November 2, 2009

 

ELMIRA-- Family of the woman stabbed to death last summer are glad to see their mother's killer sentenced, but say they'll never have closure.
     Lee Doane, who admitted to stabbing Susan Mitchell to death in her home, will spend at least the next 23 years and possibly the rest of his life behind bars.
     Prosecutors refer to Doane as a "career criminal."
     Pre-sentence investigations reveal police considered Doane a danger to society as far back as the 1980's.
     He proved them right after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.  A murder which arose from a misunderstanding.
     Before the murder, police suspected Lee Doane was involved in a criminal mischief case.
     Doane knew police were on to him and when he saw police questioning Susan Mitchell, he was sure she was selling him out.
     He admits he killed her because of what he assumed she was telling police, but the police report shows - Susan's statement about the crime was she didn't hear or see anything.
     Doane has been in and out of prison his entire life, police claim he's been a danger to society for years.
     “Everyone proceeded to try and get him the help and counseling and direction that he needed, but obviously it's not going to happen.  He has proven himself repeatedly that he is not someone who should be on the streets,” said Joseph Kain, the Elmira Police Captain.
     After sentencing, Doane left court and told us, “I gotta do it, one way or another I gotta do it, ain't nothing new to me.”
     He says he was ready to get back to prison to serve his time.
     He'll be up for parole in 23 years.