Burning of woman draws life sentence

Kim Smith

Monday, May 13, 2002 | 8:47 a.m.

Despite sobbing for mercy, an Illinois crack addict will spend the rest of his life in prison for a daylong crime spree that left one woman burned and crippled and three others emotionally traumatized.

District Judge Donald Mosley followed the recommendation of prosecutors Friday and ruled that Oscar Stanley, 38, is a habitual criminal.

In addition to two no-parole life terms Stanley must serve multiple consecutive sentences totaling 15 to 39 years. All of the sentences were imposed for a series of crimes committed in downtown Las Vegas Oct. 25.

According to prosecutors Stanley walked into the High Hat Motel, 1300 Las Vegas Blvd. South, where he was once a resident, and doused one of its managers, Diane Baptist, 49, with gasoline.

He then lit a match and threw it on her. It was later learned that he had gone to the motel to collect belongings he had left in a storage room, but he didn't have the $15 to $20 storage fee.

Four hours before the fire, Stanley robbed a man of his wallet, punched him and then stole his van.

Ninety minutes after the fire, Stanley punched Budget Inn clerk Jojina Ball in the face and stole $300 from her register. Stanley was chased from the motel but was caught yanking 83-year-old Carl Williams from his vehicle in an effort to flee the area.

Stanley was convicted of eight of the 11 charges he faced during a March trial.

Baptist, Ball and Williams all spoke to Mosley before he rendered the sentence.

Baptist spent six weeks in a coma with second- and third-degree burns over 50 percent of her body. Confined to a wheelchair, Baptist lost a leg and some toes to amputation and has undergone numerous skin graft surgeries. Her medical bills tally more than $1 million so far, she said.

Baptist's husband, Manuel, gave up his job to care for his wife. They both now reside with their son, Warren.

"I'm glad today is the last day I have to be in court, and I hope justice is done to the guy who did this to me," Baptist said. "He ruined my life as you can see, and not only did he ruin my life, he ruined the life of my family."