Friday, January 14, 2011

Alabama Executes Man Who Murdered Wife

The 3rd Execution of 2011

Alabama executed Leroy White by lethal injection yesterday at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. He was pronounced dead at 9:10 p.m.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas briefly raised the hopes of White when he granted a temporary stay of execution shortly before White was due to die. Reuters is reported that the full Court would not hear White's appeal.

White's attorneys said their client had deserved more time for appeal because his previous lawyers did not notify him that a U.S. district court had turned down an appeal, which caused him to miss a crucial filing deadline.

According to Reuters, White murdered his estranged wife Ruby White in 1988 in a domestic dispute. He shot her once and when she did not die immediately, he reloaded, picked up the couple's 17-month-old daughter, and fired again. He also shot his sister-in-law four times.

No members of the victim's family witnessed the execution, although two friends of White attended. White's last meal was a cheeseburger from the vending machine plus a V8juice, pork skins and a Yahoo drink, reported Reuters.

"This is a case where the trial prosecutors did not believe the death penalty was appropriate, the jury did not believe the death penalty was appropriate, and the victim's family does not believe the death penalty is appropriate," his Attorney Bryan Stephenson told Reuters.

Court documents showed the trial jury recommended life without parole. Stephenson said Lanier had also pleaded with Alabama governor Bob Riley for clemency.

To read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70D0SW20110114#post

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