Many states in America use the death penalty to punish the worst crimes. On average 45 prisoners are executed each year. Over half of those on Death Row were arrested for murder in their teens or twenties. For two of the youngest men on Death Row in Texas execution day has arrived. Life and Death Row s1e1: Execution, BBC 2014
‘In 2002 Richard Cobb and Beunka Adams kidnapped three people from a convenience store … one of their victims wound up dead. Adams was executed in April last year; now Richard Cobb faces death by lethal injection.’ ibid. news report
‘Houston cop killer Anthony Haynes will be executed by lethal injection.’ ibid. news report
‘We received nothing from the US Supreme Court that Anthony Haynes received a stay of execution.’ ibid. legal statement
‘The execution is now in progress; he is sitting there with clenched fists; he’s slowly relaxing at this time.’ Life and Death Row s1e2: Judgment, commentary, BBC 2014
In 2009 22-year-old Guy Heinze was charged with the murders of 8 members of his own family. He’s now on trial for his life in the state of Georgia. ibid.
‘Police say each of them was beaten with a blunt object.’ ibid. news report
‘Suspect says he returned to mobile home and found victims already dead.’ ibid.
‘When we get to the crime scene he’s wearing those shorts; underneath, he was wearing silver and black gym shorts – what was found was the blood of three different people from that house.’ ibid. prosecutor
For some prisoners there is one last hope: a team of law students fighting to save their lives. Life and Death Row s1e3: Crisis Stage
Two crisis appeals: gang member and drive-by killer Robert Garza and Prison guard murderer Robert Pruett. ibid.
‘He was stabbed to death and a make-shift knife was found.’ ibid. news
A few hours before his murder Daniel Nagle had written a disciplinary report on Robert Pruett for breaking prison rules. ibid.
And next to Daniel Nagle’s body they found the ripped pieces of Robert Pruett’s report. ibid.
Ray Yarborough died from multiple stab wounds … Robert had turned 16 by the time the case came to trial; he was sentenced as an adult and given ninety-nine years. ibid.
Corpus Christi 10th March 2009: ‘Lieutenant Stuart Alexander died an immediate death: he was struck and killed by a suspect fleeing in an SUV.’ Life and Death Row s2e1: Execution, news, BBC 2016
At the age of 21 Daniel Lopez was sentenced to death for the murder of Lt Stuart Alexander. He will be executed in five weeks unless he decides to appeal. ibid.
‘He wanted to waive all of the appeals.’ ibid. judge
2nd April 2013 12:33 p.m. ‘We got two murders: 4488 Rex Lake Drive, Akron, Ohio: We’re here doing some remodel work and I just went into the bathroom, and I walked by the bedroom and oh my God, Peg was laying on the ground, Jeff was in the bed, and they’re stabbed to death.’ Life and Death Row s2e2: Punishment, BBC 2016
In 2013 18-year-old Shawn Ford was charged with murdering his girlfriend’s parents. ibid.
‘The sledgehammer – it seemed very barbaric, up close, personal.’ ibid. Juror
‘We therefore unanimously find that the sentence of death should be imposed upon Shawn E Ford junior.’ ibid. jury forms
In 2014, 18-year-old Justin Back was brutally murdered in his own home. 19-year-old friends Austin Myers and Timothy Mosley were charged with his murder. Both faced the death penalty. Each had a different story. Only one could be believed. Life and Death Row s2e3: Truth, captions, BBC 2016
At Justin’s home we decided we were going to cut that carpet out. And that’s what we did. Once we’d cut that carpeting, and were able to pull those layers back, and in the subfloor we were able to see what we knew was blood. ibid. rozzer
Austin’s trial began on 22nd September 2014. If found guilty, he would face the death penalty. ibid.
Tim’s plea agreement meant he avoided a trial. He was given life without parole and was saved from the death penalty. ibid.
Houston, Texas, May 3rd 1993: [TV News]: Last night police say Wille Tyrone Trottie finally carried out his threat. Trottie forced his way into the house armed with a 9 mm handgun. Babara and her brother Titus were shot and killed. Life & Death Row s2e4: Forgiveness
In 1993 Tyrone Trottie shot and killed his common-law wife, Barbara, and her brother, Titus. He was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. After 21 years on Death Row, Tyrone will be executed in 3 days. ibid.
I’m sitting on death row for nothing more than a series of lies. Life and Death Row s3e1: Love Triangle I, Emilia, BBC 2017
When we first started speaking to Josh he acted as if he had no idea where Heather was. ibid. rozzer
We also learned that Josh had an off and on again relationship with a female named Emilia Carr. ibid.
We had received information that somebody had used the bank card for Heather Strong at a nearby public supermarket. Life and Death Row s3e2: Love Triangle II, rozzer
Josh Fulgram is Heather Strong’s estranged husband. ibid.
You’ve got him loving her more than he loves you. Life and Death Row s3e3: Love Triangle III, rozzer’s interrogation of Emilia
His relationship with Heather didn’t bother me. ibid. Emilia
But when he finally broke and told us that he could take us where the body was this was a big break in the case. Life and Death Row s3e4: Love Triangle IV, rozzer
Knowing now that Heather might be buried in her [Emilia’s] back yard raised our suspicions about Emilia once again. ibid.
I didn’t put her in a hole. ibid. Joshua
Why is Heather’s body in your [Emilia] back yard? Life and Death Row s3e5: Love Triangle V, rozzer
I know there’s more … You were there while she was still alive. ibid. rozzer to Emilia
I’m not going to stoop to that kind of a level over a man. Life and Death Row s3e6: Love Triangle VI, Emilia to rozzer
It was all hearsay and it was held against me. ibid. Emilia to came
Josh basically told us the story … He and Emilia set it up. Life and Death Row s3e7: Love Triangle VII, rozzer
She [Emilia] used a whole roll of duct-tape. ibid. Josh
We needed that directly from her [Emilia]. Life and Death Row s3e8: Love Triangle VIII, rozzer
We put the bag over her head. We tried to snap her neck, that didn’t work. ibid. Emilia, car bugged
Joshua Fulgham pleaded guilty to the murder of Heather Strong and was sentenced to life without parole … In June 2017 Emilia’s sentence was commuted to life without parole. ibid. captions
I, death row inmate, Stacey Johnson, at the present moment am being housed at the Cummins Unit feet away from the death chamber. The State of Arkansas is going to commit mass murder to kill eight men in ten days because their drug is gonna run out. So I ask you: who’s the murderer? The unprecedented number of executions and divided the state. Now the eight inmates are fighting for their lives. Life and Death Row : The Mass Execution I, BBC 2018
Each inmate is entitled to plead to the governor to spare their life at a hearing with the parole board. ibid.