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Thread: Thomas Douglas Arthur - Alabama Execution - May 26, 2017

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  1. #1
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    Thomas Douglas Arthur - Alabama Execution - May 26, 2017


    Thomas Douglas Arthur


    Summary of Offense:

    Arthur was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death for shooting Troy Wicker of Muscle Shoals through the right eye as he slept. The victim's wife, Judy Wicker, was romantically involved with Arthur and testified she paid him $10,000 to kill her husband in 1981. At the time of the killing, Arthur was in a prison work-release center in Decatur, serving a sentence for second-degree murder for killing his sister-in-law in Marion County.

    Arthur was sentenced to death on March 22, 1983.

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    June 25, 2007

    Alabama court sets execution date in Muscle Shoals killing

    The Alabama Supreme Court on Friday set a Sept. 27 execution date for Thomas Douglas Arthur, who was convicted of the murder-for-hire slaying of his girlfriend's husband in northwest Alabama.

    This is Arthur's 2nd execution date. He was originally scheduled to die in April 2001, but received a delay from a federal judge so he could pursue another appeal. That appeal was recently turned down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

    The state attorney general's office then asked the state Supreme Court to set a new execution date, which it did Friday.

    Arthur, 65, was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death for shooting Troy Wicker of Muscle Shoals through the right eye as he slept. The victim's wife, Judy Wicker, was romantically involved with Arthur and testified she paid him $10,000 to kill her husband in 1981.

    At the time of the killing, Arthur was in a prison work-release center in Decatur, serving a sentence for 2nd-degree murder for killing his sister-in-law in Marion County.

    Arthur, who always maintained his innocence, was convicted of Wicker's murder and sentenced to death 3 times. Appeals courts overturned his 1st 2 convictions.

    Assistant Attorney General Clay Crenshaw said Arthur has filed a separate federal court suit that challenges Alabama's use of legal injection for executions, and he could argue that his suit should result in another delay.

    (Source: The Associated Press)

  3. #3
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    In my opinion enough US judicial sets of eyes have thoroughly viewed this case and opined for this execution to proceed.

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    Administrator Michael's Avatar
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    I second Heidi's opinion.

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    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    "Snake" Gilbert is featured tonight @ 10:00 pm EDT on MSNBC's Lockup
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

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    Senior Member Member Jeffects's Avatar
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    Mom says : "He's there for me and he knows that I'm always there or him."

    Oh really Mom? where were you when he was evolving into the worthless piece of garbage he is today? Maybe you should have left your useless, abusive husband, and gotten "Snake" out of that environment before it was too late. How about you accepting some responsibility for the way your little boy turned out? Now the rest of society gets to pay for your stupidity, and support and deal with your worthless kid.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Frequent Poster PATRICK5's Avatar
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    You're seriously flawed. He's guilty. Hopefully he will be executed asap.

    I don't have the time or interest to fisk what she wrote, but she is repeating the same old arguments that he lost in court -- and lost for good reasons. Ho hum.
    Last edited by PATRICK5; 03-31-2012 at 09:27 AM.

  8. #8
    SKS
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    Most people that make comments in these forums or blogs or wherever base their comments on their personal perception. The facts do not seem to apply. Before I give a personal opinion of others, I like to ask why you make a comment?

    So I will ask you before I comment.
    1st. You do not know me.
    2nd. What makes you feel he is guilty?
    3rd. Why would you want someone executed as soon as possible if there are questions as to their guilt?

  9. #9
    Senior Member Frequent Poster PATRICK5's Avatar
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    1. I wouldn't want to know you.
    2. He is guilty. It is not a "feeling."
    3. 30 years is not soon as possible. There are no questions as to his guilt.

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    September 23, 2007

    Arthur's stay of execution denied

    A 3-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday denied a stay of execution for convicted murderer Tommy Douglas Arthur.

    Arthur, 65, was convicted for the 1982 contract killing of Troy Wicker, of Muscle Shoals. Arthur, who has said he is innocent of the crime, is scheduled to die by lethal injection at Holman Prison near Atmore on Thursday. Arthur has been on death row for 25 years.

    "Notwithstanding what the courts have held, in a civilized society, how can we allow a man to be executed without even allowing DNA testing that could prove his innocence?" said Suhana Han, Arthur's attorney.

    Han said the state ought to wait for the outcome of a federal lawsuit scheduled to go to trial in October that challenges Alabama's lethal injection method of execution as cruel and unusual punishment.

    Han said although the state of Alabama insists that DNA testing doesn't bear on Arthur's culpability, "We disagree, and we're willing to pay for DNA testing."

    "Reliable science can resolve this dispute, but the state of Alabama is afraid of the truth," she said. "The truth is the truth - no matter how many years later it emerges."

    Clay Crenshaw, head of the attorney general's capital litigation section, said if Arthur had wanted DNA testing, he should have requested it years ago. "We think it's the correct ruling," he said of the judges' decision.

    Crenshaw said Arthur's attorney was informed in oral arguments in 2004 that she could request DNA testing but that she waited only a few months before his scheduled execution date to request it.

    The 3 appellate judges said a lower federal district court did not abuse its discretion in dismissing Arthur's request to allow DNA testing that was not available in the 1980s.

    "There was no justification for Arthur's failure to bring his request for physical evidence for DNA testing earlier to allow sufficient time for full adjudication of the merits of this claim," the judges said.

    On Monday, the same panel of judges in a 2-1 vote declined to halt Arthur's scheduled execution based on his challenge of the constitutionality of lethal injection, saying he waited too long, "especially given the strong presumption against the grant of equitable relief."

    The judges said Friday that the lower court also did not abuse its discretion in denying Arthur's motion to alter or amend the death penalty based on newly discovered evidence.

    Since the lower court judge was upheld, Arthur's motion for a stay of execution pending appeal was denied as moot, the judges said in a 19-page opinion.

    Troy Wicker's widow, Judy Wicker, who Arthur had known since they were both young, testified that she hired Arthur to kill her husband. Wicker, who is now 60 years old, has served time for that crime.

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