USA - Alabama. Mario Woodward has been sentenced to death

death sentence via jury override - Mario Woodward has been sentenced to death for the murder of police officer Keith Houts. Houts was shot to death in September of 2006 after pulling Woodward over on a routine traffic stop. Woodward, 34, was convicted by a jury on two counts of capital murder back in August. The jury had recommended life in prison without the possibility of parole by an 8 to 4 decision, but according to Alabama law a judge has the final say on punishment. Circuit Judge Truman Hobbs, Jr. overruled the jury recommendation and issued the maximum penalty.