A sobbing Yarbrough apologizes
Two life terms in prison without parole handed down in murders of university studentsWASHINGTON, Pa. - Convicted murderer Terrell Yarbrough on Thursday broke down sobbing as he addressed the families of his victims and apologized for his role in the May 31, 1999, murders of Aaron Land and Brian Muha.
Yarbrough was convicted Tuesday in Washington County Common Pleas Court of two counts of murder in the first degree in the murders of the two Franciscan University of Steubenville students, and the penalty phase of the trial, including testimony from Land's and Muha's families and Yarbrough's family, began Wednesday. He was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment without parole on the homicide charges and a term of two to 40 years for the conspiracy to commit criminal homicide charges.
When Judge John DiSalle asked Yarbrough if he had a statement to make, Yarbrough, who had spent the majority of the trial slumped in his seat and looking down, said "yeah," and was allowed to approach the bench.
Instead of addressing the judge or jury, Yarbrough turned to the audience and spoke directly to the families of his victims, telling them he wanted them to know he had not shot Land or Muha, but he was sorry for his participation in the crime. He sobbed throughout his brief statement.
"No apology will be good enough," he said. "It won't change the facts. I'm sorry."
Yarbrough's family cried as he spoke to the victims' families.
Kathleen O'Hara, Land's mother, addressed Yarbrough, saying she appreciated the apology.
"This is the first time you've shown it (remorse)," she said. "That means something to me."
O'Hara also thanked the jury for its service.
Chris Muha, Brian Muha's brother, also addressed Yarbrough, telling him that the expression of remorse was a first step, but Yarbrough needed to accept that he is responsible for the deaths of Muha and Land. He then urged Yarbrough to take responsibility and change his life.
Rachel Muha, Muha's mother, told Yarbrough that he needed to change and attempt to live a good life, as his victims did.
"Terrell, we've been praying for you for 10 years now and to see you stand up and say what you said is a good start," she said. "We are going to keep praying for you. You can be just as good as they (Land and Muha) were, you can do it, you have our prayers to help you. We are depending on you to pray and change."
The jury deliberated between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday before giving Yarbrough life in prison. In his sentencing, DiSalle said he gave Yarbrough 20 to 40 years for the conspiracy charge because of the "cruel and callous" nature of the crime and the "brazen" actions afterward, including the carjacking of Barbara Vey of Pittsburgh at approximately 2 p.m. May 31, 1999. Yarbrough also was ordered to pay restitution for the cost of prosecution and to pay restitution in an amount to be later determined to the families of his victims.
After the sentencing, O'Hara expressed her relief that the trial was over.
"It is the first time he has shown remorse," she said, holding up a picture of her son. "I felt that it was sincere. He can't turn back what he did. I wish he could."
She thanked the jurors and the people of Washington County for providing justice for her son, adding that it has been five years since the original murder conviction against Yarbrough in Jefferson County was vacated by the Ohio Supreme Court, which found that, because the murders occurred in Pennsylvania, they should be tried in Pennsylvania.
"We've been living with this for a long time," she said.
She added that she hoped never to hear from Yarbrough again.
Chris Muha and Rachel Muha said they planned to return to their home outside of Columbus and continue their work through the Brian Muha Memorial Foundation, which provides scholarships to inner-city students, and the Run the Race Club, which provides after-school, Saturday and summer programs for disadvantaged children. The family said they began the work in honor of Brian Muha's generous spirit and in reaction to learning about Yarbrough's upbringing.
They also said they hoped that Yarbrough would continue in his journey to accepting responsibility in Muha's and Land's deaths.
"This is a great first step for him," said Rachel Muha. "We are praying that this is the beginning of a whole new life for Terrell. The next step, he has to realize that he is fully responsible."
The two said they had been approached by Yarbrough's relatives during the trial, the first time they had any interaction with them. Rachel Muha said they had expressed sorrow for the deaths of Muha and Land.
"We exchanged prayers," she said. "They said to keep strong and keep praying."
Rachel Muha said she believed in the power of forgiveness and had forgiven Yarbrough and did not feel anger or bitterness toward him.
"God gives you the graces you need," she said. "You are still suffering, God doesn't take that away, but takes away the hate, anger and bitterness. I just feel a deep sense of sadness that a human being can do that to my son that I gave birth to, loved, cared for and still love. There is a deep sadness, but not anger, thank God."
Defense attorney Ken Haber said he was grateful to the jury and called the sentence "appropriate."
"We are all human, we all feel for the victims' families," he said. "It was a horrible crime."
He added the jury had a difficult job and had done it well.
Washington County Assistant District Attorney Michael Lucas said the jury had made a just decision, based on the evidence.
"I can not argue with the effort or wisdom in the decision in the penalty phase," he said.
Lucas noted there were some hurdles in trying a case that was 10 years old, but added the professionalism and cooperation between all of the police officers involved, including Steubenville Police, Pennsylvania State Police and Pittsburgh Police, had been important in the case.
"It's a tribute to those who took part (in the investigation)," said Lucas.
He also will be trying the case against Yarbrough's alleged accomplice, Nathan "Boo" Herring, 28, of Steubenville. He said that the district attorney's office has not yet committed to seeking the death penalty against Herring, but it was something that was being considered as they prepared for the trial, which has not yet been scheduled. That trial will be held before DiSalle.
Yarbrough, 29, of Pittsburgh and his alleged accomplice, Herring, are accused of ordering Land, 20, of Philadelphia and Muha, 18, of Westerville, Ohio, from their off-campus home into Muha's 1996 black Chevrolet Blazer, then driving them to a section of U.S. Route 22 near the Bavington exit in Robinson Township, Pa., where they were killed.
Yarbrough and Herring were found guilty in Jefferson County, but their murder convictions were overturned by the Ohio Supreme Court, which found that the murders took place in Pennsylvania.
Yarbrough also was convicted in Jefferson County of aggravated robbery, kidnapping, gross sexual imposition and theft and was sentenced to 59 years in prison. The state supreme court allowed those charges to stand.
Herring was sentenced to life in prison for the murders, a sentence which was vacated, and 65 years on other charges, which also stood.
(Wallace-Minger can be contacted at swallace@pafocus.com.)
