Delores Rivers, the 1st woman to be placed on Pennsylvania's death row...

Delores Rivers, the 1st woman to be placed on Pennsylvania's death row since the death penalty was reinstated in 1978, was resentenced to life in prison without parole.
In her appeal to U.S. District Judge Mary A. McLaughlin, Rivers argued that her trial lawyer failed to present mitigating evidence to jurors before they imposed the death penalty. In May, McLaughlin ordered a new penalty phase.
Philadelphia prosecutors agreed not to seek another death sentence if Rivers would admit her guilt and waive all future appeals. Rivers, now 51, was convicted of the Jan. 30, 1988, murder of 77-year-old Violet Burt.
The Common Pleas Court judge who presided over Rivers' 1989 trial, John J. Poserina Jr., also presided over yesterday's brief hearing.
"I formally withdraw the sentence of death, and resentence the defendant to life in prison without parole," Poserina said.
4 women remain on Pennsylvania's death row.