Philadelphia

Philadelphia Father Gets Life for Setting Arson That Left Young Sons Dead

A jury convicted a Philadelphia father again in what authorities called an arson that killed his two young sons three decades ago.

After a week of deliberations, jurors Monday convicted 56-year-old Daniel Dougherty of second-degree murder and arson in the 1985 deaths of 4-year-old Daniel and 3-year-old John.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Dougherty yelled "You got it wrong!" at jurors as the verdict was read.

Dougherty said he awoke to see the Oxford Circle house ablaze and tried to save his sons. Defense attorneys said it was impossible to tell where or how the blaze started. Investigators said it was set in three places.

Dougherty was originally sentenced to death. Prosecutors didn't seek capital punishment in the retrial, so he was sentenced to two consecutive life terms.

Copyright The Associated Press
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