Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Tennessee executes third killer in 50 years

The state of Tennessee this morning executed the killer of an elderly farm couple whose home also was burned out.

NewsChannel5 reported:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A man convicted of killing an elderly couple found dead in their burned-out farmhouse has been executed by lethal injection in Tennessee.

Correction officials said 55-year-old Steve Henley was pronounced dead at 1:33 a.m. Wednesday at Riverbend Prison.

Henley was on death row for the past 23 years for the 1985 murders of Edna and Fred Stafford in Jackson County.

Governor Phil Bredesen denied a request clemency request for death row inmate Steve Henley.

An attorney for Henley said he was also denied a last-minute appeal from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Paul Davidson, Henley's attorney, said late Tuesday that the high court denied his request for a stay.

The appeal filed Tuesday was just one of several efforts on behalf of Henley, 55, who has been on Tennessee death row for more than 20 years for the murders of an elderly couple.

Henley has always maintained his innocence.

No comments: