BY DAN HORN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
![[franklin]](/editions/1998/10/23/franklin_200x130.jpg)
Judge Ralph Winkler looks over photos of Darrell Lane and Dante Evans Brown on the bench as he sentences Joseph Paul Frankin.
(Glenn Hartong photo)
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Joseph Paul Franklin claimed to be many things at his murder trial this week.
He played the part of bank robber, ladies' man and avenging angel who believed God wanted him to start a race war.
The judge who sentenced him to prison Thursday saw something else.
"I look at you," said Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Ralph Winkler, "and I see the face of evil."
The judge's remarks came during a long and sometimes heated exchange with Mr. Franklin, an admitted serial killer who was convicted this week of murdering two children 18 years ago in Bond Hill.
After sparring verbally with Mr. Franklin for nearly 10 minutes, Judge Winkler called the convicted killer a "predator" and sentenced him to 40 years-to-life in prison.
"Does that make you happy, judge?" Mr. Franklin snapped. "It's the right thing to do," the judge replied. "I have tried to find good in you, and I can find none."
The judge said he hoped the sentence would bring closure to the victims' relatives but acknowledged it was only a formality, because Mr. Franklin already faces a death sentence in Missouri for another murder.
He was not eligible for execution here because Ohio did not have the death penalty when the crime occurred.
With only a day or two remaining before he returns to death row in Missouri, Mr. Franklin made sure his final court appearance in Cincinnati would be a memorable one.
Darrell Lane
Dante Evans Brown
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He repeatedly interrupted as the judge described how Mr. Franklin crouched on a railroad trestle on June 8, 1980, and aimed his high-powered rifle at the two boys. When the judge held up photos of the victims -- Darrell Lane, 14, and Dante Evans Brown, 13 -- Mr. Franklin launched into a tirade.
"You're just a representative of this satanic system," said Mr. Franklin, who has been linked to as many as 18 murders across the country. "You'll be judged by Jesus Christ someday."
"I won't have 18 notches on my gun when I do," the judge said. Judge Winkler told Mr. Franklin he was offended earlier this week when the killer looked into a TV camera and said the families "have my condolences."
"Is there something wrong with that?" Mr. Franklin asked. "I didn't even have to confess to this. I helped these people out in solving this.
"I think I should get at least some credit for that."
The judge shook his head before condemning Mr. Franklin, not only for the murders, but for selecting his victims based on race. Mr. Franklin has said the boys, both African Americans, were victims of his crusade to cleanse the world of blacks.
Melissa Powers
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Mr. Franklin said he gave his taped confession to assistant prosecutor Melissa Powers because she is attractive. During their meeting, Mr. Franklin bragged about robberies and killings.
"You gunned them down because of the color of their skin," the judge said. "You viewed yourself as some kind of grim ethnic cleanser."
Prosecutor Joseph Deters said later he was not surprised by Mr. Franklin's comments. "He has no concept of what he's done."
Defense attorney Dale Schmidt said he plans to appeal the verdict, because the judge admitted Mr. Franklin's confession, even though prosecutors did not read him his rights. But after watching Mr. Franklin in action Thursday, Mr. Schmidt admitted his client is like no other.
"He's just not a normal person," he said. "He's been like that all along. It's tough to deal with."
The victims' relatives expressed similar feelings this week when asked about their long wait for Mr. Franklin's trial. Many of them embraced and wept again Thursday but declined to discuss the case.
Judge Winkler said Mr. Franklin fueled their anger during the trial by his repeated complaints about his treatment at the Justice Center. Earlier this week, Mr. Franklin said the guards "are predators and I'm the prey."
"There is only one predator in this courtroom," the judge said Thursday, "and the whole world knows who it is."
![[franklin]](/editions/1998/10/23/franklin_600x389.jpg)