[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----TEXAS, N.C., S.C., ALA.

[Rick Halperin]

Aug. 4


TEXAS----impending execution

Texas Prepares for Execution of Daniel Lopez August 12, 2015


The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has denied a request for a stay of 
execution by Daniel Lee Lopez. Daniel had previously asked the Court to waive 
his herbs corpus review. After granting that request, Daniel asked for a stay 
of execution, arguing that the court should not have agreed. Daniel's request 
was denied and the Court's previous decision upheld. Daniel's execution remains 
scheduled for August 12, 2015.

Daniel Lee Lopez is scheduled to be executed at 6 pm CDT, on Wednesday, August 
12, 2015, at the Walls Unit of the Huntsville State Penitentiary in Huntsville, 
Texas. 27-year-old Daniel is convicted of the murder of 20-year veteran of the 
Corpus Christi Police Department Lt. Stuart Alexander, on March 11, 2009. 
Daniel has spent the last 5 years of his life on Texas' death row.

Daniel dropped out of school after the 10th grade. Throughout his childhood, 
Daniel was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, a learning 
disability, and poor impulse control. At the age of 12, Daniel assaulted his 
mother. By the age of 17, Daniel had numerous encounters with law enforcement. 
Before his arrest, Daniel attempted to commit suicide twice.

Shortly after midnight on March 11, 2009, Daniel Lopez was observed running a 
stop sign by a police officer. The police officer pulled Lopez over, where a 
confrontation ensued. Allegedly, the officer attempted to use pepper spray to 
subdue Lopez. Lopez was able to escape when taser and radio wires became 
wrapped around his legs.

Lopez claims that he fled because he thought there was an outstanding warrant 
for his arrest and because he had drugs in the car. Lopez led police on a car 
chase. Police eventually laid down spike strips to flatten Lopez's tires. Lopez 
saw the strips and swerved, hitting Lt. Stuart Alexander with his car, killing 
the officer.

Police were eventually able to surround Lopez's vehicle, at which point Lopez 
attempted to run over another officer to escape. Lopez was finally subdued when 
he injured by a police officer shooting him.

Lopez has asked that his execution be expedited, waiving his rights to the 
normal appeals process.

Please pray for peace and healing for the family of Stuart Alexander. Please 
pray for strength for the family of Daniel Lopez. Please pray that if Daniel is 
innocent or lacks the competency to be executed, evidence will be revealed 
prior to his execution. Please pray that Daniel may come to find peace through 
a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, if he has not already found one.

(source: theforgivenessfoundation.org)






NORTH CAROLINA:

Death penalty possible in Richlands homicide


Atrocious, heinous or cruel.

The words ushered declaration of Onslow County's 5th capital murder case on 
Monday.

Christopher Michael Skaggs, 33, appeared in Onslow County Superior Court on 
Monday morning after an awaited autopsy report revealed new information about 
his wife's death. Jordan Skaggs' chest was shot multiple times 9:45 p.m. July 
13, 2014, at the family's home on Cherry Blossom Lane in Richlands in the 
presence of the Skaggs children, according to Daily News reports.

She was shot 15 times and suffered "traumatic head injury," District Attorney 
Ernie Lee said of information from the autopsy report and a pathologist at East 
Carolina University.

In July, Lee asked the court to delay the Rule 24 hearing - to determine 
whether a defendant could face the death penalty - because the case still 
lacked an autopsy report.

North Carolina requires any of its 11 aggravating circumstances to consider the 
punishment of death, according to General Statutes.

"The aggravating circumstance submitted as that the murder was especially 
heinous, atrocious or cruel pursuant," Lee said.

Superior Court Judge Ebern Watson III signed an order qualifying the case as 
capital.

"The defendant is eligible for the death penalty," Lee said.

Jacksonville attorney Richard McNeil is representing Christopher Skaggs. 
Because the death penalty is possible, the Office of the Capital Defender will 
appoint a 2nd attorney to represent Skaggs' case.

Christopher Skaggs was charged by Onslow County Sheriff's Office with 
1st-degree murder.

Monday's ruling leaves 5 Onslow County Jail inmates, including Skaggs, awaiting 
trials with possible death penalties:

-- Larry Forrest, 23, a former Marine who lived on Piney Green Road, was 
charged in connection with the deadly shooting of 65-year-old Kim Hua Flournoy, 
a grandmother who frequented TNT Beach Bingo on Henderson Drive. She was killed 
about 7:40 p.m. Dec. 30, 2012, outside the bingo hall, according to previous 
Daily News reports. He was arrested in April 2013 by Jacksonville Police 
Department and is charged with 1st-degree murder, attempted robbery with a 
dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, Lee 
said.

