Lash gets 60 years for Hayes crimes
Anne Warfield
Lash gets 60 years for Hayes crimes
By CHRIS DETTRO
STAFF WRITER
Dale W. Lash, already sentenced to death for the murder of a
25-year-old Auburn mother and to 60 years in prison for the rape of
another woman, got another 60-year sentence Friday for crimes related
to the Aug. 1, 1999, murder of Lori Hayes.
In November, a Peoria County jury found Lash, 40, of rural Loami,
guilty of carjacking Hayes and her 91/2-month-old daughter, Alexis,
from the Parkway Pointe retail area in Springfield. Hayes' Jeep Grand
Cherokee was found with blood on the back bumper about 4 p.m. in the
parking lot of the Parkway Pointe 8 theater with Alexis alone and
screaming in her car seat.
A Sangamon County sheriff's deputy spotted Lori Hayes' body about 70
feet into a cornfield west of Chatham at about 6 p.m. the next day.
She had been sexually assaulted and shot in the head.
State's Attorney John Schmidt recommended the maximum sentence on
Lash's convictions other than the murder. Associate Circuit Judge
George Ray agreed and sentenced Lash, a former security guard and
construction worker, to 30 years each for aggravated vehicular
hijacking, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated criminal sexual
assault, and 364 days in jail for endangering the health or welfare of
a child.
The 30-year sentences for hijacking and kidnapping will run
concurrently but will be consecutive to the 30-year sentence for
aggravated criminal sexual assault. Endangering the health of a child
is a misdemeanor and can be punished by up to a year in jail.
The new sentences also are consecutive to an earlier 60-year sentence
Lash received after being convicted of the Nov. 3, 1998, rape of a
Springfield real estate agent he lured to a vacant home on the pretext
he was interested in buying it.
Lash will have to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentences
under Illinois' truth-in-sentencing law, meaning he is required to
serve at least 102 years, regardless of what happens with his murder
sentence.
His attorneys, Adam Giganti and Scott Hanken of Springfield, are
seeking clemency for Lash and commutation to natural life in prison of
the death sentence imposed by the Peoria County jury in November, but
not on the other convictions.
"What this man did is beyond words," said Schmidt, as Hayes' parents
and friends looked on. "Given all that, we recommend he be given the
maximum sentence allowed by law."
Hanken said the defense had no recommendation as to a sentence but
would rely on its previous objections and arguments.
Lash declined to address the court when given the opportunity but did
speak out later about some motions he has sent to Ray relating to his
February 2001 rape conviction.
Hanken told Ray that Lash had decided not to speak, and when Ray asked
the defendant to verify that, he said: "That's correct, your honor. I
don't think it would do any good."
At the end of the hearing, Lash testily asked Ray to rule on his
motions regarding his earlier rape conviction after telling the judge
he considered the motions "a collateral attack" that should be heard
in circuit court rather than at the appellate level.
Ray said the motions wouldn't be considered until after the appellate
court issues an opinion on the 2001 case.
The judge did deny the defense's post-trial motions in the Hayes case,
saying the court's pretrial rulings, its rulings during the two-week
jury selection and its trial rulings all were appropriate.
Ray also denied a defense motion for a mistrial or a new eligibility
hearing based on jurors receiving an improper verdict form during the
eligibility phase.
Schmidt asked Ray to dismiss a third sexual assault charge pending
against Lash for the 1995 rape of a Springfield apartment rental
agent. The victim in the case testified in aggravation during the
penalty phase of Lash's capital trial, and Schmidt said she was aware
the charge was being dismissed.
DNA evidence linked Lash to all three sexual assaults.
Chris Dettro can be reached at 788-1510 or chris....@sj-r.com.
http://www.sj-r.com/sections/news/stories/N01112003,e.asp
--
Anne Warfield
indigoace at goodsol period com
http://www.goodsol.com/cats/