Alabama executes death row inmate despite plea from victim’s family for him to stay alive
29 July 2022, 07:16
A man who shot dead his ex-girlfriend nearly 30 years ago has been executed in Alabama, despite a plea from the victim’s family for his life to be spared.
Joe Nathan James Jr was killed by lethal injection last night in a south Alabama prison.
He was sentenced to death for the fatal shooting of Faith Hall, 26, in Birmingham, Alabama. Her daughters said they would prefer he was given a life sentence. But their pleas were ignored as governor Kay Ivey allowed the execution to proceed.
A local TV station issued a statement from the victim’s family: ““We hoped the state wouldn’t take a life simply because a life was taken and we have forgiven Mr Joe Nathan James Jr … We pray that God allows us to find healing after today and that one day our criminal justice system will listen to the cries of families like ours even if it goes against what the state wishes. Our voices matter and so does the life of Mr Joe Nathan James Jr.”
The death sentence was imposed in 1996 after James was convicted of murder. But his conviction was overturned and he was retried, and again sentenced to death in 1999.
Hall’s daughters said “We can’t take a life. And it’s not going to bring my mom back.”
James had asked the courts for a stay of execution, noting the opposition of Hall’s family and arguing that Alabama did not give inmates adequate notice of their right to select an alternative execution method.
