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Thomas Lane Alabama Death Row

Thomas Lane was sentenced to death and remains on Alabama Death Row for the murder of his wife. According to court documents Thomas Lane and Theresa Lane were separated and she was living at a friends home. Her body would be found badly beaten in a bathtub at the friends home. Thomas Lane would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death

Thomas Lane 2021 Information

Inmate:	LANE, THOMAS ROBERT
AIS:	0000Z726

Institution:	HOLMAN PRISON

Thomas Lane More News

Convicted of killing his wife in 2003, Thomas Lane appeared for his sentencing in the retrial of the capital murder case Tuesday morning. Judge Charles Graddick ruled Lane will be sentenced to death, the Mobile County District Attorney’s office confirmed.

Lane’s estranged wife, Theresa, a Filipino immigrant, was found dead in the bathtub of her friend’s home in Irvington, where she lived during her separation from her husband. Theresa Lane suffered injuries consistent with blunt force trauma.

Signs inside the home did not point investigators to forced entry, however a chisel mark inside the home’s front door frame was matched by a forensic specialist to a tool found inside Thomas Lane’s truck in the days after the murder.

The prosecution, led by Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich, built a case around Lane’s desire for money and anxiety about moving on with a new wife.

Dependent on his wife for income, Rich demonstrated records pointing to Lane’s financial ruin as he prepared for divorce.

Testimony from neighbors and others who encountered Lane revealed Lane was very vocal about his vitriol for his wife and plans after he was free from marriage.

A local Nissan dealer remembered Lane saying, “The only good woman is a dead one.” A coworker of Lane’s wife testified that Lane asked her to pass along a message to his wife if she chose not to return: “You will be sorry.”

The statement of the case’s one eyewitness, a deceased auto-mechanic, was read to the court. The man’s testimony identified Thomas Lane’s bright green pickup truck at the scene during the time of the homicide. However, when it came to the physical description of the person, the mechanic says he was certain the person who climbed out of the truck was not of Thomas Lane’s stature.

Jurors in March recommended Graddick sentence Lane to death.

Lane, in letters to AL.com immediately after his recent conviction, says this loose end should be explored further. In the letters Lane maintains his innocence.

“There is another guy in Irivington claiming, ‘There is someone on death row because of me,’ referring to my wife’s murder. This person refuses to come forward because he feels Ashley Rich will make life hard for him if I was to be found innocent,” Lane wrote.

Lane was sentenced to death in the first trial for the case in 2006. The ruling was overturned when he appealed the judge’s removal of his lawyer, who was thought to be a key witness. The lawyer, however, never took the stand. Lane was appointed a lawyer, despite.

https://www.al.com/news/mobile/2016/06/mobile_man_accused_of_killing_3.html

Craig Newton Alabama Death Row

Craig Newton was sentenced to death and remains on Alabama Death row for a brutal robbery murder. According to court documents during a robbery Craig Newton would douse the victim with gasoline and set him on fire causing the death of Charles Whatley. Craig Newton would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death

Craig Newton 2021 Information

Inmate:	NEWTON, CRAIG
AIS:	0000Z727

Institution:	HOLMAN PRISON

Craig Newton More News

“During the evening of April 30, 2001, the victim, Charles Clarence Whatley, and Chaundra Alexander got together and started smoking crack cocaine at Alexander’s residence. ․ [O]n the morning of May 1, 2001 they ran out of drugs and started looking for more. While looking for drugs they went to a residence in Tuskegee, Alabama, and encountered the Defendant, Craig Newton. Defendant said he could take them to get some more drugs.

“On the way to get the drugs, victim, Alexander and defendant stopped at the residence of the victim. Once at Whatley’s residence, Defendant demanded that the victim give him all of his money and tell him where the guns were in the house. Defendant also instructed Alexander to tie the victim up with an electrical cord.

“When the victim tried to free himself from the cord, Defendant put a bag over the victim’s head in an attempt to suffocate him. When he began to free himself from the plastic bag, the Defendant then poured gasoline or lighter fluid on his head, and set the victim on fire while continuing to demand the whereabouts of the victim’s weapons and money. The co-defendant testified that the victim had extinguished the fire on himself when the Defendant approached the victim, put a pistol to the side of his head and shot him. Victim died from a gunshot wound to the head.

“Defendant and Alexander loaded at least four rifles and/or shotguns and other miscellaneous items from the house onto the victim’s truck, and left the residence. They returned to the location where the victim and Alexander had picked up the defendant and unloaded the weapons and other items. Milton Anderson was at this residence and assisted in unloading the weapons. He saw Defendant and Alexander and heard them arguing about how to divide up the property. Defendant also told Anderson what he had done.

“The victim’s residence was severely damaged by fire. The victim’s body was also severely burned and was only able to be identified through the use of dental records.

“Chaundra Alexander entered a plea of guilty to the reduced charge of Murder for her role in the death of the victim, Charles Clarence Whatley, and is the co-defendant of this defendant.”

