Mark Rogowski - Hearing, Prison, and Parole

Hearing, Prison, and Parole

Rogowski was charged with "special circumstances," committing a murder during rape. Under California law, this warrants the death penalty or life imprisonment without possibility of parole. His public defender lawyer, John Jimenez, challenged the validity and content of the confession. Jimenez appealed the rape charge, insisting that the decomposed body showed no signs of forcible rape, which was eventually thrown out.

At the advice of his attorney, Rogowski pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and rape, thus avoiding the death penalty or life without chance of parole. In January 1992, at the plea hearing, Gator submitted a four-page written statement. He accepted responsibility for his acts but also blamed himself for having sex outside of marriage, his promiscuity, and for not following the word of the Bible.

Rogowski was sentenced on March 6, 1992. Five uniformed baliffs with metal detectors were at the hearing due to a rumor that Stephen Bergsten (the father of the victim) would attempt to harm Rogowski. Bergsten had lost two properties due to his involvement with a nationwide drug ring, and there was speculation that Bergsten had nothing to lose by harming Rogowski. With the baliffs standing between Rogowski and Bergsten, Rogowski offered an apology while Bergsten shouted back that he "was a coward" and that he would "die a thousand deaths".

Rogowski received a 31-year prison sentence; six years for forcible rape and twenty-five years to life for the first-degree murder charges to be served consecutively.

Rogowski was denied parole on February 7, 2011. Deputy District Attorney Richard Sachs argued that Rogowski remained an "unreasonable risk to society" and should remain imprisoned, and a family member of Jessica Bergsten attended the hearing asking that Rogowski remain incarcerated. He will not be eligible for parole until February 2018. Although initially assigned to Donovan State Prison, Rogowski is currently being held at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo.