Death penalty weighed in rape case

RENO -- Convicted murderer and rapist James Biela grew up in a poor, abusive household where his father beat his mother and the children cowered in fear, jurors were told Friday.

The Washoe District Court jury trying to decide whether to sentence the 28-year-old Sparks pipe fitter to death for the killing of Brianna Denison heard testimony from a psychiatrist, his mother and siblings about his traumatic childhood.

The seven-woman, five-man jury convicted Biela Thursday of first-degree murder, kidnapping and three counts of sexual assault in a string of attacks that began in October 2007 near the University of Nevada, Reno and culminated in Denison's strangulation in January 2008.

At a sentencing hearing that will resume Tuesday, his public defenders tried to persuade the same jury to spare his life and send him to prison for life with no chance for parole .

Biela's father, Joseph Biela, engaged in daily behavior that was "unusual, abusive and frankly bizarre," Dr. Melissa Piasecki said.

Biela's mother, Kathy Lovell, "bore the brunt of the physical abuse," she said, suffering broken teeth and ribs, and undergoing wrist surgery because of injuries from being bound so many times.

In a phone interview Friday, Joseph Biela said that the testimony was filled with "lies."

"I beat my wife but never my kids," said Joseph Biela, 61.

Lovell separated from her husband in 1990.

Deputy District Attorney Elliott Sattler asked, "How is it 16 years removed from this horrible father he snaps and starts raping and killing people?"

Piasecki said her profession doesn't have a good understanding of how early experiences affect people later in life.