Stanaland guilty of capital murder

Apparently not buying the story that his ex-wife shot Jesse “Pee Wee” Whitley, Historic City News has learned that the jury returned a “guilty” verdict against Steven Leslie Stanaland Jr. today — after less than one hour of deliberation.

Monday morning at 9:00 a.m., the penalty phase of this capital murder trial will begin before St. Johns County Circuit Judge Wendy W. Berger.

Whitley was killed twenty years ago, in 1991. Stanaland is presently 49 years-old and has been in custody since he was arrested on November 8, 2008.

Historic City News was told that Assistant State Attorney Robert K. Mathis will seek the death penalty when he addresses the jury next week.