Charles Edward Roche

Case record: Charles Edward Roche Jr.

Timeline

• May 11, 1990 — Charles Edward Roche Jr. shot and killed two men in Roche's Hammond residence: Ernest Graves (22, Calumet City, Ill.) and Daniel Brown (Louisville, Ky.).
• November 30, 1990 — Roche was sentenced to death.
• 1994 — Roche and three others attempted escape; the Direct appeal of a 45 year sentence for Attempted Murder of a prison guard in LaPorte County was reversed due to admission of prior bad acts as prisoner.
• June 18, 1999 — Roche was convicted of Attempted Aggravated Battery and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
• February 2001 — a federal judge vacated Roche's death sentence, ruling that he had received ineffective legal counsel.
• 2001 — a federal judge reduced Roche's death sentence to life in prison (stated as occurring in 2001).
• January 11, 2006 — Roche was found dead in his cell of apparent suicide during a security check at Indiana State Prison; guards found Charles E. Roche Jr., 42 (Hammond), dead. The Indiana Department of Correction stated he used a sheet braided into a rope to hang himself.
• Tuesday (January 11, 2006) — Roche left a suicide note, released by his attorney.

Background

Charles Edward Roche Jr. was sentenced to death on November 30, 1990. While on death row, Roche repeatedly had asked to be executed, stating he did not like living under the State Prison's rules. His execution had been delayed because of concerns about his mental competency.

During his childhood, Roche had a traumatic childhood and had received psychiatric treatment during puberty. Roche had drug and alcohol addiction.

Roche later sought to waive all appeals in both cases and asked that the death sentence be carried out immediately, after he was later convicted in LaPorte County of an attempted escape attempt.

The offence

Roche was sentenced to death for the May 11, 1990 shooting deaths of two men. Ernest Graves, 22, of Calumet City, Ill., and Daniel Brown, Louisville, Ky., were killed in Roche's Hammond residence. Their bullet-riddled bodies were dumped in Gary.

The case also included two murders and a robbery aggravating circumstance.

Roche was convicted in 1990 of two murders. Two other men, including Roche's father, also were convicted in the killings. Roche later bragged to friends about the killings.

Investigation

No investigation details were provided beyond the described circumstances of the killings and later procedural history.

Arrest

No arrest details were provided.

Trial

Roche had a hung jury in the death phase.

In addition to the 1990 murder case, Roche had a Direct appeal of 45 year sentence for Attempted Murder of a prison guard in LaPorte County, involving Roche and 3 others attempting escape in 1994. The appeal was reversed due to admission of prior bad acts as prisoner.

On June 18, 1999, Roche was convicted of Attempted Aggravated Battery and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.

Sentencing

On November 30, 1990, Roche was sentenced to death.

The aggravating circumstances included robbery and two murders.

The mitigating circumstances were stated as: no significant prior criminal record, hung jury in death phase, traumatic childhood, psychiatric treatment during puberty, drug and alcohol addiction, and accomplice was catalyst.

A federal judge vacated Roche's death sentence in February 2001, ruling that Roche had received ineffective legal counsel. The death sentence was reduced to life in prison in 2001.

Roche's execution was delayed because of concerns about his mental competency.

In June 18, 1999 proceedings in LaPorte County, Roche was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for Attempted Aggravated Battery.

Appeals

A federal judge vacated Roche's death sentence in February 2001 due to ineffective legal counsel.

Roche's death sentence had been previously reduced to life in prison in 2001.

In the LaPorte County matter, the Direct appeal of a 45 year sentence for Attempted Murder of a prison guard was reversed due to admission of prior bad acts as prisoner.

Roche later sought to waive all appeals in both cases and asked that the death sentence be carried out immediately.

Roche was being retried in Lake County Superior Court when he died.

Outcome

On January 11, 2006, Roche was found dead in his cell of apparent suicide during a security check at Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. Prison Superintendent Ed Buss said guards found Charles E. Roche Jr., 42, Hammond, dead during a security check.

The Indiana Department of Correction stated Roche used a sheet braided into a rope to hang himself.

Roche left a suicide note. His attorney released the note on Tuesday, and it included the following verbatim quote:

"I'm tired of getting close to these guys in here and then watch them slowly crack as they near their fate," said the note released Tuesday by Roche's attorney. "That's worse (than) a death sentence."

Aftermath

After Roche's death, prison officials said Roche was being retried in Lake County Superior Court when he died. Roche had previously repeatedly asked to be executed while on death row, and his execution had been delayed due to concerns about mental competency.