#executionwatch

[newafrikanman-blog-blog]

Charles Ray Crawford

Tonight, another human being and American citizen will be murdered, this time by the state of Mississippi. Charles, now 48 years old, is convicted of kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering 20-year-old Kristy Ray in 1993. The police and FBI, upon arresting Crawford, coerced a confession out of him by denying him medical treatment for what he described as a "broken leg and hurt back," and received a confession without his attorney present. During the trial, two members of the jury admitted that, if found guilty, that no mitigating factors could keep them from giving Charles the death penalty.

Barring any last-minute interventions, Crawford will be executed tonight.

[newafrikanman-blog-blog]

Ex-rapper put to death for studio owner’s slaying

Ray Jasper III has been put to death. His last words on to his family were to "take care of each other, stay strong and faithful to God," and, to his daughter specifically, he said “be strong, be positive, have a great life.” Jasper was 33 when he was executed, fifteen years after he confessed to the slaying of David Alejandro, a local record station owner. Jasper, an aspiring rapper born in the Netherlands, reportedly killed Alejandro to steal his recording equipment. 

30 minutes before he was taken to the death chamber, the Supreme Court rejected his final appeal. Shortly before he was lethally injected with pentobarbital, he asked that the “Lord God almighty in heaven Jesus Christ see my spirit.”