Sentencing set for man convicted in deaths after plea motion denied
Convicted murderer and rapist Norman “Keith” Flowers claimed he was coerced into negotiating with prosecutors and asked a district judge Wednesday to allow him to withdraw his no-contest plea to two more murders.
After an hourlong evidentiary hearing on the motion to withdraw his plea, Judge Doug Smith denied Flowers request and set a sentencing date for Aug. 17.
Flowers on June 10 entered an Alford plea for two counts of first-degree murder for the 2005 deaths of 45-year-old Marilee Coote and 24-year-old Rena Gonzales. An Alford plea means Flowers didn’t admit guilt but acknowledged prosecutors could prove their case against him.
In exchange, prosecutors agreed to stipulate to two consecutive life-in-prison terms without the possibility of parole. If Flowers had been convicted at a trial, prosecutors were going to seek the death penalty against him.
Flowers, 37, told Smith on Wednesday that he felt pressured into agreeing to a plea in his double-murder case because his attorney, Deputy Special Public Defender Clark Patrick, was frustrated he wouldn’t take the deal prosecutors had offered.
Flowers said at the hearing he didn’t feel Patrick “would fight for me at trial.”
As part of the deal, prosecutors insisted that Flowers drop an appeal for his October 2008 conviction of the sexual assault and murder of Sheila Quarles, 18.
Flowers told Smith he didn’t want to drop the appeal and only did so because Patrick had told him family wanted him to take the deal.
Patrick told Smith that he only suggested to Flowers that it would put great strain on his family if he were convicted and sentenced to die.
The attorney said he was frustrated that Flowers didn’t want to take the deal, because he thought it was in the best interest of his client and would keep him off death row.
However, Patrick said he was prepared to go to trial and vigorously defend his client.
Under cross-examination, prosecutor Pam Weckerly said that when prosecutors sought capital punishment against Flowers during the Quarles trial, Patrick’s defense convinced the jury not to sentence him to death.
The jury gave Flowers a term of life without the possibility of parole after hearing testimony from family members who said he was physically and sexually abused as a child.
Prosecutors have called Flowers a serial killer and rapist for the crimes against the three women.
Quarles, the daughter of Flowers’ former girlfriend, was killed March 24, 2005. His DNA was found in the body.
On May 3, 2005, Coote’s body was found in her Russell Road apartment. She had been raped and strangled. Flowers’ semen was present, and she had vaginal injuries.
Eight hours later, at the same apartment complex, Gonzales’ body was discovered. She had been strangled with a telephone cord.
Flowers, who previously spent 10 years in prison, had been paroled twice and was out of prison for about 20 days when he killed Quarles.
Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@review journal.com or 702-380-1039.