Court Issues Stay of Execution

The Supreme Court of Georgia today issued a stay of execution for William Mark Mize. Mize was schedule to die by lethal injection at 7 tonight. The court issued the stay to give a trial court judge time to rule on Mize’s motion for a new trial. Mize was convicted of the 1994 murder of Eddie Tucker, one of his white supremacy followers, in Oconee County.

Troy Davis execution likely

Georgia's most high-profile death row inmate has lost his last chance at clemency. Today the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case of Troy Davis. Davis was sentenced to death for the 1989 murder of a Savannah police officer. He had requested a new trial because seven of the nine witnesses against him have recanted their testimony. The nation's highest court granted Davis a temporary reprieve September 23rd just hours before his scheduled lethal injection.

(Associated Press)

Execution halted by U.S. Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a stay of execution for Troy Anthony Davis. Davis was scheduled to die at 7 tonight by lethal injection. He was convicted of killing a Savannah police officer in 1989, but his case has received international attention for its controversy. Davis was sentenced to death based solely on the testimony of 9 witnesses. Since then 7 of the have admitted they were lying. And Davis’ lawyers say three others have come forward claiming to have heard the confession to the crime by one of the men who took the stand against Davis. The U.S. Supreme Court will reconsider Davis’ appeal at its conference next Monday.

State executes Alderman

Jack Alderman was executed last night at the state prison in Jackson. Georgia’s longest-serving death row inmate was pronounced dead at 7:25 following a 14-minute lethal injection procedure. Prison officials say Alderman barely touched his last meal, and refused a sedative for the process. He also declined to make a final statement. Alderman was put to death for the killing of his wife in 1974.

Troy Davis gets new execution date

A death row inmate is scheduled to die by lethal injection September 23rd. Troy Davis was convicted of gunning down a Savannah police officer in 1989. Davis' case has drawn international headlines since several witnesses recanted their testimony against him. However the Georgia Supreme Court rejected Davis' appeal in March and a plea to reconsider the ruling in April. His appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to consider his case is pending. Yesterday the state scheduled another execution date, that of Jack Alderman, for September 16th.

Execution date set

Georgia authorities have set Sept. 16 as an execution date for convicted killer Jack Alderman. Alderman is sentenced to die in the 1974 slaying of his 20-year-old wife, Barbara, in Chatham County. Authorities say Alderman and an accomplice wanted to collect $20,000 in life insurance money. Alderman was just a day away from being put to death last October. The Georgia Supreme Court issued a stay halting the execution while the U.S. Supreme Court considered the issue of lethal injection. The nation's high court ruled earlier this year that lethal injection does not violate the Constitution. Georgia has executed two men since that ruling. A third had his death sentence commuted to life in prison by the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles.

(Associated Press)

Convicted murderer Osborne put to death

The state went through with its second execution in a month last night, as convicted murderer Curtis Osborne was put to death. The execution was delayed by two hours as the U.S. Supreme Court considered an appeal. There was also difficulty in the execution process, as prison officials had trouble finding a vein to administer the lethal injection cocktail. Osborne was pronounced dead at 9:05pm. Earlier in the day Wednesday, Georgia's Supreme Court refused to halt the execution.

Condemned man appeals to state board

Attorneys for a condemned Georgia man are seeking to avert his execution next week. They say a defense attorney for Jack Osborne, who is black, was allegedly racist and provided inadequate legal defense. Spaulding County District Attorney Scott Ballard called the claims “outlandish.” A state parole board will consider the charges today. Osborne is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on June 4^th for fatally shooting a couple in 1990.

State Attorney General calls for 2nd execution this month

Another Georgia man has been slated to be executed this month. The state Attorney General has issued an order for Samuel David Crowe to be executed May 22nd. Crowe was sentenced to death in Douglas County in 1989 following his conviction on robbery and murder charges in the killing of his former boss. If the execution of Crowe proceeds, it would be the second in Georgia since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld that lethal injection is constitutional. Earlier this week, William Earl Lynd was executed.

Georgia man dies by lethal injection

A Georgia man became the first in the country to die by lethal injection after the United States Supreme Court upheld that method of execution.

The prison warden asked William Earl Lynd if he wanted to pray or make a final statement. He declined. Shortly after the warden read the order of execution and began the lethal injection process.

With a nurse by his side Lynd lay strapped to a gurney, his arms outstretched and supported by two boards, an IV in each arm. It took him close to 20 minutes to be declared dead.

Lynd was separated from the witnesses by a large window. Observers included the brother of his victim. In 1988 Lynd was convicted and sentenced to die for the murder of his girlfriend, Virginia Moore.

He is the 18th person to die by lethal injection in Georgia.

Perdue agrees with lethal injection

Georgia will become the first state to execute an inmate following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, which ruled that execution by lethal injection does not violate the U.S. Constitution. Fifty-three year old William Earl Lynd is scheduled to die tonight, for the 1988 death of his live-in girlfriend. Governor Sonny Perdue said today he agrees with the ruling from the nation's high court.

