302:
after he slurred, stumbled, and made incoherent arguments. The inebriated lawyer also represented Lee briefly in federal court, where he raised the important claim that Lee was ineligible for execution because of intellectual disability. Lee won new proceedings because of the lawyer's drunkenness, though his representation did not improve afterward. His next lawyers failed to introduce evidence of the affair, giving up one of many of Lee's important arguments, and never pursued his innocence or intellectual disability claims.
307:"This is a story of the judicial process gone totally wrong," Lee's lawyer said. "The kinds of attorney failures here: an affair with the presiding judge by the prosecutor, gross intoxication by defense counsel, and wild incompetence undermine our profession as a whole. Mr. Lee has never had the opportunity to have his case truly investigated, despite serious questions about guilt, and his intellectual disability."
184:
affirmed the conviction in 1997, but numerous questions have been raised about the justice of his trial and post-conviction representation. Issues have included conflict of interest for the judge, inebriation of counsel, and ineffective defense counsel. A request to postpone the execution in order to
380:
rejected a claim that the accelerated execution schedule was "cruel and unusual punishment" under the constitution. At one point in the evening of April 20, 2017, the United States
Supreme Court briefly delayed the execution as it reviewed appeals. It voted 5–4 to allow the state to proceed with the
223:
He was also prosecuted for the
November 1989 rape and murder of 22-year-old Christine Lewis, a mother, in November 1989. Lewis was abducted from her home. She was later raped, strangled, and eventually killed. Her body was found inside a closet at an abandoned home. Lee was tried in 1994; the jury
301:
was later married. Mr. Lee's first state post-conviction counsel introduced the evidence of the affair by calling the judge's ex-wife, who testified about the affair after opposing the subpoena. That lawyer, however, was so intoxicated at the hearing that the state moved for him to be drug tested
256:
to conduct DNA analysis on blood and hair evidence collected from the 1993 crime scene. It had never been previously tested in the case. The state of
Arkansas denied the defense request to have the analysis done. Lee's counsel had argued that they should be allowed to locate crime scene evidence
281:. Lee's family worked with him and his lawyers to try to prove his innocence. During the hearing, Lee's attorney Lee Short made the case that prior counsel in the Reese case failed Lee by not insisting on modern DNA testing of the items prior to that time. He said that Lee had contacted the
257:
collected in 1993, including a single hair and a
Converse shoe with a pinhead-sized spot of human blood on it, for modern DNA testing. They hoped testing could prove that another man had been at the crime scene, and that evidence did not match Lee's DNA.
210:
Lee was charged with first-degree murder, a capital offense. He was alleged to have struck Debra Reese 36 times with a tire thumper. He was convicted of first-degree murder by the jury and sentenced to death on
October 16, 1995.
219:
After being charged in the murder of Reese, Lee became a suspect in other crimes. He was accused of three sexual assaults and convicted of two, the 1991 rape of a
Jacksonville woman and the 1990 rape of a Jacksonville teenager.
419:
In April 2021, new DNA testing found "unknown male" DNA on the murder weapon and bloody clothes found at the scene. However, the test also "found moderate support" that blood on Lee's left shoe could have belonged to Reese.
33:
657:
573:
403:, who scheduled the multiple executions. "Justice was carried out." The state has proceeded with executions in order to avoid the expiration of drugs used in lethal injections. On April 24, 2017, the state executed
747:
369:
expired at the end of April. Because Europe has prohibited export of these drugs to the United States and the major manufacturer is there, states in the US have been struggling with supplies.
265:
Lee had also filed a motion in federal court asking the court to reopen his federal case due to issues with his first counsel, particularly the failure of counsel to bring evidence of his
345:. His eyes closed three minutes later and he did not appear to show signs of discomfort, according to Sean Murphy, a reporter with the Associated Press and one of three media witnesses.
1058:
207:
Several of Reese's neighbors said they saw Lee near the house and identified him to police. He was arrested less than an hour later, allegedly after spending $ 300 stolen from Reese.
1043:
439:
736:
224:
could not reach a verdict. After Lee was convicted and sentenced to death for Reese's murder, county prosecutors decided against retrying him for the alleged murder of Lewis.
1018:
396:
p.m. CDT, four minutes prior to the expiration of his execution warrant, Ledell Lee was executed. About 30 minutes after the high court's ruling, Lee was pronounced dead.
189:
on the murder weapon was denied by a circuit judge. After Lee's execution, it was proven that the DNA on the murder weapon belonged to another person, an unknown male.
1053:
1068:
1063:
180:(July 31, 1965 – April 20, 2017) was an American man convicted and executed for the 1993 murder of his neighbor, Debra Reese. He was convicted in 1995, and the
871:
841:
1048:
1023:
1013:
513:
1073:
1028:
1008:
1033:
327:, with opponents arguing this form violated the Constitution. In addition, Europe has prohibited export of one of the drugs needed for this method.
