Posted on 06/24/2006 9:37:25 PM PDT by SmithL
NASHVILLE - Tennessee has executed only one death row inmate since the Supreme Court decided to allow states to reinstate the death penalty in 1976.
But that could change Wednesday with inmates Paul Dennis Reid and Sedley Alley scheduled to be executed by lethal injection within hours of each other.
With appeals pending, it still is possible that both men could get a stay, but correction officials are getting ready for a double-execution just in case.
"We're going forward as if both executions will happen that day," said Correction Department spokeswoman Dorinda Carter.
Even though the death penalty remains politically popular in Tennessee, it hasn't been used since 2000 when the state executed child killer Robert Glen Coe by lethal injection.
The last time two people were executed in the state was 1955, and the most executions in one day were four in 1922.
Carter said the state can handle multiple executions because the death watch area, where prisoners are moved three days before their scheduled execution, has four cells.
Reid, 48, was convicted of seven murders at fast-food restaurants in Nashville and Clarksville during a three-month period in 1997. He received seven death sentences.
Court records and previous testimony state that Reid is mentally ill, brain damaged and that he believes he is being monitored and tormented by a military government. Although he has been granted two previous stays, Reid has refused to sign legal papers to continue his appeals.
Earlier this month, Reid's sister filed a motion asking that her brother's execution be postponed because he's incompetent.
The sister is not talking to reporters, and Reid's attorney refused to comment, but the motion filed earlier this month states that a Montgomery County Circuit Court judge was wrong for not granting a stay of execution and for failing to conduct a competency hearing.
Reid dropped his appeals on two of his death sentences in 2003, clearing the way for his execution in April of that year. But another sister appealed to a federal appeals court, which delayed his execution.
The other inmate, Alley, is accused of kidnapping, sexually mutilating and killing a 19-year-old woman near Memphis in 1985.
Attorneys for Alley, 50, are trying to get DNA testing of murder-scene evidence they say could show he didn't comment the murder and possibly provide information about who did.
A state appeals court refused last week to order DNA testing on crime-scene evidence, but Alley's lawyers say they will continue his appeals.
"Mr. Alley should be entitled to DNA testing," said Kelley Henry, an assistant federal public defender on Alley's case.
Alley confessed to the murder but argued at trial and on earlier appeals that he was not legally responsible because he suffered from multiple personalities. He began arguing his innocence in 2004.
Barry Scheck, co-founder of the nonprofit legal clinic called the Innocence Project and a member of Alley's legal team, contends a comparison of DNA found on the murder weapon, the victim's clothes and other murder-scene evidence might turn up a new suspect if compared with a national database of DNA from convicted criminals.
Scheck also contends the victim's former boyfriend, who has never been accused in the killing, could be a suspect.
Maybe they have a main chair and a sidecar.
Is this a Tennessee Two-Step?
I really like these feel-good threads.
One of the convicts in question killed seven people. He deserves exactly what he's getting. The time and energy used on his behalf would be better spent on a prison ministry to prepare him for his departure from this world.
However, there appears to be doubts about the guilt of the second convict in question. What harm would it do to conduct the DNA tests requested by his supporters?
Guy kills seven people and his sister says he's incompetent. Now if they all lived and stomped his sorry ass, I might agree with her. As it is, it's hard to buy her story. He can just go sit and chat with guys like Zarqawi.
AP - "but correction officials are getting ready for a double-execution just in case."
Hysterical AP propaganda agent: What are you doing?? Why do you keep getting ready for an execution??? The appeals are not done, the Governor could call... WAHH WAHH!
Correction official: Sit down and stop wetting yourself. We are getting ready, because you know... just in case.
I'd bet a possum pie that the liberal State Judge that sits on the bench for Tennessee will stop the execution. He's stopped every one that has come up for the past ten years.
I love how these death-row inmates be all big and bad-assed when they enter the system but when the execution date arrives they desperately file appeals and whine "they didn't do it." It's hilarious and it should be made into reality TV shows.
Unfortunately neither one of these two mongrels will be executed soon. Trust me. I live in Tennessee.
There is no excuse for any of those cells to ever be empty for more than an hour or so.
Barry Scheck.... Barry Scheck.... Wasn't he one of the OJ scumbags?
True to form, Scheck recklessly tries to drag an innocent acquaintance into the toilet with him.
Scheck also contends the victim's former boyfriend, who has never been accused in the killing, could be a suspect.
And for your last meal, kind sir, not, we offer you fast food from any of 7 restaurants you were known to frequent. The surviving cooks will, of course, be advised it's a special meal just for you...
Shame that every day doesn't have a daily double.
Tennessee has executed only one death row inmate since the Supreme Court decided to allow states to reinstate the death penalty in 1976.
Has there only been one murder in Tennessee since 1976?
?
The other inmate, Alley, is accused of kidnapping, sexually mutilating and killing a 19-year-old woman near Memphis in 1985.
If the TN warden needs a backup needle pusher just in case the regular guy calls in sick, I live just across the GA line and I'm all packed and and ready to travel. I have no experience with hypodermic needles, but I'm perfectly willing to get some on the job training.
BTW, just a note to the AP hack who wrote those news clippings. Alley is not just ACCUSED of kidnapping, murdering, raping, and mutilating a 19 year old girl, he was duly CONVICTED of those unspeakable crimes by a jury of his peers. I realize that you AP folks would like to slyly work up a little sympathy for the cold blooded killers and maybe some doubt about their guilt, but it's not working on me.
"However, there appears to be doubts about the guilt of the second convict in question"
There's no doubt whatsoever of his guilt. He led investigators to the crime scene and gave statement of facts only the killer would know. The only DNA evidence would be on the tree branch she was sodomized with
"Barry Scheck.... Barry Scheck.... Wasn't he one of the OJ scumbags?"
Barry Scheck seems to have a mental illness that makes him defend people who are obviously guilty. Most of his cases are ones in which DNA doesn't prove a damn thing. Thus, the perp is innocent
None of Scheck's DNA clients are found "Not Guilty". They are only "Exonerated".
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