Brian Terrell was executed by the State of Georgia for the murder of his mother’s friend. According to court documents Brian Terrell would murder his mother’s friend, 70 year old John Watson after Watson discovered a number of checks missing. Brian Terrell first trial would end in a hung jury and his second trial he would be found guilty but it would later be overturned and he would be ultimately found guilty and sentenced to death in a third trial. Brian Terrell would insist he was innocent and many believe that the State of Georgia on December 15, 2015 executed an innocent person
Brian Terrell More News
A Georgia man convicted of forging checks belonging to his mother’s friend and killing the man after he demanded money back has been executed.
The execution of Brian Keith Terrell, 47, was carried out at 12.52am on Wednesday at the state prison in Jackson, the corrections department said in a press release.
Terrell was convicted of murder in the June 1992 killing of 70-year-old John Watson from Covington, a community 35 miles east of Atlanta.
The statement said Terrell accepted a final prayer and refused to record a final statement.
Terrell was on parole in 1992 when he stole 10 of Watson’s checks and signed his name on some, prosecutors said. Watson told police about the theft but asked them not to pursue charges if most of the money was returned.
The day he was to return the money, according to the prosecutors, Terrell had his cousin drive him to Watson’s house where he shot Watson multiple times.
Terrell’s lawyers had said their client was innocent. They argued that no physical evidence connected Terrell to the killing and that prosecutors had used false and misleading testimony to secure the conviction that drew the death penalty.
State lawyers countered that the courts had already heard and rejected the defense arguments.
The US supreme court, without explanation, denied a request for a stay about four hours after the 7pm scheduled execution time.
On Monday the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles had denied Terrell’s request for clemency.
A state court on Tuesday dismissed a complaint in which Terrell claimed innocence, and the state supreme court declined to halt the execution.
Terrell also had filed a court challenge saying the state cannot ensure the safety or efficacy of the drug it plans to use to execute him.
A federal court on Tuesday rejected that challenge and Terrell appealed to the 11th US court of appeals.
Terrell was previously set for execution on 10 March, but after Department of Corrections officials discovered solid chunks had formed in the drug that was to be used in another execution on 2 March they temporarily suspended all executions to allow time for an analysis of the drug.
The state has said the most likely cause was that the drug was shipped and stored at a temperature that was too cold. Precautions were taken to prevent it happening again, state lawyers said