Oldest Death Row Inmate in Georgia, Brandon Astor Jones, Age 72, is Executed

[kellyhound]

JACKSON, Ga. — Georgia executed a 72-year-old man, its oldest death row inmate, early Wednesday for the killing of a convenience store manager during a robbery decades ago.

Brandon Astor Jones was pronounced dead at 12:46 a.m. Wednesday after an injection of the barbiturate pentobarbital at the state prison in Jackson. He was convicted in the 1979 shooting death of suburban Atlanta store manager Roger Tackett.

Jones declined to make a final statement in front of witnesses but agreed to have a prayer read.

Georgia doesn't announce exactly when lethal injections begin, and the injection isn't visible to observers. But the warden left the execution chamber at 12:30 a.m., and records from past executions show the lethal drug generally begins to flow within a minute or two of the warden's departure.

Jones was initially still with his eyes closed and then swallowed a couple of times and moved his head slightly. He opened his eyes at 12:36 a.m. and turned his head to his left, appearing to look toward a clock hanging on the wall. Then he closed his eyes again and took a few deep breaths before falling still.

The execution had initially been set for 7 p.m. and was delayed while the U.S. Supreme Court considered appeals from Jones' attorneys. They asked the justices to block the execution for either of two reasons: because Jones was challenging Georgia's lethal injection secrecy law or because he said his death sentence was disproportionate to his crime.

Around 11 p.m. Tuesday, the court denied the requests for a stay.

The challenge to Georgia's strict execution secrecy law sharply divided the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday. The law classifies the identifying information of any person or entity who participates in an execution as a "confidential state secret."

Jones' lawyers argued the state's execution method carries "a substantial risk of significant harm," violating his constitutional right against cruel and unusual punishment. But because of the secrecy law, they argued, they don't have enough information to make that claim, which violates his constitutional right to due process.

Three-judge panels of the 11th Circuit had already rejected similar arguments, setting a binding precedent. But because of divided opinions expressed by judges on those panels, Jones' lawyers asked the full 11-judge court to consider their arguments. The court on Tuesday voted 6-5 to deny that review, but several judges offered strongly worded dissenting opinions.

"Today Brandon Jones will be executed, possibly in violation of the Constitution. He may also be cruelly and unusually punished in the process. But if he is, we will not know until it's too late — if ever," wrote Circuit Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum, adding that she believes the secrecy law denies Georgia death row inmates of their due process rights and may deprive them of their right to access to the courts.

According to evidence at his trial, Jones and another man, Van Roosevelt Solomon, were arrested at a Cobb County store by a policeman who had driven a stranded motorist there to use a pay phone about 1:45 a.m. on June 17, 1979. The officer knew the store usually closed at midnight and was suspicious when he saw a car out front with the driver's door open and lights still on in the store.

The officer saw Jones inside the store, prosecutors have said. He entered and drew his weapon after hearing four shots. He found Jones and Solomon just inside a storeroom door and took them into custody. Tackett's body was found inside the storeroom.

Tests showed each man had recently fired a gun or handled a recently fired gun, prosecutors said. The cash drawer had been removed and was found wrapped in a plastic bag.

Jones was convicted in October 1979 and sentenced to death. A federal judge in 1989 ordered a new sentencing hearing because jurors had improperly been allowed to bring a Bible into the deliberation room. He was resentenced to death in 1997.

Solomon, who was also convicted and sentenced to death, was executed in Georgia's electric chair in February 1985.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/nat...72_is_executed

[facing_reality]

Way, way, WAY too long to be on Death Row.

I agree that the Death Penalty being administered nearly 40 years after the crime is "cruel & unusual" – it's both cruel to the victim's families, & unusual for a moral society that supposedly upholds justice via the law.

"Jones' attorneys... asked the justices to block the execution... because he said his death sentence was disproportionate to his crime."

He's absolutely right about that. A "proportionate" sentence would be letting him go, having his family be happy to have him home & settle into a nice daily routine, then one night without warning, to beat him mercilessly, shoot him in his legs & arms, then finish him off with with a shot behind the ear as he pled for his life, JUST LIKE HE DID TO HIS VICTIM. That's what he deserves. Getting put to sleep is a mercy.

To top it off, the taxpayers should pay for his executioner's housing & food for 37 years while he tries his hand at writing. Plenty of anti-death penalty saps.... sorry, "proponents".... claim Jones was "rehabilitated" because he wrote a book. Was his book about admitting responsibility, repentance for his actions, or begging the family's forgiveness for his crime? Nope. It was about how mean ol' white people in the South brutally treated runaway slaves before the Civil War. Wow. Now there's an original insight into history no one has ever heard before. I'm pretty sure we had a WAR to settle that whole issue, but thanks to Mr. Jones, now no one will ever forget. What a great humanitarian, worthy of our support!

I'll be sure to have a huge bean burrito in his honor, & give him a "21-Gun-Salute" to mark both his & the burrito's "passing."

[Oswald2001]

Another Trayvon Martin low life Ghetto Trash Thug that was allowed to get too old.

F*ck him.

The only thing that matters here to me is...the executed prisoner's victim and his victim's family.

[hulk]

Jones' lawyers argued the state's execution method carries "a substantial risk of significant harm,"

Lmao! Burn in hell.

[Pyramid_Head]

Damn on death row since '79? That's just stupid.

[SLAPAPPY]

This fucktard should'nt even be a memory today... electric chair in 1980 would have been more just! The victims family are either really old themselves or dead before this shitcrack went out easier than his victim did! How fucked up is this!

[Steve]

His age has no bearing on anything really, he committed the crime and was punished accordingly. The only thing wrong with this case is how much money was wasted on keeping his murdering arse alive for so many years.
It must also be hard for the family to move on completely knowing he was still breathing.
Some say it's more of a punishment to do life in prison rather than be offed in 5 - 10 years.
I am still undecided about that one.

[Oswald2001]

Originally Posted by Pyramid_Head

Damn on death row since '79? That's just stupid.

Yeah.

It is estimated to cost $90,000/year for each prisoner on Death Row. (In California anyway.)

Plus, it costs about $1,400,000 for the average Death Penalty trial.

Not to mention the State Paid legal fees for the endless legal appeals.


So...what did this vile creature really cost society?

I would estimate about $6,000,000 at the minimum.

And that does not factor in the police manpower, property damage and other losses from his life of crime before he was caught for the last time.


What did he contribute?

Nuffin'.

[luton loyal]

[Susan]

I was wondering about this guy just last week.