Alabama 2006

Sentenced to death in Jefferson County, Alabama

By: A judge, after a unanimous recommendation of death by a jury for first case, then by judge after 7-5 jury vote for life without parole

Date of crime: December 16, 2003 and December 13, 2003

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Billips led three other men to kidnap Osman Valladares and Pablo Stuart and forced Valladares to set up a marijuana deal.  After Rafael Salcedo (age 15), Enrique Marquez (age 16), Wilbur Gomez (age 20), and Manuel Perez Nunez (age 25) arrived with the drugs, the victims were all shot in the back of the head. Valladares and Stuart testified to the killings. Prosecutor said 11 of the 12 shots came from Billips’ gun, and also presented taped recordings of Billips making calls from jail trying to set up alibi witnesses. Defense said that Stuart was the real killer. Billips received 13 death sentences from this crime.

Prosecutor(s): Jim Neill, Carol Harper Defense lawyer(s): David Hobdy, Yusef Hood

Billips was also found guilty in the murder of Stevon Lockett, who was shot six times in the back of the head only three days before committing a quadruple murder. As with the previous crime, Lockett arrived at Billips apartment to sell him drugs, then was killed and robbed. Billips used the alibi of being at his mother’s house celebrating his birthday in both cases. The defense said that Charles Cooper, who testified that he saw Billips mopping up blood in his kitchen, was the actual killer. Traces of Lockett’s blood and the murder weapon were found in Billips’ apartment.

Prosecutor(s): Carol Harper Defense lawyer(s): Charles Salvagio, Jim Gillis

Sources: Birmingham News 11/12/05, 11/15/05, 11/16/05, 11/17/05, 1/20/06, 4/25/06, 4/26/06, 4/27/06, 6/15/06

Sentenced to death in Covington County, Alabama

By: A judge, after jury recommended life in prison

Date of crime: November 2002

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Doster was convicted of killing a man while he was on the run after escaping from prison.  Motive was to take Paul LeMaster’s truck to aid in his escape.  Doster had escaped from prison on one prior occasion as well.  He also was charged with the murder of a retired Louisiana deputy sheriff in Texas in April 2005.  The jury recommended life in prison after testimony from Doster’s two small daughters and problems with drug addiction, but the judge imposed a death sentence.

Prosecutor(s): Greg Gambril Defense lawyer(s): Will Carr

Sources: Las Vegas Sun 4/28/05 (2005 WLNR 6663911); Associated Press 8/21/06 (Westlaw), 9/4/06 (Westlaw), 5/17/07 (Westlaw); Andalusa Star News 9/1/06 (www.andalusiastarnews.com)

Sentenced to death in Houston County, Alabama

By: A judge, after an 11-1 recommendation of death by a jury

Date of crime: Feb. 1992

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Floyd was convicted of killing convenience store worker Archie Waylon Crawford. Crawford’s widow testified that she was supposed to be working at the time of the crime, but fell ill, so her husband relieved her for the last few hours of her shift. The murder took place while Floyd was robbing the store of $400 in the cash register. Crawford was shot with a single shotgun that severed his jugular vein and carotid artery. Photos showing the large pool of blood emitted from the body were submitted into evidence.  Floyd confessed to the murder in 2004 while serving a life sentence for property crimes. The defense said the confession was coerced, because Floyd was threatened by the real killer.

Prosecutor(s): Doug Valeska Defense lawyer(s): Tom Brantley, Patrick Amanson

Sources: WTVY News 11/15/05, 3/14/06; Dothan Eagle 11/16/05; Associated Press 1/14/06

Sentenced to death in Bibb County, Alabama

By: A judge, after a 7-5 jury recommendation of life in prison without parole

Date of crime: December 10, 2004

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Killingsworth was convicted of capital murder for a drive-by shooting that killed Steven Spears.  Killingsworth was the driver of the vehicle.  He pulled alongside Spears’ vehicle while 16-year-old Troy Connell actually fired the shots.  Killingworth then entered the car and stole Spears’ wallet.  The other defendant beat Spears wife with a chain.  The all-woman jury recommended life without parole, but the judge denied that recommendation and issued a death sentence.  Connell received life in prison, since he was ineligible for the death penalty because he was less than 18 years old at the time of the crimes.

Prosecutor(s): Don McMillan, William Dill, Corey Maze & Don Valeska Defense lawyer(s): unknown

Sources: Birmingham News 3/24/06 (Westlaw); Associated Press 12/7/06 (2006 WLNRNR 21210913), 12/8/06 (Westlaw); 12/8/06 (2006 WLNR 21279668)

Sentenced to death in Mobile County, Alabama

By: A judge, who overruled a jury recommendation of 8-4 for life

Date of Crime:  10/12/03

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Lane drowned his estranged “mail-order” wife Teresa in a bathtub after invading her home.  He then stole her jewelry in order to pay for a new wife.  Lane claimed he was innocent of the murder.

Prosecutor(s):  Barbie Francey, Ashley Rich Defense Lawyer(s):  Deborah McGowin, Jim Dailey

Sources:  Mobile Register 2/9/06 (2006 WLNR 2406479), 4/28/06 (2006 WLNR 7565418).

Sentenced to death in Jefferson County, Alabama

By: A judge, after an 11-1 recommendation of death by a jury

Date of crime: December 2004

Prosecution’s case/defense response:  Marshall killed his 15 year-old stepdaughter, whom he had been molesting, after she refused to accept responsibility for his failing marriage. Recent physical injuries suggested rape, but no DNA evidence was found on Alicia Nicole Bentley. Bentley’s mother had left Marshall two weeks prior to the crime.  Two previous girlfriends testified at trial of being kidnapped and sexually abused by Marshall after they had split from him.

Prosecutor(s):  Patricia Stephens, Brandon Falls Defense lawyer(s):  Erskine Mathis

Sources:  Birmingham News 1/13/06, 2/24/06

Sentenced to death in Calhoun County, Alabama

By: A judge, after an 11-1 recommendation of death by a jury

Date of crime: October 2002

Prosecution’s case/defense response: On the first day of trial, Mashburn pleaded guilty for killing his grandmother and step-grandfather.  Regardless of plea, state law requires the jury still find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in capital cases.  Both victims were beaten and stabbed to death.  Prosecutors claimed the motive was robbery.  Two other people had also been charged with the crime.  The delay in prosecuting Mashburn resulted from the state crime lab not processing the evidence due to backlog.

Prosecutor(s):  Defense lawyer(s): Tim Burgess

Sources: Associated Press 9/27/06 (Westlaw), Associated Press 10/11/06 (Westlaw)

Sentenced to death in Houston County, Alabama

By: A judge, after a unanimous recommendation of death by a jury

Date of crime: August 10, 2005

Prosecution’s case/defense response:  Jurors took less than an hour to convict McCray for fatally stabbing his girlfriend to death.  Prosecutors said that McCray and his girlfriend got into an argument, so he stabbed her multiple times and strangled her.  Brandy Bachelder had broken up with McCray the week before her murder.  Defense tried to suppress a tape of police interviewing McCray in which he created four different stories of how he was cut on his hand.  The jury did see the tape.

Prosecutor(s): unknown Defense lawyer(s): Michael Crespi

Sources: Associated Press 10/20/06 (Westlaw), Dothan Eagle 10/19/06 (Westlaw)

Sentenced to death in Macon County, Alabama

By: A judge, after an unknown jury recommendation

Date of Crime:  2001

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Newton and an accomplice invaded the home of Charles Clarence Whately in an attempted robbery.  They tied Whately up and then set the home on fire, burning the victim alive.  They also burned his vehicle.

Prosecutor(s):  Defense Lawyer(s): Tommy Goggans

Sources:  www.aldoi.org/currentnewsitem.aspx?ID=164; telephone call with Macon County court records office 11/9/06.

Sentenced to death in Marion County, Alabama

By: A judge, after a recommendation of death by a jury

Date of crime: February 2004

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Revis was found guilty for killing a neighbor.  Prosecutors claimed the murder occurred during a botched robbery.  His uncle was also convicted of the same murder, and his brother has also been charged.

Prosecutor(s):     Defense lawyer(s):

Sources: Times Daily 11/16/06; Telephone:  Jack Bostwick, D.A., 8/17/07

Sentenced to death in Houston County, Alabama

By: A judge, after a unanimous recommendation of death by a jury

Date of crime: May 2004

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Sale was convicted of the murder of his wife, Lynn Sale.  Sale kept his wife bound and tortured her for a month while she suffered from gangrene as a result of her legs being tied together.  He finally admitted her to the hospital where she died 15 days later.  At the time of the captivity, Sale was on probation for the second-degree assault of his wife and was ordered to have no contact with her.  Defense argued that Sale did not mean to kill his wife, since he gave her food, water, and medicine while he held her captive.  The jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning verdict.

Prosecutor(s): Doug Valeska Defense lawyer(s): Michael Crespi

Sources: Dothan Eagle 12/10/05, 3/15/06, 5/3/06

Sentenced to death in Madison County, Alabama

By: A judge, after an 11-1 recommendation of death by a jury

Date of crime: Jan. 2, 1999

Prosecution’s case/defense response:  Sharp was convicted of the rape and murder of Tracy Lynn Morris.  Morris was stabbed 37 times by a screwdriver and beaten to death in her bedroom.  Semen on her thigh and on the carpet identified Jason Sharp.  The defense said that evidence of sexual intercourse did not prove that Sharp raped and murdered the victim.  Defense also presented mitigating evidence included that Sharp was abandoned as an infant, was abused by his mother’s boyfriends, and having little criminal history.  A mitigation specialist also provided testimony of how Sharp was dropped on his head at eight months old, and the resulting skull fracture caused emotional development.

Prosecutor(s): Robert Broussard, Randy Dill Defense lawyer(s): Alan Mann, Barry Abston

Sources: Huntsville Times 8/30/06, 9/14/06, 9/15/06

Sentenced to death in Morgan County, Alabama

By: A judge, overriding a jury recommendation of 7-5 for life

Date of Crime:  9/7/93

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Newton and his cohort John Hardy (also sentenced to death in an earlier proceeding) shot Clarence Nugene Terry multiple times with a rifle during the robbery of a convenience store.  The store’s videotape showed Terry attempting to hide under the counter while Hardy shot him.  Sneed argued that he had not known that Hardy intended to kill the clerk.  Sneed’s death sentence had been earlier reversed for the improper admission of evidence.

Prosecutor(s):  Defense Lawyer(s):

Sources:  AP Alert – Alabama 2/6/06; Mobile Register 2/6/06 (2006 WLNR 2405372); AP Alert – Alabama 2/7/06.

Cite:  Sneed v. State, 783 So.2d 841 (Ala. Crim. App. 1999)

Sentenced to death in Jefferson County, Alabama

By: A judge, following an 11-1 jury recommendation of death

Date of Crime:  11/16/05

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Washington had recently been fired from a Radio Shack store.  He robbed the store and the manager, Justin Campbell, and then shot Campbell in the back of the head as the victim begged for his life.  Washington later bragged of the slaying.  The defense claimed there was insufficient proof that Washington was the killer.  In mitigation, the defense pointed out his youthful age and his lack of a prior record.

Prosecutor(s):  Mike Anderton, Carlos Gonzalez Defense Lawyer(s):  Emory Anthony, Jr.

Sources:  Birmingham News 1/13/06 (2006 WLNR 794091); AP Alert – Alabama 1/14/06; Birmingham News 3/28/06 (2006 WLNR 5265085).