James Earl Reed
James Earl Reed was executed via the electric chair in South Carolina on June 20, 2008.
Reed was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend's parents in 1996. Reed represented himself during his trial, arguing, in spite of a previous confession, that there was no physical evidence to place him at the scene of the murders.1
Fast Facts
- Age at death: 49
- Convicted in 1996
- Had confessed to the crimes
- Later denied having committed the murders
- Represented himself during his trial
- First person executed via electric chair in the United States in almost a year1
- First electric chair execution in South Carolina since 20041
Last Minute Stay Request
A separate Supreme Court ruling on June 19, 2008, found that the state can refuse a defendant's right to represent himself if he is deemed mentally unfit.2
This ruling prompted U.S. District Court Judge Henry Floyd to file a motion for a stay of execution, pending further review of Reed's case. The motion was filed just minutes before the execution was scheduled to take place.2
The Supreme Court denied the motion for a stay and the execution took place as scheduled.
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