The penalty phase of convicted cop-killer Christopher Monfort's trial will begin Tuesday.
The penalty phase of Christopher Monfort’s trial, which begins Tuesday, will determine whether he will face life in prison or death for killing Seattle police Officer Timothy Brenton in 2009.
Monfort’s defense team plans to call 47 witnesses to help argue for mercy for Monfort, who was convicted June 5 of aggravated first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson. The King County jury deliberated for about three days before reaching the verdict.
The same jury will now decide Monfort’s punishment. Jurors must be unanimous to impose the death penalty.
In contrast to the lengthy list of defense witnesses, the prosecution will call only Brenton’s brother, Matt Brenton, to testify. Under state law, the prosecution is allowed to call one witness per victim to testify about the impact that person’s death had on loved ones left behind.
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During Monfort’s trial the defense did not dispute Monfort’s guilt, but they argued he was and remains mentally ill, suffering from a delusional disorder. His attorneys said Monfort believed if enough police officers were randomly killed, the deaths would put an end to police brutality.
In addition to killing Brenton, Monfort, 46, was convicted of trying to kill two other police officers and setting fire to police vehicles and detonating pipe bombs at the city’s Charles Street maintenance yard on Oct. 22, 2009.
Nine days later, on Oct. 31, Monfort stalked and ambushed Brenton and his then-rookie partner Britt Kelly (née Sweeney) as they sat in a patrol car in Seattle’s Leschi neighborhood. Brenton was killed instantly and Kelly suffered a minor wound.
On Nov. 6, police responded to Monfort’s Tukwila apartment to investigate a car that matched the description of a vehicle seen after Brenton was killed.
Monfort tried to shoot Seattle police Sgt. Gary Nelson in the head, but his handgun failed to fire because a round hadn’t been chambered. Police shot Monfort, leaving him paralyzed below the waist.
The cost of prosecuting Monfort is approaching $7 million.
Through the end of March, the cost of defending Monfort had reached $5.8 million, according to the King County Department of Public Defense. The prosecutor’s cost was just over $1 million on April 30.