No death penalty for man convicted of murdering Kerman couple

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A man convicted of murdering a Kerman couple 12 years ago will not be sentenced to death.

A jury decided on Thursday that Leroy Johnson should instead serve life in prison without parole.

In August, the same jury found him guilty of two counts of first-degree murder for killing Gary and Sandra De Bartolo in 2009.

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Prosecutors had argued the crime was so brutal he deserved the death penalty.

Defense attorneys brought up Johnson's troubled childhood and his mental health struggles.