&uot;Guilty,&uot; the voice of the jury fore-person echoed in the 114-year-old courtroom Monday evening.

Tuesday, March 05, 2002

&uot;Guilty,&uot; the voice of the jury fore-person echoed in the 114-year-old courtroom Monday evening.

Paul Gutierrez Jr., 28, was found guilty of all charges: two counts of first-degree murder by criminal sexual conduct and child abuse, and a second-degree murder count, in connection with the death of 18-month-old Makaio Lynn Radke last April.

A mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole was scheduled to be given at 9 a.m. today by Judge James Broberg.

&uot;I am pleased by the result,&uot; said prosecutor William F. Klumpp Jr. &uot;I think life in prison without parole is more than appropriate for what was done to the 18-month-old baby. Local police and the BCA did an outstanding job.&uot;

Defense attorney Michael A. York declined to comment.

Gutierrez faced the verdict in a grayish shirt with a tie on. When the word &uot;guilty&uot; was spoken, he pouted slightly and closed his eyes for a while.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours. The court was preparing to sequester the jury by placing them in a local motel, if it were to take longer.

&uot;It was the fastest verdict I ever expected,&uot; said County Attorney Craig Nelson. &uot;Considering the seriousness of the charges, and the amount of evidence and witnesses that appeared in the trial, it was a surprise.&uot;

The jury started its deliberations at 3:37 p.m. when they moved into a jury room next to the court.

According to the jurors, they took a vote for each count. Starting with a first-degree criminal sexual conduct, child abuse, and then a second-degree murder, no one voted for any not-guilty verdict. One of the jurors, who did not want to be identified, said, &uot;The prosecutor was very clear about the case, and we felt he did good job.&uot;

Makaio’s father, Matthew Radke, who was present at the verdict, said, &uot;I am happy this is finished. It was painful.&uot;