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- Sep 17, 2006A self-employed contractor from Cambria County was convicted Tuesday of three counts of first-degree homicide in the deaths of three men outside an Altoona club.
The six-man, six-woman jury rendered its verdict against Miguel Padilla after just two hours of deliberations.
The panel rejected defense contentions that Padilla, who had a history of alcohol and drug abuse and supposedly was a victim of sexual abuse, did not have the mental capacity to form a legal intent to kill.
The finding of such intent is required for a first-degree conviction.
Spectators in the emotionally charged courtroom burst into applause as soon as the jurors left the room.
Jurors will consider today whether Padilla, 26, of Gallitzin an illegal immigrant from Mexico should receive the death penalty or be sentenced to life in prison.
The jury also convicted Padilla of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment in the Aug. 28, 2005, deaths of Alfred Mignogna, Fred Rickabaugh and Stephen Heiss, all of Altoona. Authorities said Padilla went to his car to get a gun after being denied admittance to the United Veterans Association, a private after-hours club.FromBalticaIf there is a female who deserves recognition please post a paragraph about her.Total number of women recommended for iconic status since September 2000 = 2.