Alabama is preparing to carry out the execution of a 50-year-old man, Jamie Ray Mills, who was found guilty of brutally murdering an elderly couple two decades ago in order to steal prescription drugs and $140 from their home. Mills is scheduled to be put to death at a south Alabama prison on Thursday evening, marking the state's first execution since the pioneering use of nitrogen gas for executions earlier this year.
The crime took place in 2004 in Guin, Alabama, where Mills attacked Floyd Hill, 87, and his 72-year-old wife Vera Hill with a hammer, tire tool, and machete. Floyd Hill, who was the primary caregiver for his diabetic and ailing wife, kept her medications in their kitchen. The couple, known for holding yard sales to supplement their income, was found brutally murdered in their backyard shed after their granddaughter raised concerns about their well-being.
Mills, who has maintained his innocence since his 2007 trial, has sought intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court. His defense team argues that newly obtained evidence reveals that the prosecution misled the court about a plea agreement with Mills' wife to secure her testimony against him. Despite these claims, the Alabama Attorney General's office asserts that there is no doubt about Mills' guilt.
During the trial, Mills' wife testified that after a night of drug use, Mills led her to the couple's home where he carried out the fatal attack. She later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of murder in exchange for her testimony and is currently serving a life sentence.
Final appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court have centered on allegations of prosecutorial misconduct and challenges to the state's lethal injection protocol. The defense team argues that critical evidence was withheld and that the case against Mills was flawed. However, the state maintains that the jury had ample incriminating evidence, including the discovery of murder weapons and bloodied clothing linked to Mills.
Despite the ongoing legal battles and claims of misconduct, the state is moving forward with the execution, citing the strength of the evidence against Mills. The case has sparked debate over the fairness of the trial and the use of the death penalty in Alabama.
