golden family $25 million from Albarran and $12.5 million from the restaurant.

Golden was killed in 2005 after answering a domestic dispute call at the restaurant in Northwest Huntsville. According to evidence and testimony from Albarran's murder trial, he shot Golden twice in the head, killing him. Court records indicate Albarran was intoxicated at the time of the shooting. He was sentenced to death for the crime in 2008.

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Judge set to decide Albarran sentence
Wednesday, September 03, 2008 By DAVID HOLDENTimes Staff Writer david.holden@htimes.com
Illegal immigrant convicted of killing Daniel Golden

Circuit Judge Karen Hall will weigh aggravating factors against mitigating factors today to determine the punishment of convicted murderer Benito Ocampo Albarran.

A jury voted 10-2 on June 26 recommending the judge impose the death penalty.

The jury convicted Albarran, 34, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, on a charge of capital murder June 19 in the brutal slaying of Huntsville police officer Daniel Golden.

Under the law, Hall, like the jurors in their deliberations to recommend punishment, must weigh the mitigating factors against the aggravating factors.

The aggravating factors the prosecutors have relied on is that Golden's murder was heinous, atrocious and cruel when compared with other capital murders. The defense submitted a list of 200 mitigating factors Tuesday for Hall to consider.

The prosecutors and the defense lawyers will give their arguments today beginning at 9:30 a.m.

According to testimony, Albarran's wife, Laura Castrejon, called 911 on Aug. 29, 2005, and told a 911 operator her husband was drunk, fighting her and acting crazy. Golden responded to the call at Jalisco Mexican restaurant on Jordan Lane.

Albarran was armed with two .38 caliber revolvers when he met Golden in the parking lot and engaged the officer in a gunbattle.

Golden's police-issue, 15-shot Beretta 9 mm pistol jammed and he fell to the ground after he was shot in the stomach. Albarran then emptied both of his revolvers, shooting Golden twice in the head after the officer had fallen.

Hall denied two defense motions Tuesday - one claiming Albarran is not eligible for the death penalty because he is mentally retarded. Albarran's lawyers Richard Jaffe, Derek Drennan and Bruce Gardner based their argument on a June 2002 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which says the execution of persons with mental retardation is unconstitutional....
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