On Guard

Emmanuel Hammond was executed in Georgia on January 25th, 2011

Emmanuel Hammond was put to death by injection Tuesday at the state prison in Jackson after state and federal courts turned down his appeals. May he rest in peace.

Leroy White was executed in Alabama on January 13th, 2011

Leroy White, 52, was executed by lethal injection on Thursday. Hopes were raised when U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas granted temporary stay of execution, shortly before he was due to die.
A few hours later, the Supreme Court and Alabama Gov. Bob Riley denied a last moment plea to spare White. Riley stated that there was no reason to stop the execution.
White’s lawyer, Bryan Stephenson, said, "This is a case where the trial prosecutors did not believe the death penalty was appropriate, the jury did not believe the death penalty was appropriate, and the victim's family does not believe the death penalty is appropriate."
White’s daughter filed a sworn statement, in which she said she had forgiven her father and asked Riley to spare his life. May he rest in peace.

Jeffrey David Matthews was executed in Oklahoma on January 11th, 2011

Jeffrey David Matthews, 38, was pronounced dead at 6:09 p.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAleste.

“Let my mother know I love her. I just want to thank everyone for their support. I also want to thank all my buddies on death row. I hear you banging.”

Matthews said he left final notes to his family as well as the family of the victim.

“I hate to see you all in this situation,” Matthews told relatives. “I’m sitting here enjoying my last moments. Enjoy your lives.”

Shortly before the lethal drugs began flowing at 6:04 p.m., Matthews looked at his family members and said with a smile: “I think that governor’s phone is broke. He hadn’t called yet.” May he rest in peace.

Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-inmate-executed-for-relatives-1994-slaying/article/3531610#ixzz1Ao6M5e4d

Richard Clay death sentence commuted to LWOP

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on Monday commuted the death sentence of Richard to life in prison without parole."  Story here.

Billy Don Alverson was executed in Oklahoma on 6th January 2011

Billy Alverson, 39, was administered a lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. CST

After the execution, Yost's widow, Angela Houser. Issued a statement saying she doesn't know whether she "will ever have true closure."

"There are no winners tonight, each of us from both sides of the family have lost," she said.

"I want to give my condole(nce)s to the Alverson family, " she said.

Billy's last words were: "First, I would like to say to the Yost family, I'm sorry, forgive me. To my own family, I'm all right. God is good. Don't you cry."

May he rest in peace.