An unstable home life, child abuse and clinical depression were part of convicted murderer Mark Worley’s childhood, his relatives told a Trumbull County jury Monday.

Worley himself read a letter asking for forgiveness from the family of his victims, Charles and Dorothy London, and his own family for his involvement in the December 1999 slayings of the Hubbard Township couple.

"I cannot change the fact that an elderly couple that did not deserve to die were brutally murdered," Worley read during the first day of the sentencing phase of his trial.

Worley, 22, of Youngstown, formerly of Masury and Hubbard Township, was convicted Wednesday of killing the Londons, two kidnapping charges, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary.

Scott Burrows, 20, of Hubbard Township, was convicted in June and sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years without the possibility of parole.

Worley did not plead for his life. "It happened, and now I must face the consequences of my actions," he said.

"Most of all I regret the things that I did and for letting this happen. It’s a shame how in one instant so many lives can be changed," he said.

Worley also apologized to his family, including his 9-month-old son. "I want to apologize for not being there for you when you will most need me."

The jury also heard from Worley’s father Ken, and his brother Michael, both of Masury; his grandmother Mary Ann Worley, of Brookfield: and an uncle, the Rev. David Gill Peters of Cortland, Ohio.

Rev. Peters said he and his wife, Barb, helped to rear Worley and his three younger brothers, beginning about November 1984, when their mother, Vivian, checked herself into a mental hospital.

"Their mother was ill, and was later diagnosed with having 250 multiple personalities," Rev. Peters said, adding that all of the boys stayed with them many times during their childhoods when their mother was getting help.

Ken Worley said he was rarely home for his sons because he was a truck driver. "I was gone a lot. I didn’t spend a lot of time with the kids. They always said they wished they had more time with me."

Michael Worley echoed that sentiment, testifying that his father never showed affection, and rarely saw any of their mother’s abuse, which occurred every three to four days.

"We would have the same dinner of hot dogs every day for a couple of weeks, so finally we would shove the food under the table," he said. "She’d find it a week or two later and make us eat it," he said.

Michael also described sitting evening after evening on the couch in the dark with no television, because their mother couldn’t take care of them.

"We had to sit quietly or she would beat us. Life was hard," he added.

But he and Rev. Peters also blamed some of the abuse on their father and his second wife Kathy, whom he married in 1993.

"She had an older son, James, who would beat up the kids," Rev. Peters said. "Once Ken and Kathy told me that they were mad at Mark and had James beat him up and they laughed." he said.

Michael said his stepmother would call him and his brothers idiotic and stupid. "She was nice at first, but turned into a mental abuser."

Clinical psychologist Dr. James A. Karpawich of Hudson, Ohio, provided expert testimony about Worley’s mental state and his mental health history.

Citing at least 13 visits to mental health units, including Belmont Pines and Northside Medical Center, both in Youngstown, and the psychiatric ward of the hospital of Sharon Regional Health System, Karpawich said Worley had been diagnosed as clinically depressed and, in some cases, with bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic-depression.

"This is a troubled youth, whose upbringing was marked by no stability, physical abuse and a long history of mental health issues for a 22-year old."

When cross-examined by Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins, Karpawich said Worley is not currently plagued with any major mental disorders, including chemical depression.

When asked his personal opinion about the death penalty, Karpawich said "it is clearly not warranted in this case."

Closing arguments were to start at 10 a.m. today; then the jury will decide Worley’s punishment.

For the murder of Dorothy London, he could get the death penalty; he could get 15 years to life, with possibility of parole after 15 years, for the murder of Charles London.