Curtis Giovani Flowers – Black, age 25 (re-sentence after appellate reversal)
Sentenced in Montgomery County, Mississippi
By: a jury
Date of crime: July 16, 1996
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Flowers was convicted of the shooting murder of a furniture storeowner and three of her employees: owner Bertha Tardy (age 59); bookkeeper Carmen Rigby (age 45); delivery worker Robert Golden (age 42); and part-time employee Derrick Stewart (age 16). The prosecution’s evidence included bloody footprints, gunpowder residue found on Flowers and testimony from witnesses who placed him near the scene of the crime. Moreover, prosecutors described Flowers as a disgruntled employee who sought revenge against Tardy who had withheld most of his pay to cover merchandise he had damaged. Conversely, the defense requested that the charges be dismissed, claiming that the prosecution had failed to produce enough evidence to render a decision. This was Flowers’ sixth trial, as two of the previous trials resulted in mistrials and three in convictions that were later overturned.
Sources: Memphis Commercial Appeal (TN) 12/6/07 (2007 WLNR 24109014), The Clarion-Ledger (MS) 9/2/08 (2008 WLNR 26608886), The Daily Star (MS) 9/23/09 AP Alert – MiS 10:05:41, The Press-Register (AL) 6/5/10 (2010 WLNR 12088271), The Greenwood Commonwealth (MS) 6/17/10 AP Alert – MiS 03:23:57, The Press-Register (AL) 6/19/10 (2010 WLNR 13072808), The Clarion-Ledger (MS) 6/20/10 (2010 WLNR 12506858).
By: a jury
Date of crime: July 16, 1996
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Flowers was convicted of the shooting murder of a furniture storeowner and three of her employees: owner Bertha Tardy (age 59); bookkeeper Carmen Rigby (age 45); delivery worker Robert Golden (age 42); and part-time employee Derrick Stewart (age 16). The prosecution’s evidence included bloody footprints, gunpowder residue found on Flowers and testimony from witnesses who placed him near the scene of the crime. Moreover, prosecutors described Flowers as a disgruntled employee who sought revenge against Tardy who had withheld most of his pay to cover merchandise he had damaged. Conversely, the defense requested that the charges be dismissed, claiming that the prosecution had failed to produce enough evidence to render a decision. This was Flowers’ sixth trial, as two of the previous trials resulted in mistrials and three in convictions that were later overturned.
Sources: Memphis Commercial Appeal (TN) 12/6/07 (2007 WLNR 24109014), The Clarion-Ledger (MS) 9/2/08 (2008 WLNR 26608886), The Daily Star (MS) 9/23/09 AP Alert – MiS 10:05:41, The Press-Register (AL) 6/5/10 (2010 WLNR 12088271), The Greenwood Commonwealth (MS) 6/17/10 AP Alert – MiS 03:23:57, The Press-Register (AL) 6/19/10 (2010 WLNR 13072808), The Clarion-Ledger (MS) 6/20/10 (2010 WLNR 12506858).
Leslie Galloway – Black, age 25
Sentenced in Harrison County, Mississippi
By: a jury
Date of crime: December 5, 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response: The body of Shakeylia Anderson (age 17) was found in a rural area of the De Soto National Forest. Galloway was convicted of raping Anderson prior to cutting her throat, setting her on fire and then running her over with his mother’s car. Prosecutors pointed to an imprint of tire tread and a tire model number on Anderson’s leg to link Galloway to the crime. Anderson’s DNA was also found on the car. Defense attorneys argued that the evidence presented was circumstantial. Galloway had been on probation at the time of the attack after a guilty verdict in an earlier car jacking case. Galloway claimed two men with shaved heads and a red truck forced him and Anderson to leave a local park with them and that one of the two men ran over Anderson with Galloway’s mother’s Ford Taurus.
Sources: The Sun Herald (MS) 9/22/10 (2010 WLNR 18759695), The Sun Herald (MS) 9/23/10 (2010 WLNR 18899534), The Sun Herald (MS) 9/25/10 (2010 WLNR 19049645), The Press-Register (AL) 9/25/10 (2010 WLNR 19521372).
By: a jury
Date of crime: December 5, 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response: The body of Shakeylia Anderson (age 17) was found in a rural area of the De Soto National Forest. Galloway was convicted of raping Anderson prior to cutting her throat, setting her on fire and then running her over with his mother’s car. Prosecutors pointed to an imprint of tire tread and a tire model number on Anderson’s leg to link Galloway to the crime. Anderson’s DNA was also found on the car. Defense attorneys argued that the evidence presented was circumstantial. Galloway had been on probation at the time of the attack after a guilty verdict in an earlier car jacking case. Galloway claimed two men with shaved heads and a red truck forced him and Anderson to leave a local park with them and that one of the two men ran over Anderson with Galloway’s mother’s Ford Taurus.
