Aug. 4
TEXAS----impending execution
Texas Prepares for Execution of Daniel Lopez August 12, 2015
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has denied a request for a stay of
execution by Daniel Lee Lopez. Daniel had previously asked the Court to waive
his herbs corpus review. After granting that request, Daniel asked for a stay
of execution, arguing that the court should not have agreed. Daniel's request
was denied and the Court's previous decision upheld. Daniel's execution remains
scheduled for August 12, 2015.
Daniel Lee Lopez is scheduled to be executed at 6 pm CDT, on Wednesday, August
12, 2015, at the Walls Unit of the Huntsville State Penitentiary in Huntsville,
Texas. 27-year-old Daniel is convicted of the murder of 20-year veteran of the
Corpus Christi Police Department Lt. Stuart Alexander, on March 11, 2009.
Daniel has spent the last 5 years of his life on Texas' death row.
Daniel dropped out of school after the 10th grade. Throughout his childhood,
Daniel was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, a learning
disability, and poor impulse control. At the age of 12, Daniel assaulted his
mother. By the age of 17, Daniel had numerous encounters with law enforcement.
Before his arrest, Daniel attempted to commit suicide twice.
Shortly after midnight on March 11, 2009, Daniel Lopez was observed running a
stop sign by a police officer. The police officer pulled Lopez over, where a
confrontation ensued. Allegedly, the officer attempted to use pepper spray to
subdue Lopez. Lopez was able to escape when taser and radio wires became
wrapped around his legs.
Lopez claims that he fled because he thought there was an outstanding warrant
for his arrest and because he had drugs in the car. Lopez led police on a car
chase. Police eventually laid down spike strips to flatten Lopez's tires. Lopez
saw the strips and swerved, hitting Lt. Stuart Alexander with his car, killing
the officer.
Police were eventually able to surround Lopez's vehicle, at which point Lopez
attempted to run over another officer to escape. Lopez was finally subdued when
he injured by a police officer shooting him.
Lopez has asked that his execution be expedited, waiving his rights to the
normal appeals process.
Please pray for peace and healing for the family of Stuart Alexander. Please
pray for strength for the family of Daniel Lopez. Please pray that if Daniel is
innocent or lacks the competency to be executed, evidence will be revealed
prior to his execution. Please pray that Daniel may come to find peace through
a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, if he has not already found one.
(source: theforgivenessfoundation.org)
NORTH CAROLINA:
Death penalty possible in Richlands homicide
Atrocious, heinous or cruel.
The words ushered declaration of Onslow County's 5th capital murder case on
Monday.
Christopher Michael Skaggs, 33, appeared in Onslow County Superior Court on
Monday morning after an awaited autopsy report revealed new information about
his wife's death. Jordan Skaggs' chest was shot multiple times 9:45 p.m. July
13, 2014, at the family's home on Cherry Blossom Lane in Richlands in the
presence of the Skaggs children, according to Daily News reports.
She was shot 15 times and suffered "traumatic head injury," District Attorney
Ernie Lee said of information from the autopsy report and a pathologist at East
Carolina University.
In July, Lee asked the court to delay the Rule 24 hearing - to determine
whether a defendant could face the death penalty - because the case still
lacked an autopsy report.
North Carolina requires any of its 11 aggravating circumstances to consider the
punishment of death, according to General Statutes.
"The aggravating circumstance submitted as that the murder was especially
heinous, atrocious or cruel pursuant," Lee said.
Superior Court Judge Ebern Watson III signed an order qualifying the case as
capital.
"The defendant is eligible for the death penalty," Lee said.
Jacksonville attorney Richard McNeil is representing Christopher Skaggs.
Because the death penalty is possible, the Office of the Capital Defender will
appoint a 2nd attorney to represent Skaggs' case.
Christopher Skaggs was charged by Onslow County Sheriff's Office with
1st-degree murder.
Monday's ruling leaves 5 Onslow County Jail inmates, including Skaggs, awaiting
trials with possible death penalties:
-- Larry Forrest, 23, a former Marine who lived on Piney Green Road, was
charged in connection with the deadly shooting of 65-year-old Kim Hua Flournoy,
a grandmother who frequented TNT Beach Bingo on Henderson Drive. She was killed
about 7:40 p.m. Dec. 30, 2012, outside the bingo hall, according to previous
Daily News reports. He was arrested in April 2013 by Jacksonville Police
Department and is charged with 1st-degree murder, attempted robbery with a
dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, Lee
said.
