Eight executions scheduled for April

With eight executions scheduled for the month of April, it is the busiest month so far in 2012 for U.S. death row inmates.

April 5th, 2012 – Utah

Archuleta is only the fourth person to face the firing squad since 1976.

The first execution scheduled is Thursday for Michael Archuleta in the state of Utah. While a stay is likely in his execution (as he still has an appeal option in his case), he is different because unlike the other inmates scheduled to die this month, his will be executed by firing squad. Up until 2004 Utah death row inmates were given the option of execution at the time of their sentencing.

Archuleta was sentenced to death for the murder of 28-year-old Gordon Ray Church in which he was beaten to death with a tire iron.

April 12th, 2012 – Alabama and Oklahoma

Grayson was 18-years-old at the time of the crime.

There are two executions scheduled on this day. The first lethal injection is scheduled for Carey Grayson in Alabama. Grayson, 18 at the time of his crime was part of a group of teens that murdered 37-year-old hitchhiker Vickie Deblieux. He and a group of other teenage friends picked up Deblieux and stopped in a wooded area to drink and do drugs. When she tried to run away they attacked her, choked her to death and then threw her body off a cliff. They then climbed down the cliff and mutilated her body by cutting off her fingers, stabbing her and cutting out her lung. Grayson’s accomplices, 17-years-old at the time of the crime were given life sentences.

Allen's sanity has been questioned leading up to his execution.

The other scheduled execution is for Garry Allen. Allen was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Gail Titsworth, his girlfriend at the time and mother to his two sons. After a confrontation in front of a day care center, he shot her in the chest. After a day care worker approached to help, she was shot as well. While there is no question as to Allen’s guilt, his case had been stayed to assess his sanity and while the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole board had recommended clemency, Governor Fallin had rejected the recommendation.

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Texas’ third execution of 2012 scheduled for next week

Thurmond is scheduled to die on March 7

Keith Thurmond is scheduled to be executed in Texas on March 7th for the murder of his estranged wife and her boyfriend in 2001.

On September 25th, 2001, the same day Thurmond’s wife, Sharon Thurmond, was awarded custody of their 6 year old son, he shot and killed her and her boyfriend whom she had just moved in with.

If the execution takes place, it will be the third in Texas in 2012. George Rivas, the leader of the Texas 7, a gang that escaped from a Texas maximum security prison, and then went on a crime spree, was executed last week in Huntsville, TX. Rodrigo Hernandez was put to death on January 26th, 2012 for killing and raping a 38 year old woman in 1994.

Hernandez’ last words as the lethal injection started were, “This stuff stings”.

3 more executions planned for February

The year has been a busy one in the death chamber in the United States. Gary Welch was the first inmate executed on January 5th. Followed by Rodrigo Hernandez, Edwin Turner and Robert Waterhouse. Now, with only 9 days left in the month of February, there are 3 more scheduled; 2 in Texas and one in Arizona.

Bartee killed a man while on parole.

Anthony Bartee

Anthony Bartee is currently sitting on death row in Texas. Bartee was given a death sentence in 1998 after he was found guilty of capital murder. Bartee who was out on parole from another crime, had befriended 37 David Cook but then killed him for his Harley-Davidson and two credit cards. He had stabbed Cook in the back with a knife, shot his twice with a gun and then after Cook had already died,  slashed his throat.

Scheduled execution date: February 28th, 2012 – Texas

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