Social worker: Ohio killer had horrible childhood

A man who killed 11 women and dumped their remains around his property had an "extremely horrible" childhood marked by abuse, an absent father and seeing nieces whipped almost daily, a social worker testified Monday.

The home environment "had a horrific cumulative effect" on Anthony Sowell, said Lori James-Townes, who testified for the defense in a bid to spare his life.

The jury that convicted Sowell last month must decide whether to recommend the death penalty or life in prison without chance of parole for the 51-year-old. The sentencing phase of his trial began last week and could wrap up in several days.

Sowell is expected to take the stand to make a statement to the jury.

James-Townes, a social worker in Baltimore, testified about Sowell based on her interview with him and her review of thousands of family records.

She narrated a family tree going back generations that includes sexual abuse, promiscuity, absent fathers, epilepsy, heart problems, drug abuse and mental illness.

Recapping an abusive home situation that was highlighted by defense witnesses last week, James-Townes said Sowell told her that he had been sexually abused as a youngster and saw young nieces whipped almost daily while naked and tied to a railing for minor infractions such as dishes left dirty.

"This was an extremely horrible house to grow up in," James-Townes testified.

Under cross-examination by assistant Prosecutor Pinkey Carr, the witness said there was no documented evidence of abuse, sexual or otherwise, of Sowell as a youngster. The report that Sowell had been sexually abused came from him, James-Townes testified.

Police said Sowell lured the 11 women to his home with the promise of alcohol or drugs. Police began finding the remains, including a skull, just before Halloween 2009 after officers went to investigate a woman's report that she had been raped there.

Many of the victims had been missing for weeks or months, and some had criminal records. They were disposed of in garbage bags and plastic sheets, then dumped in various parts of the house and backyard.