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.