Arkansas Death Chamber

Arkansas Frank Williams Jr.

Frank Williams Jr.  was convicted in the shooting death of Clyde Spence, who had fired Williams that same day from a job on Spence's farm.Guilt is not an issue, but rather issues with jury behavior so he was granted a re-sentencing hearing in December 2011.

He arrived on Death Row on February 2, 1993.




While guilt is not an issue, at present execution seems very unlikely.

Arkansas - Christina Riggs, executed

Christina Riggs was convicted of murdering her two children and subsequently sentenced to death despite the fact that she nearly succeeded in taking her own life the same evening. Christina was suffering from a very deep depression and apparently did not want to have her children split up after her own suicide as the children had different fathers. This is a perfect example of misapplied justice, in my opinion. Christina nearly did end her own life, and repeatedly stated she would prefer to in fact die. This is no different then suicide by police.  Even if you choose to be pro-death penalty, it's a huge stretch to apply it here.

The State of Arkansas put a woman to death tonight for the first time since the state began performing executions in 1913.
The woman, Christina Marie Riggs, 28, a former nurse, was put to death by lethal injection for killing her two children, Justin, 5, and Shelby Alexis, 2, in November 1997. Ms. Riggs admitted killing the children, and explained that she was deeply depressed at the time. She said she gave her son potassium chloride and morphine and when that did not kill him, she smothered him with a pillow. Then she smothered her daughter to death. She also tried to kill herself with potassium chloride.
Potassium chloride was one of the three drugs the state used in executing Ms. Riggs tonight.
The lethal injection was administered 9:18 p.m. Central Standard Time, and Ms. Riggs was pronounced dead at 9:28 p.m.
Before the injection was administered she made a statement that began, ''No words can express just how sorry I am for taking the lives of my babies. No way I can make up for or take away the pain I have caused everyone who knew and loved them.'' After the injection was administered, her last words were, ''I love you, my babies.''

Source

Lance Morrow: Why I changed my mind on the death penalty
The state of Arkansas played the part of Jack Kevorkian in a case of assisted suicide. Christina Riggs said she wanted to die. She had dropped all legal appeals. She wanted to be with her children in heaven. Just before Riggs died, she said, "I love you, my babies." Some people said she had killed them because she was severely depressed. The prosecutor, on the other hand, called her "a self-centered, selfish, premeditated killer who did the unspeakable act of taking her own children's lives."
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Arkansas - Jack Greene

 

 Jack Greene shot his own brother, stole his car and left for Arkansas. He then invaded the Johnson County home of 69-year-old Sidney Burnett on July 23, 1991 whom he also killed.

No further information is available on his victims.

Arrived on Death Row  October 15, 1992
On December 09, 1999- Convicted killer Jack Gordon Greene, scheduled to be executed Tuesday, has apparently changed his mind about wanting to die and now wants the state supreme Court to hear his case.Greene, who had waived his right to appeal, is seeking to change attorneys and delay his execution so that the high court can consider his case.

 Currently housed at: Varner Supermax, P.O. Box 400, Grady, AR 71644-0600
 

Arkansas - Don W. Davis

Don Davis was sentenced to death for the 1990 execution-style killing of Jane Daniels of Rogers, Arkansas after a series of robberies.

Arrived on Death row March 6th, 1992.

Currently housed at: Varner Supermax, P.O. Box 400, Grady, AR 71644-0600

His photo prior to time spent on death row:
  

Arkansas - Bruce Earl Ward

Bruce Ward was convicted in 1990 of the 1989 capital murder of eighteen-year-old Rebecca Doss and sentenced to death by lethal injection.

Learn more about the victim, Rebecca Doss 

He has been on death row since 1990.

Execution Warrant was signed for August 16, 2011 for which he was granted a stay.

Currently housed at: Varner Supermax, P.O. Box 400, Grady, AR 71644-0600 






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Arkansas - Roger Coulter

 

Roger Coulter convicted of raping and murdering his five-year-old niece.  There is no information on his victim in public records.

 Arrival Date: October 27, 1989 (longest serving inmate)

Currently housed at: Varner Supermax, P.O. Box 400, Grady, AR 71644-0600  


Roger Lewis COULTER, Petitioner, v. STATE of Arkansas, Respondent.
No. CR 90-126. -- December 01, 2005 Denied