Canton man sentenced to death for killing 3

CANTON (AP) — A judge has given the death penalty to a Canton man convicted in the slayings of his two children and former mother-in-law.

James Mammone III could have been sentenced to life in prison. But Stark County Common Pleas Judge John Haas on Friday followed a jury’s recommendation that Mammone be executed.

Assistant Stark County Prosecutor Chryssa Hartnett called the case an example of why Ohio has the death penalty. The children’s throats were slashed, and their grandmother was shot in her home.

Mammone testified at week’s sentencing hearing that he was frustrated by his divorce and preferred to have the children dead than to see their parents separated. He didn’t apologize for the June killings.

A psychologist testified Wednesday that Mammone has a severe personality disorder, but he does know right from wrong.