Chastain MontgomeryMEMPHIS - Federal prosecutors have decided to pursue the death penalty against a former prison guard charged with killing two West Tennessee postal workers.
U.S. Attorney Edward Stanton told U.S. District Judge Jon McCalla about the decision at a hearing in Memphis today for suspect Chastain Montgomery.
Montgomery has pleaded not guilty to fatally shooting Paula Robinson and Judy Spray while robbing the Henning post office with his son in October 2010.
Prosecutors say the robbery netted only $63. The younger Montgomery was killed in a shootout with police in February 2011.
Defense attorneys are challenging a confession the elder Montgomery gave authorities after he was arrested at the scene of his son's death.