Summary of Offense: After two marraiges ended with the death of her husbands, by 1977 Barfield was in a relationship with Stuart Taylor, who was a widower and tobacco farmer. As she had been doing for years, she forged checks on Taylor's account to pay for her addiction to prescription drugs. Fearing that she had been found out, she mixed an arsenic based rat poison into his beer and tea. Taylor became very ill and Velma volunteered to nurse him. As his condition worsened she took him to hospital where he died a few days later. Unfortunately for her there was an autopsy which found that the cause of Taylor's death was arsenic poisoning and Velma was arrested and charged with his murder. At the trial her defense pleaded insanity but this was not accepted and she was convicted. The jury recommended the death sentence. Velma appeared cold and uncaring on the stand and actually gave the District Attorney a round of applause when he made his closing speech.
Victim: Stuart Taylor
Time of Death: 2.15 a.m.
Manner of execution: Lethal Injection
Last Meal: Coca-Cola and Cheez Doodles
Final Statement: Just before Mrs. Barfield was administered the lethal injection, she issued a brief statement, saying in part, ''I know that everybody has gone through a lot of pain, all the families connected, and I am sorry, and I want to thank everybody who have been supporting me all these six years.''
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