‘MEGAN’ CONVICTION HOLDS

PFMLIT General, NEIGHBOR, SENTENCING, SEX OFFENDERS AND OTHERS IN POSITIONS OF TRUST, SEX OFFENDERS AND OTHERS WHO KILL, SEX OFFENDERS WHO KILL

Jesse Timmendequas, 38, was convicted of luring 7 year old Megan Kanka into his home and raping and strangling her in 1994.  The twice convicted sex offender lived across the street from the Kanka's in quiet Hamilton Township.  No one had any idea of his past.  The New Jersey Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and death sentence yesterday for Timmendequas.  According to Newsday, the court, in a 4-3 ruling, rejected arguments by defense attorneys that his 1997 trial was tainted by publicity because it was only a few miles from the murder scene.