-- James Edward Williamson, 23, of Winery Road in Sneads Ferry was charged in
July by Jacksonville Police Department with 1st-degree murder, attempted
robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a
dangerous weapon in connection with Flournoy's death, according to previous
Daily News reports. Police previously said Forrest shot Flournoy and Williamson
was driving a getaway vehicle, according to previous Daily News reports.
-- William Zachary Parker, 29, of Turkey Point Road in Sneads Ferry was
charged with 1st-degree murder by Onslow County Sheriff's Office in connection
with the shooting death of Elmer Lee Hudler, whose body was found beside a bed
at a Holly Ridge home in April 2014. Hudler lived at Stone Creek Road in Holly
Ridge, according to court documents.
-- Anthony Wayne Young, 38, of Wilson Spur in Richlands was charged by Onslow
County Sheriff's Office with 1st-degree murder in connection with the bloody
death of his daughter, Ruby-Rayne Delana Young. The 13-month-old died May 3
after her father allegedly sliced her neck with a steak knife, Onslow County
Sheriff Hans Miller said.
(source: Jacksonville Daily News)
***************
Conservative group urges McCrory to veto death penalty secrecy bill
The following statement was released this afternoon by the group NC
Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty:
NC Conservatives Concerned Urges Governor McCrory to Veto Bill Eliminating
Transparency in Executions
North Carolina Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty (NC CCADP) urges
Governor Pat McCrory to veto House Bill 774 "Restoring Proper Justice Act,"
legislation aimed at taking transparency out of the way in which our state
executes individuals.
"This legislation is bad policy for North Carolina. Conducting executions is
the most extreme expression of the state's power and should be done in an open
and transparent process," said Ballard Everett, coordinator for NC CCADP.
"Making secret the way in which our state obtains the drugs needed and conducts
executions practically guarantees that NC will join states around the country
that have seen horribly botched executions."
"Even the bill's sponsors have admitted passage of H774 would invite more
costly litigation," said Everett. "Why then are they committed to wasting more
tax payer dollars by creating more issues that have to be litigated in courts?"
Should executions resume, Governor Pat McCrory will be the final reviewer of
death row cases slated for execution. If the Governor signs H774, he will be
facing what will likely be a problematic execution process that will inevitably
lead to horribly botched executions. Everett said, "Gov. McCrory should not be
placed in this position by the General Assembly. The process should be open and
transparent to ensure that any execution is carried out correctly and with
dignity for all of those involved."
"We urge the Governor to veto this legislation. If our state is going to engage
in capital punishment, we cannot do so by cloaking the execution process in
secrecy." Everett said.
(source: ncpolicywatch.org)
SOUTH CAROLINA:
Death penalty sought in murder of Food Network star and husband----Former Food
Network reality show star found murdered was pregnant, man arrested
Robert Jason Owens, 36, faces 2 counts of 1st degree murder and 1 count of
murder of an unborn child. The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office said Owens
murdered Joseph "J.T." Codd, 45, and his wife, Cristie Codd, 38, and their
unborn child on Mar. 12.
The couple's remains were later found in a wood stove on Owens' property,
investigators said. Codd appeared on "Food Network Star."
The District Attorney filed a Notice of Intent to Seek Death Penalty against
Owens.
Owens was questioned - but never charged - in the disappearance - and presumed
murder - of Zebb Quinn, 18. Quinn disappeared in January 2000. Asheville police
detectives said Owens was the last person to see Quinn, who was an acquaintance
of Owens'.
The search warrant documents show that detectives found several plastic bags
"containing possibly pulverized lime or powdered mortar mix," underneath Owens'
house during a search on Mar. 30. The documents also detail a conversation
between a detective and an unidentified Owens' relative. The relative told the
detective that Owens poured concrete over a large hole on his property sometime
after Quinn vanished.
According the the documents, the relative told the detective that Owens said he
poured the concrete to build a fish pond, but never built one.
The Asheville Police Department would not comment on the information contained
in the search warrants because the investigation is ongoing.
(source: WBTW news)
ALABAMA:
Capital murder suspect granted new attorneys
Trials in a Marshall County capital murder case are expected to be delayed for
months, after one defendant was granted new attorneys.
After a hearing, a judge granted Jamichael Kinchen's request for new
representation, after he sent a letter to the court saying he was no longer
communicating with them.
Prosecutors said Tuesday they would be seeking the death penalty against
Shontavious Williams and Kinchen, but wanted to try Kinchen first.
Williams, Kinchen and 2 others are charged with the robbery and shooting death
of Willie Harris Coleman of Albertville in January 2014.
(source: WAFF news)
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