Federal judge stays inmate's execution
By By Jill Zemen Bleed, The Associated Press
This article was originally published March 11, 2010 at 4:43 p.m. Updated March 11, 2010 at 6:05 p.m.
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Jack Harold Jones Jr.
A federal judge issued a stay Thursday for a man sentenced to die for the murder of a Bald Knob woman. The state attorney general’s office planned to appeal.
U.S. District Judge Leon Holmes stayed Jack Harold Jones Jr.’s execution, which had been scheduled for Tuesday, while he considers the death row inmate’s challenge to the state’s Methods of Execution Act.
“We’re gratified,” said Jones’ attorney, Jeff Rosenzweig.
Aaron Sadler, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office, said the state would appeal the decision.
Jones argues that the state’s new law prevents the release of information on how a death sentence is carried out, so he has no way of knowing whether the procedure will subject him to cruel and unusual punishment.
Last week, Holmes rejected a similar challenge filed by another inmate, noting that information about the chemicals to be used in an execution, along with the quantity, method and order in which they would be used, can be revealed.
“Crime victims and the general public have an important interest in the timely enforcement of criminal sentences,” Holmes wrote in Thursday’s decision. “However, failure to consider Jones’ allegations would ignore the equally important public interest in the humane and constitutional application of the state’s lethal injection statute.”
Dina Tyler, a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Correction, said preparations for Tuesday’s execution would continue so they would be ready if the stay was lifted.
“The chemicals haven’t changed since lethal injection became the method of execution and began being used in 1990,” she said.
The state’s last execution took place in 2005.
Jones admits raping and killing 35-year-old bookkeeper Mary Phillips and brutally attacking her then-11-year-old daughter, Lacey. Phillips was found strangled at her office and Lacey was so badly beaten that police officers thought she was dead. She awoke as an investigator was taking her crime-scene photo.
Now 25, Lacey Phillips told members of the state parole board last month that Jones doesn’t deserve another chance. He received a last-minute reprieve in 2007 as the U.S. Supreme Court considered the constitutionality of lethal injection in Kentucky.
Jones also was sentenced to life in prison for the 1991 murder of a Pennsylvania woman who was vacationing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Comments on: Federal judge stays inmate's execution
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sevele says... March 11, 2010 at 5:19 p.m.
Mary Phillips and her daughter Lacy did not have a voice on their "method of execution". Jack Jones is a monster who deserves justice.
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tubeampman1_hotmail.com says... March 11, 2010 at 6:20 p.m.
Cruel and unusual was the beating death of Mary Phillips and her daughter. Cruel and unusual is the continuance of this mans life since he was found to be guilty and given the death sentence....how many years ago....perhaps punishment should be doled out as the victim received, how could one argue the inhumane, cruel and unusual or any of the other million reasons murderers, etc try to use to save their own lives when they had no problem taken the lives of their victims in the same way....
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mikieboy says... March 11, 2010 at 8:19 p.m.
What STAY did the women that he killed get? He is worried about the lethal injection, in all honesty what RIGHTS should he have, what rights did she have? NONE! This man should die now
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soitgoes says... March 11, 2010 at 10:28 p.m.
If Lacey is now 25 he killed her mother 14 years ago in 1996. If Jones had gotten life in prison in 1991 why was he already out in 1996??! I'm liberal is most of my beliefs but the death sentence is the one place I'm not. I'm all for firing squads. That's cheap and effective
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Punkin00 says... March 16, 2010 at 7:26 a.m.
This man is gonna out live any friend or family member of the women he raped & killed. Once sentenced to death row you should only have the privilege of 30-days to get any personal affairs in order. Why should they get 3 FREE square meals a day, warm facilities to live in with more amenities that I have as a law abiding, tax paying citizen....The justice system SUCKS beyond recognition. Why are jails and prisons over crowded??? BECAUSE THOSE CRIMINALS HAVE MORE RIGHTS THAN THE PEOPLE THEY HARM !!!!! Put these people to death. An eye-for-an-eye like other countries do. Their prisons aren't over crowded. Gee, wonder why ??? Because they don't put their criminals first and the innocent victims last !!! This man needs to be put to death, whether it be by lethal injection, electrocution, hanging, drowning, or whatever other means there may be. His victims didn't survive his unmentional brutality? Why should he ?????????
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HB4 says... March 16, 2010 at 7:56 a.m.
Their prisons aren't crowded because they don't lock up drug addicts and petty dealers for 5 years to life.
This guy is absolute scum but every person deserves the benefit of utilizing our entire legal system. Even low life scum.
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lisajean1967 says... March 16, 2010 at 9:58 a.m.
The man admitted he raped and killed her and probably thought he had killed her child, too. Our legal system has flaws, this judge needs to get a backbone and ENFORCE the punishment Jones's has already been given. Who gave him (the judge) the right to second guess this? He is weak to this man's attorney for some reason.
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