937:
658:"UPDATE Attorneys for Ledell Lee argue they should be allowed to locate, test DNA evidence collected in 1993 as part of innocence claim"
434:
609:
377:
811:
297:
Additionally, Lee was tried by a judge who concealed his own conflict of interest: an affair with the assistant prosecutor, to whom
682:
353:
In April 2017, Arkansas planned to execute eight death row inmates including Ledell Lee, along with Don W. Davis, Stacey
Johnson,
712:
358:
270:
976:
962:
897:
429:
253:
462:
248:
Lee maintained his innocence until the time of his death. Before he was executed, Lee was working with his lawyers at the
950:
200:(September 27, 1966 – February 9, 1993), 26 years old at the time of her death, was found dead in 1993 in her home in
789:
311:
Throughout the legal challenges, the family of Debra Reese hoped that the execution would go through as scheduled.
408:
362:
597:
488:
236:, with extremely limited social contact. This is customary for death row prisoners. Lee was interviewed by the
76:
1038:
543:
278:
266:
323:
was executed in
November 2005. The years of suspension have been related to court challenges to the use of
399:"The governor knows the right thing was done tonight," said J.R. Davis, a spokesman for Arkansas Governor
373:
201:
181:
53:
628:
204:. She had been strangled and beaten with a small wooden bat her husband had given her for protection.
1003:
998:
763:
574:"DNA test may have cleared Arkansas man executed in rush to use expiring death penalty drugs: lawyer"
233:
598:
He was executed for murder 4 years ago. Now someone else's DNA has been found on the murder weapon
285:
in 1996, asking for them to take up his case, but was told they didn't have the staff or funding.
972:
925:
404:
354:
282:
249:
342:
324:
89:
946:
842:"New DNA Testing Casts Doubt on Guilt of Arkansas Man Who Was Executed for Murder in 2017"
819:
400:
335:
133:
122:
992:
186:
389:
298:
274:
72:
372:
A federal judge initially issued an injunction preventing the executions, but the
165:
906:
320:
232:
Lee was placed on death row in 1995. During most of that time, he was kept in
111:
764:"24 years later, Ledell Lee maintained his innocence in death of Debra Reese"
629:"24 years later, Ledell Lee maintained his innocence in death of Debra Reese"
385:
p.m. CDT, the state of
Arkansas was allowed to proceed with Lee's execution.
240:
before his execution. He said, "my life on death row is like twilight zone".
514:"Arkansas Executes Ledell Lee, State's First Inmate Put to Death Since 2005"
366:
331:
872:"New Testing in Ledell Lee Case Finds 'Unknown Male' DNA on Murder Weapon"
713:"Death Row Prisoner Ledell Lee Seeks New Evidence to Prove His Innocence"
388:
In his first vote since being appointed to the US Supreme Court, Justice
99:
610:
New DNA information emerges in Ledell Lee case, 4 years after execution
32:
496:
411:, in the first double execution in the United States in 17 years.
117:
237:
16:
American death row inmate executed in
Arkansas (1965–2017)
269:. Lee wanted to present new evidence showing that he had
463:"For Ledell Lee, fighting verdict to the end futile"
440:
List of people executed in the United States in 2017
319:
Lee was the first person executed in Arkansas since
161:
153:
145:
140:
129:
109:
95:
84:
61:
39:
23:
542:Dakin Andone and Faith Karimi (April 21, 2017).
1059:People executed by Arkansas by lethal injection
812:"Arkansas Executes Death Row Inmate Ledell Lee"
544:"Arkansas executes death row inmate Ledell Lee"
683:"'My life on death row is like twilight zone'"
489:"Arkansas Department of Corrections Death Row"
865:
863:
289:Controversy over judge's conflict of interest
8:
381:execution. On April 20, 2017, at about 11:30
215:Post-arrest rape convictions and prosecution
1044:People with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
938:Executions carried out in the United States
1019:21st-century executions of American people
893:
31:
20:
392:voted in favor of the execution. At 11:56
790:"Ledell Lee's last meal: Holy Communion"
707:
705:
703:
349:Lethal injection controversy in Arkansas
757:
755:
651:
649:
568:
566:
564:
457:
455:
451:
1054:People convicted of murder by Arkansas
622:
620:
618:
341:At 11:44 p.m., Lee was given the
612:www.arkansasonline.com, 30 April 2021
537:
535:
508:
506:
7:
1069:21st-century African-American people
1064:20th-century African-American people
365:, before the stocks of the sedative
288:
1049:People with intellectual disability
1024:American people executed for murder
1014:21st-century executions by Arkansas
870:Buckner, Michael (April 30, 2011).
435:List of people executed in Arkansas
898:Executions carried out in Arkansas
357:, Jason McGehee, Bruce Earl Ward,
14:
1074:People from Blytheville, Arkansas
1029:American people convicted of rape
1009:1993 murders in the United States
1034:Executed African-American people
788:Kandra, Greg (April 22, 2017).
