Illinois man sentenced to death

TOULON, Ill. -- A retired coal miner who was portrayed as a small-town bully was sentenced to death Tuesday for murdering a sheriff's deputy and a couple he had feuded with for years.

Judge Scott Shore said Curtis Thompson, 61, showed no remorse for his crimes.

"I find from the evidence presented that, provided the opportunity, you would continue right where you left off," Shore told Thompson.

Shore set an execution date of Nov. 1, but an appeal is automatic and there is a moratorium on executions in Illinois.

Thompson's family and attorneys declined to comment.

Thompson killed Adam Streicher in March 2002 when the rookie sheriff's deputy tried to arrest him at his Toulon home on a probation violation. Thompson then stole the officer's gun and squad car, broke into the home of James and Janet Giesenhagen, and shot the couple in front of their 10-year-old daughter.

The rampage ended when Thompson was wounded in a gunbattle with police.