Sources: The Sun Herald (MS) 9/22/10 (2010 WLNR 18759695), The Sun Herald (MS) 9/23/10 (2010 WLNR 18899534), The Sun Herald (MS) 9/25/10 (2010 WLNR 19049645), The Press-Register (AL) 9/25/10 (2010 WLNR 19521372).
Erik Hollie – White, age 24
Sentenced in Copiah County, Mississippi
By: a jury
Date of crime: September 8, 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Hollie pleaded guilty to the capital murder of Denmon Ward (age 54), a Wesson pawnshop owner. The evidence against Hollie was a surveillance tape from the store, as well as a full confession from Hollie and his request for the death penalty. Authorities stated that the motive behind the shooting was robbery and that Hollie was also a suspect in a previous gas station robbery in Georgetown.
Sources: The Clarion-Ledger 9/9/09 AP Alert – MiS 17:42:09, The Daily Leader 3/17/10 AP Alert – MiS 13:08:57, The Clarion-Ledger 3/17/10 AP Alert – MiS 16:43:22, Press-Register (Mobile, AL) 3/18/10 (2010 WLNR 5961909).
By: a jury
Date of crime: September 8, 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Hollie pleaded guilty to the capital murder of Denmon Ward (age 54), a Wesson pawnshop owner. The evidence against Hollie was a surveillance tape from the store, as well as a full confession from Hollie and his request for the death penalty. Authorities stated that the motive behind the shooting was robbery and that Hollie was also a suspect in a previous gas station robbery in Georgetown.
Sources: The Clarion-Ledger 9/9/09 AP Alert – MiS 17:42:09, The Daily Leader 3/17/10 AP Alert – MiS 13:08:57, The Clarion-Ledger 3/17/10 AP Alert – MiS 16:43:22, Press-Register (Mobile, AL) 3/18/10 (2010 WLNR 5961909).
Timothy Ronk – White, age 29
Sentenced in Harrison County, Mississippi
By: a jury
Date of crime: August 26, 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Ronk was convicted of stabbing Michelle Craite (age 37), stealing her credit card and setting her house on fire to cover up the crime. Ronk said he was planning to leave Craite for a woman he had met on the Internet and had used the money he stole to buy her a new ring. At the time of the murder, Ronk was on house arrest for a grand larceny conviction. An ATM camera caught him using Craite’s debit card to withdraw large amounts of cash. Ronk was charged with capital murder, arson and armed robbery. Defense attorneys argued that Craite attacked Ronk with a knife and was threatening to get her shotgun after he told her about the other woman. However, no shotgun was found in the house, there was no proof that Ronk had acted in self-defense and Craite was stabbed in the back multiple times. His defense also argued he had mental disorders (bi-polar, attention deficit disorder and antisocial personality disorder), as well as a history of not taking his medication.
Sources: Sun Herald (MS) 11/15/08 (2008 WLNR 21815835), Sun Herald (MS) 10/6/10 (2010 WLNR 19881732), Sun Herald (MS) 10/7/10 (2010 WLNR 20015350), Sun Herald (MS) 10/8/10 (2010 WLNR 20076337), Sun Herald (MS) 10/9/10 (2010 WLNR 20168768).
By: a jury
Date of crime: August 26, 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Ronk was convicted of stabbing Michelle Craite (age 37), stealing her credit card and setting her house on fire to cover up the crime. Ronk said he was planning to leave Craite for a woman he had met on the Internet and had used the money he stole to buy her a new ring. At the time of the murder, Ronk was on house arrest for a grand larceny conviction. An ATM camera caught him using Craite’s debit card to withdraw large amounts of cash. Ronk was charged with capital murder, arson and armed robbery. Defense attorneys argued that Craite attacked Ronk with a knife and was threatening to get her shotgun after he told her about the other woman. However, no shotgun was found in the house, there was no proof that Ronk had acted in self-defense and Craite was stabbed in the back multiple times. His defense also argued he had mental disorders (bi-polar, attention deficit disorder and antisocial personality disorder), as well as a history of not taking his medication.
Sources: Sun Herald (MS) 11/15/08 (2008 WLNR 21815835), Sun Herald (MS) 10/6/10 (2010 WLNR 19881732), Sun Herald (MS) 10/7/10 (2010 WLNR 20015350), Sun Herald (MS) 10/8/10 (2010 WLNR 20076337), Sun Herald (MS) 10/9/10 (2010 WLNR 20168768).