Court upholds death sentence in killing of baby, grandmother
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Pennsylvania's high court has affirmed the death sentence for a man convicted in the 2012 murders of a baby and her grandmother in what prosecutors called a botched kidnapping plot.
Raghunandan Yandamuri (rag-oo-NAHN'-dahn yahn-duh-MOHR'-ee) was convicted and sentenced to death in 2015 for the killings of 10-month-old Saanvi Venna (SAHN'-vee VEHN'-ah) and 61-year-old Satayrathi Venna (SAHN'-vee VEHN'-ah).
Prosecutors argued he hatched the kidnapping plot to pay for a gambling habit. He was a technology professional from India and knew the baby's parents.
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He told investigators he panicked and the deaths were accidental. He served as his own lawyer and at trial said he was pressured into confessing.
The court said in a ruling Friday it found the sentence was based on the evidence presented at trial.
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf has imposed a statewide moratorium on executions.