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/al-court-of-criminal-appeals/1093968.html

Michael Sale Alabama Death Row

Michael Sale was sentenced to death and remains on Alabama death row for the murder of his wife. According to court documents Michael Sale would kidnap and torture Lynn Sale for some time before calling 911. Lynn Sale would die 15 days later from her injuries. Michael Sale would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death

Michael Sale 2021 Information

Inmate:	SALE, MICHAEL LYNN
AIS:	0000Z728

Institution:	HOLMAN PRISON

Michael Sale More News

A Webb man accused of physically and emotionally terrorizing his wife until she died in a hospital was found guilty on Tuesday of capital murder in her death.

50-year-old Michael Sale showed no emotion as the Houston County jury read the verdict. The jury is expected to decide on Wednesday if it will recommend death or life in prison without parole for Sale. His wife, Lynn Sale, died 15 days after he called 9-1-1 and had her admitted to a Dothan hospital with several injuries, including gangrene, bruises and bite marks. District Attorney Doug Valeska said in court that Michael Sale deserved death.

Defense attorney Michael Crespi asked the jury to recommend life in prison without parole. He told the jury during the trial that Michael Sale gave food, water and medicine to his wife before eventually calling 9-1-1.

https://www.wsfa.com/story/4633270/webb-man-found-guilty-of-capital-murder/

Jason Sharp Alabama Death Row

Jason Sharp was sentenced to death and remains on Alabama Death Row for the sexual assault and murder of a woman. According to court documents Jason Sharp would sexually assault and murder Tracy Morris. It would take seven years for the trial to finally happen and the judge and jury determined the crime was brutal enough to deserve the death penalty.

Jason Sharp 2021 Information

Inmate:	SHARP, JASON MICHAEL
AIS:	0000Z729

Institution:	HOLMAN PRISON

Jason Sharp More News

Thursday marked the beginning of the end of a nightmare for a Valley family.

A jury convicted Jason Sharp in the rape and murder of a Valley nurse, then handed down the death penalty.

Thursday, it was Judge Laura Jo Hamilton’s turn.

“Its over, totally over,” says Lynn Morris, Tracy Morris’ mother.

Tracy Morris was raped and stabbed to death 7 years ago.

Her family’s nightmare has been in courtroom one of the Madison County Courthouse for three weeks.

“It’s bad enough that our baby was murdered but having to wait seven and a half years is just cruel. It’s not fair,” says Morris.

Just two weeks before, jurors in the Jason Sharp trial decided that the murder and rape of Tracy Morris was heinous, atrocious and cruel, recommending the death penalty.

Thursday, Judge Laura Joe Hamilton made her decision known.

“The jury felt like he deserved it. We’ve always felt like he deserved it and thankfully the judge agreed,” says Prosecutor Rob Broussard.

A decision that took less than an hour sentenced Jason Sharp to death.

Judge Hamilton reaffirmed in her own words that the crime was wicked, outrageously evil and vile.

All the while Sharp, clad in orange, sat with his head down. He never once made eye contact with a family he ripped apart.

“I tried to help that boy. I tried to help him and what did it get me? My baby’s dead that’s what it got me. He killed my baby,” says Morris.

While it’s a disappointing day for defense attorneys, they say it’s not over.

“We weren’t totally surprised obviously we were disappointed but that’s not what we wanted for sure, his process is just beginning,” says defense attorney Allen Mann.

https://www.waff.com/story/5407573/jason-sharp-sentenced-to-die-in-morris-murder/

Ellis Mashburn Alabama Death Row

Ellis Mashburn was sentenced to death and remains on Alabama death row for the murders of his grandparents. According to court documents Ellis Mashburn would stab to death his grandmother Clara Eva Birmingham, 80, and her husband, Henry Birmingham, 85. Prosecutors say that the murders started out as a robbery. Ellis Mashburn would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death

Ellis Mashburn 2021 Information

Inmate:	MASHBURN, ELLIS LOUIS
AIS:	0000Z730

Institution:	HOLMAN PRISON

Ellis Mashburn More News

Calhoun County Circuit Judge Sam Monk followed a jury’s recommendation and sentenced a Birmingham man to die for killing his grandmother and step-grandfather in their Alexandria home.
Ellis Louis Mashburn Jr., 28, pleaded guilty last month on the first day of his capital murder trial in the beating and stabbing deaths of Clara Eva Birmingham, 80, and her husband, Henry Birmingham, 85, on Oct. 29, 2002. Mashburn was sentenced Tuesday morning.
Prosecutors said robbery was the motive for the crime. Authorities said the couple died from stab wounds and blunt-force trauma.
Deputies said Mashburn would be transported to either Kilby Correctional Facility in Montgomery or Holman Prison in Atmore. He has been in the Calhoun County jail since he was arrested in November of 2002.
Two other defendants in the case — Tony Nicholas Brooks, 19, of Anniston, and Jeremy Lee Butler, 24, of Oxford — are awaiting trial.

https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/DA/20061015/News/606124893/TL