Death Penalty Pending For Altoona Man

ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) – A Pennsylvania judge has declined to bar consideration of the death penalty in the case of a man charged with having killed a toddler last year. The Altoona Mirror reports that the Blair County judge said last week that attorneys for 20-year-old Drue Burd could repeat their objections to capital punishment after prosecutors finish presenting their evidence. Burd is charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, strangulation and related charges in the May 2018 death of 16-month-old Angela Beard. Prosecutors allege that he told investigators he put his hand over the child’s mouth and nose to make her fall asleep. They call the death penalty warranted because of the child’s age and another felony count. Prosecutors also argue that torture was involved, but defense attorneys say there’s no evidence of that.