Measured tone appropriate in sentencing of Koliser

Even before Martin Koliser Jr.'s trial, the public came to know him as a man capable of cold-blooded murder. And that was based on police reports and eyewitness accounts of the early morning hours of April 29, when Koliser shot and wounded one man and shot and killed a Youngstown police officer.
It's difficult to fathom, Koliser's trial and sentencing hearing brought into focus a man who is even more frightening -- not a man who kills out of anger or panic or even self preservation, but a man who kills without pity or remorse or even a sense of shame.
"I never thought I'd meet somebody that has no redeeming value," Judge R. Scott Krichbaum said. "I guess I can't say that anymore." That was an understatement, and it was perfectly in keeping with the measured tone in which Krichbaum conducted a trial that had the potential for getting out of hand.
His crimes
Koliser was convicted of aggravated murder in the killing of 26-year-old Youngstown Patrolman Michael Hartzell and attempted murder in the wounding of 23-year-old Donell Rowe of Youngstown, Koliser shot Rowe after they had words in a Mahoning Avenue bar; he shot Hartzell to avoid arrest for the Rowe shooting.
Testimony portrayed Koliser as a man with a gun and no conscience. "Good-bye," he nonchalantly said to Rowe before shooting him in the chest. Two hours later, seeing Hartzell's cruiser in his rear view mirror, Koliser jumped out of his car, ran to the cruiser and fired three shots, two in Hartzell's head, before the officer could react.
Throughout the trial and at the reading of the verdicts, Krichbaum maintained the solemnity that a capital-case trial warrants. He cautioned against outbursts of any kind, from any parties when the verdicts were read.
Given his opportunity to address the court, Koliser showed contempt for society, offered no apologies, said he could kill without caring and declared that he had shown no mercy and he expected none.
Too easy
It would have been easy for Krichbaum to respond to Koliser's outrageous remarks with outrage of his own. During other trials, other judges have done so to considerable effect and generally favorable reviews.
But in this case, Krichbaum's harsh words delivered in measured tones were the appropriate response.
He gave Koliser no quarter, pointing out that while Koliser described himself as a warrior, he was, in fact, a coward. And he followed the jury's recommendation and sentenced Koliser to death by lethal injection.
Clearly Koliser sees himself as more than he is, as both a victim and a renegade. Without dignifying such nonsense, Krichbaum got it right. Koliser is unworthy of sympathy, unworthy, even, of contempt, and quite simply, unworthy of being kept on this earth.