-- James Edward Williamson, 23, of Winery Road in Sneads Ferry was charged in 
July by Jacksonville Police Department with 1st-degree murder, attempted 
robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a 
dangerous weapon in connection with Flournoy's death, according to previous 
Daily News reports. Police previously said Forrest shot Flournoy and Williamson 
was driving a getaway vehicle, according to previous Daily News reports.

-- William Zachary Parker, 29, of Turkey Point Road in Sneads Ferry was 
charged with 1st-degree murder by Onslow County Sheriff's Office in connection 
with the shooting death of Elmer Lee Hudler, whose body was found beside a bed 
at a Holly Ridge home in April 2014. Hudler lived at Stone Creek Road in Holly 
Ridge, according to court documents.

-- Anthony Wayne Young, 38, of Wilson Spur in Richlands was charged by Onslow 
County Sheriff's Office with 1st-degree murder in connection with the bloody 
death of his daughter, Ruby-Rayne Delana Young. The 13-month-old died May 3 
after her father allegedly sliced her neck with a steak knife, Onslow County 
Sheriff Hans Miller said.

(source: Jacksonville Daily News)

***************

Conservative group urges McCrory to veto death penalty secrecy bill


The following statement was released this afternoon by the group NC 
Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty:

NC Conservatives Concerned Urges Governor McCrory to Veto Bill Eliminating 
Transparency in Executions

North Carolina Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty (NC CCADP) urges 
Governor Pat McCrory to veto House Bill 774 "Restoring Proper Justice Act," 
legislation aimed at taking transparency out of the way in which our state 
executes individuals.

"This legislation is bad policy for North Carolina. Conducting executions is 
the most extreme expression of the state's power and should be done in an open 
and transparent process," said Ballard Everett, coordinator for NC CCADP. 
"Making secret the way in which our state obtains the drugs needed and conducts 
executions practically guarantees that NC will join states around the country 
that have seen horribly botched executions."

"Even the bill's sponsors have admitted passage of H774 would invite more 
costly litigation," said Everett. "Why then are they committed to wasting more 
tax payer dollars by creating more issues that have to be litigated in courts?"

Should executions resume, Governor Pat McCrory will be the final reviewer of 
death row cases slated for execution. If the Governor signs H774, he will be 
facing what will likely be a problematic execution process that will inevitably 
lead to horribly botched executions. Everett said, "Gov. McCrory should not be 
placed in this position by the General Assembly. The process should be open and 
transparent to ensure that any execution is carried out correctly and with 
dignity for all of those involved."

"We urge the Governor to veto this legislation. If our state is going to engage 
in capital punishment, we cannot do so by cloaking the execution process in 
secrecy." Everett said.

(source: ncpolicywatch.org)






SOUTH CAROLINA:

Death penalty sought in murder of Food Network star and husband----Former Food 
Network reality show star found murdered was pregnant, man arrested

Robert Jason Owens, 36, faces 2 counts of 1st degree murder and 1 count of 
murder of an unborn child. The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office said Owens 
murdered Joseph "J.T." Codd, 45, and his wife, Cristie Codd, 38, and their 
unborn child on Mar. 12.

The couple's remains were later found in a wood stove on Owens' property, 
investigators said. Codd appeared on "Food Network Star."

The District Attorney filed a Notice of Intent to Seek Death Penalty against 
Owens.

Owens was questioned - but never charged - in the disappearance - and presumed 
murder - of Zebb Quinn, 18. Quinn disappeared in January 2000. Asheville police 
detectives said Owens was the last person to see Quinn, who was an acquaintance 
of Owens'.

The search warrant documents show that detectives found several plastic bags 
"containing possibly pulverized lime or powdered mortar mix," underneath Owens' 
house during a search on Mar. 30. The documents also detail a conversation 
between a detective and an unidentified Owens' relative. The relative told the 
detective that Owens poured concrete over a large hole on his property sometime 
after Quinn vanished.

According the the documents, the relative told the detective that Owens said he 
poured the concrete to build a fish pond, but never built one.

The Asheville Police Department would not comment on the information contained 
in the search warrants because the investigation is ongoing.

(source: WBTW news)






ALABAMA:

Capital murder suspect granted new attorneys


Trials in a Marshall County capital murder case are expected to be delayed for 
months, after one defendant was granted new attorneys.

After a hearing, a judge granted Jamichael Kinchen's request for new 
representation, after he sent a letter to the court saying he was no longer 
communicating with them.

Prosecutors said Tuesday they would be seeking the death penalty against 
Shontavious Williams and Kinchen, but wanted to try Kinchen first.

Williams, Kinchen and 2 others are charged with the robbery and shooting death 
of Willie Harris Coleman of Albertville in January 2014.

(source: WAFF news)