By THOMAS PEIPERT
Austin Sigg, center, appears in Jefferson County Court, in Golden, Colo., Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 for a sentencing hearing. Sigg, who has pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway in October 2012, faces a possible life prison term. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, RJ Sangosti, Pool)
Austin Sigg
Austin Sigg sits in district court in Golden, Colo., on Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, during his sentencing. Sigg, 18, pleaded guilty last month to kidnapping and killing Jessica Ridgeway in Westminster in October 2012.(AP Photo, Denver Post, RJ Sangosti, Pool)
Austin Sigg
Austin Sigg, right, is handcuffed by a sheriff’s deputy during a recess in district court in Golden, Colo., on Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, during his sentencing hearing. Sigg pleaded guilty last month to kidnapping and killing Jessica Ridgeway in Westminster in October 2012. (AP Photo, Denver Post, RJ Sangosti, Pool)
Anna Salter
Anna Salter, a clinical psychologist is sworn in before she testifies at Austin Sigg’s sentencing in district court in Golden, Colo., on Monday, Nov.18, 2013. Sigg, who has pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway in October 2012, faces a possible life prison term. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, RJ Sangosti, Pool)
Stephen M. Munsinger
Chief Judge Stephen M. Munsinger presides over Austin Sigg’s sentencing hearing in Jefferson County Court, in Golden, Colo., Monday, Nov. 18, 2013. Sigg, who has pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway in October 2012, faces a possible life prison term. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, RJ Sangosti, Pool)
Stephen M. Munsinger
Chief Judge Stephen M. Munsinger presides over Austin Sigg’s sentencing hearing in Jefferson County Court, in Golden, Colo., Monday, Nov. 18, 2013. Sigg, who has pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway in October 2012, faces a possible life prison term. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, RJ Sangosti, Pool)
Austin Reed Sigg
FILE – This file booking photo released by the Westminster, Colo., Police Department shows Austin Reed Sigg. Sigg, 18, who has pleaded guilty to the grisly October 2012 slaying of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway, will be sentenced during a hearing beginning Monday, Nov. 18, 2013. (AP Photo/Westminster Police Department, File)
Austin Sigg
CORRECTS DATE TO NOV. 18 – Austin Sigg, center, appears in Jefferson County Court, in Golden, Colo., Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 for a sentencing hearing. Sigg, who has pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway in October 2012, faces a possible life prison term. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, RJ Sangosti, Pool)
Austin Sigg
Austin Sigg appears in Jefferson County Court, in Golden, Colo., Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 for a sentencing hearing. Sigg, who has pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway in October 2012, faces a possible life prison term. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, RJ Sangosti, Pool)
Austin Sigg
Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies stand guard at the entrance to the district courtroom where the sentencing of Austin Sigg, 18, is underway in Golden, Colo., on Monday, Nov.18, 2013. Sigg pleaded guilty last month to kidnapping and killing Jessica Ridgeway in Westminster in October 2012. Ridgeway was abducted while walking to school, and human remains identified as hers were found five days later in a park. More of her remains were hidden in a crawl space in Sigg’s mother’s home, where he lived. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)
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GOLDEN, Colo. (AP) — A lawyer for a Colorado teen who killed and dismembered a 10-year-old girl says trauma he suffered before and during birth caused him to have deformities.
A psychologist hired by prosecutors testified Monday during Austin Sigg’s sentencing hearing that the 18-year-old had no empathy for Jessica Ridgeway. Psychologist Anna Salter described him as “sadistic” and said his attack was planned, not impulsive.
Defense attorney Katherine Spengler pointed out that Salter only reviewed records provided by prosecutors and didn’t know Sigg’s mother inhaled paint fumes and fell down stairs before his birth.
She also said Sigg was born with an abnormality in his intestines as well as a head deformity caused by his birth by vacuum extraction.
Sigg faces a possible life prison term. He can’t be executed because he was 17 at the time of Jessica’s death.
