Woods' appeal was denied by the Alabama Supreme Court and the U.S. "In the past 15 years, his conviction has been reviewed at least nine times, and no court has found any reason to overturn the jury's decision." Woods' peers convicted him of four counts of capital murder," Ivey wrote Thursday night. Woods appealed his conviction, arguing his lawyer gave him inadequate representation by misinforming him that he could not be convicted of capital murder as an accomplice and convincing him to reject a plea deal prosecutors offered him of 20 to 25 years in prison, according to court records. "The only injustice in the case of Nathaniel Woods is that which was inflicted on those four policemen that terrible day in 2004," Marshall said in the statement. I beg you to have mercy on him."Īlabama State Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a statement Wednesday that Woods was "correctly found guilty and sentenced to death by a jury of his peers." My conscience will not let me live with this if he dies. Please do not move forward with the hasty decision to execute Nathaniel. "I want the new evidence to be brought forward and evaluated by new attorneys. "There is no harm in allowing more time for the courts to investigate," the statement added. I urge Governor Ivey to reconsider her decision not to intervene." I do not think that Nathaniel is guilty of murder. As such, the jury did not view Woods' acts as those of an innocent bystander they believed that he was a fully engaged participant."Ĭhisholm's sister has come out against the execution, saying in a statement to ABC News provided by Wood's family: "I am writing to express my sincere wishes for Governor Ivey to stop the execution of Nathaniel Woods. In fact, he later bragged about his participation in these horrific murders. "There is no evidence, and no argument has been made, that Nathaniel Woods tried to stop the gunman from committing these heinous crimes. "The state offered the testimony of 39 witnesses at Woods' capital murder trial, including Officer Michael Collins, 25 other law enforcement officers, and forensic experts," Ivey wrote in a lengthy statement announcing Woods' execution. Woods' alleged accomplice, Kerry Spencer, confessed to being the sole gunman who killed the officers with a high-powered weapon, but separate juries convicted him and Woods of four capital murder charges, including killing the officers in the course of committing another crime. Ivey noted two Alabama citizens had been executed since 1983 as being accomplices to capital murder. Woods at this hour is unwarranted."Īs of Thursday afternoon, more than 91,000 people had signed a petition on the website to stop the execution of Woods, who would become the first person executed in Alabama this year and the 67th since the state reinstated the death penalty in 1976. "While Governor Ivey reserves the right to grant clemency at any time before an execution is carried out, she has determined, based on her review of the complete record, including the matters presented in your letter, that clemency for Mr. "Governor Ivey does not presently intend to exercise her powers of commutation or reprieve in this case," general counsel William G. Kay Ivey reviewed the letter requesting a reprieve from the death sentence, but said she would allow the execution to proceed. local time, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections.Īdvocates had argued Woods, who was convicted in the murder of three police officers in 2004, did not directly take part in the slayings and should have his execution delayed. The controversial execution of Nathaniel Woods was carried out late Thursday in Alabama just minutes after the Supreme Court denied a temporary stay, issued only hours earlier.
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