Lee convicted in second murder case

BATON ROUGE, La., Oct. 13 (UPI) -- A Louisiana killer faces the possibility of the death penalty after his conviction in a second murder case.

Derrick Todd Lee was convicted Tuesday of murdering Charlotte Murray Pace two years ago in Baton Rouge, the Advocate reported. The jury took only an hour and 20 minutes to reach its decision.

Jurors will determine whether Lee receives the death penalty or life in prison. His lawyers are expected to argue he is mentally retarded to avoid the death sentence.

Prosecutor John Sinquefield argued Lee was "a sexual predator" who killed the women for a "few minutes of sexual gratification." He said DNA evidence removed any doubt that Lee was the killer, but defense lawyers attacked the credibility of the testing.

Lee, 35, received a life sentence in August for murdering Geralyn Barr DeSoto. He is facing at least two more murder trials. Police have said they can link him to five slayings and one attempted murder in the Baton Rouge area.