The Governor added that those who oppose to lethal injection seek to defeat the law's purpose and its intent. "I don't think they oughta be able to circumvent those in the majority who believe in capital punishment by declaring everything cruel and inhumane."

Earlier today, both the state Board of Pardons and Parole as well as the Georgia Supreme Court denied Lynd's request for clemency. Both decisions were unanimous.

Georgia Execution

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles has denied convicted killer, William Earl Lynd's request for clemency. His attorney's immediately filed an appeal with the Georgia State Supreme Court seeking to stay his execution.
If the court denies his request he is scheduled to die by lethal injection tomorrow night at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson. He will be the first person put to death since the U.S. Supreme court decided that lethal injection does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
Kentucky inmates challenged the lethal injection protocol several months ago. Many states, including Georgia, delayed scheduled executions. Georgia uses the same three drug combination as Kentucky.
In 1988 Lynd was sentenced to death for killing his girlfriend, Virginia Moore. He will be the 18th inmate in Georgia put to death by lethal injection. The state currently has 109 men and 1 woman

on death row.

Judge upholds lethal injection

A federal judge ruled today that Georgia's method of execution does not violate the constitution. The judge said the lethal injection procedure used in Georgia is substantially similar to Kentucky's. The U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld the Kentucky protocol.

Georgia looks to restart executions

The state is moving to clear the path for the restart of executions in Georgia. Yesterday, the US Supreme Court ruled that the use of lethal injection as a form of execution does not violate the Constitution. With that decision, Georgia’s Attorney General filed motions with the state Supreme Court to lift stays-of-executions against convicted killers Jack Alderman and Curtis Osborne. The executions were put on hold in October while the nation’s high court heard the Kentucky case challenging lethal injection. Of 36 states that have the death penalty, Georgia is one of 27 that has lethal injection as its sole method of execution.

High court delays execution

Today the Georgia Supreme Court granted a stay of execution to a man convicted of killing two people in Spalding County in 1990. Curtis Osborne had been set to die by lethal injection tomorrow. The court said it was granting an indefinite stay to Osborne because the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether lethal injection constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. Last week, the state Supreme Court issued a stay to convicted killer Jack Alderman for the same reason.

Alderman plea denied by state's top court

Attorneys for death row inmate Jack Alderman will be back before the state Board of Pardons and Paroles today, looking to block his execution set for Friday. Yesterday, Georgia’s Supreme Court denied Alderman’s request for stay of execution. The decision by Georgia’s top court comes as other states have put executions on hold while the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether lethal injection violates the Constitution. Nevada just last night became the latest state to halt an execution--just 90 minutes before it was to take place.

Stay of execution denied

Today the Georgia Supreme Court denied a stay of execution for convicted killer Jack Alderman. Alderman is scheduled to die by lethal injection Friday. His lawyers had sought to halt his execution while the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether lethal injections violate the Constitution. Courts in several other states have temporarily halted lethal injections while the nation's top court considers their legality.

Two executions set for this month

The Georgia Department of Corrections has now set the dates for two executions later this month. Jack Alderman is scheduled to be put to death October 19th for the murder of his wife. Another execution is set for October 23rd for Curtis Osborne--he was convicted of killing two people.

Several states have halted or delayed executions until the U.S. Supreme Court decides on a Kentucky case, which challenges lethal injections. The lawyer for Alderman, Michael Sime, says he couldn't believe Georgia didn't wait.

"The attorney general in Georgia has determined that the Constitution either doesn't apply to him or he knows better than the Supreme Court of the United States. It's really beyond me of why they are seeking this execution at this time".

A spokesman for the Georgia attorney general's office says they are following Georgia law, and there is no court order halting executions. But lawyers have already filed court papers to do so.

Kentucky death penalty case could impact Georgia

The nation's highest court plans to hear a challenge to lethal injection in death penalty cases, but Georgia is staying the course.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case brought by two death row inmates in Kentucky against that state's method of lethal injection. They argue that the process is cruel and unusual punishment.

Defense Attorney Michael Siem has filed a similar challenge in district court against Georgia's lethal injection process. He says both states use a lethal three-drug cocktail that leaves much room for error.

In both states, he says, "You use untrained, unqualified individuals to do this procedure, and there’s a high risk that the person is not anesthetized properly so they’re not at the surgical point of consciousness that you would want them at to insure they’re not feeling pain and suffering."

Siem represents convicted murderer Jack Alderman, who is one of three Georgia inmates who could be executed as early as next month.

State Attorney General Thurbert Baker says Georgia will continue scheduling executions by lethal injection unless the U.S. Supreme Court rules otherwise.

Clemency hearing set for convicted cop-killer

A clemency hearing has been scheduled for a man set to be executed for the murder of a Savannah police officer. Human rights advocates claim Troy Davis may be innocent. Supporters say Davis, who is black, was convicted of killing Mark MacPhail, who was white, without any physical evidence. Davis’ lawyer will tell the state Board of Pardons and Paroles on July 16th why his client's life should be spared. Davis is scheduled to be given a lethal injection the next day at the state prison in Jackson.