Georgia Man Facing Death Penalty
Posted on Aug 10, 2012 2:45pm PDT
On Monday July 23, 2012 in Jackson, Georgia an convicted inmate was facing
the death penalty and was scheduled to be executed at 7p.m. His attorney
however, was able to persuade the State High Court that to consider a
stay in hopes that they would consider his appeal. The Attorney then proposed
that the defendant was mentally unstable and that in the State of Georgia
it is immoral and cruel and unusual punishment to execute a mentally handicapped
person. Georgia however, is known for having strict laws and standards
on this matter. In fact, Georgia probably has the toughest regulations
in the U.S. in order to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone is
mentally unstable.
The State court believes that the defendant's lawyer was unable to
prove his insanity and they also denied his request to reconsider a challenge
on the matter. The attorney now plans to take the issue to the U.S. Supreme
Court to see if they will find the accused mentally unstable. The defendant
was serving out his life sentence in prison for shooting and killing his
girlfriend who was eighteen at the time. The inmate was later convicted
of a second charge on August 17, 1990 for the
murder of another inmate. Correctional officers and other witnesses testified
that the defendant crept up on the victim in his sleep and began beating
him repeatedly with a board in the face and upper body. The jury then
decided that the 52-year-old inmate deserved the death penalty. Ever since,
his story has received national disclosure because of Georgia's tough
laws concerning death row inmates.
This defendant in particular would have been the first to be executed since
Georgia's laws have changed regarding court-ordered death sentences.
Before, the state would give them pentobarbital to sedate the inmates
and then they would inject pancuronium bromide so that they would then
be paralyzed and not feel anything. Lastly, they would give them potassium
chloride which would ultimately stop their heart. Now it is now in affect
that there will be just one lethal dose of a single drug instead of three
separate injections.
If you are facing murder or any other criminal charge we urge you to contact
a criminal defense attorney in your area. The
Law Office of Robert L. Booker defends clients in Lawrenceville, Lilburn and all throughout
Gwinnett County, GA.