271:fetal alcohol syndrome disorder
717:American Civil Liberties Union
430:Capital punishment in Arkansas
1:
378:United States Supreme Court
376:overturned the ruling. The
1090:
415:Post-execution DNA testing
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959:
943:
936:
922:
915:
903:
896:
171:
105:
30:
600:www.cnn.com, 22 May 2021
338:. He had no last words.
275:significant brain damage
120:(2 counts, unknown date)
77:Lincoln County, Arkansas
334:, Lee chose to receive
293:According to the ACLU:
279:intellectual disability
267:intellectual disability
374:Arkansas Supreme Court
309:
304:
202:Jacksonville, Arkansas
182:Arkansas Supreme Court
499:on December 15, 2016.
305:
295:
54:Blytheville, Arkansas
234:solitary confinement
85:Cause of death
737:motion for testing
467:arkansasonline.com
162:Imprisoned at
136:(October 16, 1995)
125:(October 12, 1995)
987:
986:
973:Jack Harold Jones
970:Succeeded by
926:Jack Harold Jones
923:Succeeded by
911:November 28, 2005
822:on April 21, 2017
405:Jack Harold Jones
355:Jack Harold Jones
325:lethal injections
283:Innocence Project
250:Innocence Project
175:
174:
1081:
944:Preceded by
904:Preceded by
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888:
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883:
878:. CBS/Tegna, Inc
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818:. Archived from
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520:. April 21, 2017
510:
501:
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495:. Archived from
493:adc.arkansas.gov
485:
479:
478:
476:
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469:. April 21, 2017
459:
395:
384:
359:Kenneth Williams
343:lethal injection
157:February 9, 1993
130:Criminal penalty
114:
90:lethal injection
68:
49:
47:
35:
21:
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967:April 20, 2017
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448:
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417:
409:Marcel Williams
393:
382:
363:Marcel Williams
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317:
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195:
121:
110:
96:Criminal status
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66:
57:
51:
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26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1087:
1085:
1077:
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1039:Male murderers
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981:April 24, 2017
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930:April 24, 2017
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662:Arkansas Times
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401:Asa Hutchinson
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336:Holy Communion
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134:Death sentence
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123:Capital murder
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69:(aged 51)
65:April 20, 2017
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961:Ledell Lee –
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848:. May 4, 2021
847:
846:Law and Crime
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663:
659:
656:Koon, David.
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112:Conviction(s)
108:
104:
101:
98:
94:
91:
88:Execution by
87:
83:
78:
74:
64:
60:
55:
50:July 31, 1965
42:
38:
34:
29:
22:
19:
960:
916:
880:. Retrieved
875:
850:. Retrieved
845:
836:
824:. Retrieved
820:the original
815:
806:
794:. Retrieved
783:
771:. Retrieved
767:
743:
732:
720:. Retrieved
716:
690:. Retrieved
686:
677:
665:. Retrieved
661:
636:. Retrieved
632:
605:
593:
581:. Retrieved
577:
551:. Retrieved
547:
522:. Retrieved
517:
497:the original
492:
483:
471:. Retrieved
466:
418:
398:
390:Neil Gorsuch
387:
371:
352:
340:
329:
318:
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306:
296:
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264:
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222:
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197:
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177:
176:
73:Cummins Unit
67:(2017-04-20)
18:
1004:2017 deaths
999:1965 births
947:James Bigby
917:Ledell Lee
518:Nbcnews.com
198:Debra Reese
193:Convictions
166:Varner Unit
149:Debra Reese
993:Categories
907:Eric Nance
446:References
321:Eric Nance
178:Ledell Lee
46:1965-07-31
25:Ledell Lee
826:April 27,
796:April 23,
792:. Aleteia
722:April 27,
692:April 27,
667:April 27,
638:April 27,
583:April 27,
578:CBC Radio
553:April 27,
524:April 26,
473:April 27,
367:midazolam
332:last meal
315:Execution
299:the judge
228:Death row
977:Arkansas
963:Arkansas
687:BBC News
424:See also
330:For his
187:test DNA
100:Executed
876:KTHV-TV
773:June 2,
762:TEGNA.
633:WZZM-13
627:TEGNA.
261:Motions
244:Appeals
146:Victims
141:Details
882:May 5,
852:May 4,
748:denied
394:
383:
361:, and
277:, and
79:, U.S.
56:, U.S.
951:Texas
884:2021
854:2021
828:2017
816:Time
798:2017
775:2017
768:WKYC
724:2017
694:2017
669:2017
640:2017
585:2017
555:2017
526:2017
475:2017
407:and
254:ACLU
252:and
154:Date
118:Rape
62:Died
40:Born
548:CNN
238:BBC
995::
975:–
949:–
874:.
862:^
844:.
814:.
766:.
754:^
715:.
702:^
685:.
660:.
648:^
631:.
617:^
576:.
563:^
546:.
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516:.
505:^
491:.
465:.
454:^
273:,
75:,
886:.
856:.
830:.
800:.
777:.
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696:.
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642:.
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528:.
477:.
48:)
44:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
