The Final Moment
Alabama put a man to death. Jeffery Lee, 49, died for a double murder that happened 27 years ago. The execution took place at 6:22 p.m. at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility. Authorities confirmed the time of death. This was the second execution in the state this year. Twenty-seven people have been put to death across the US so far.
Lee was convicted for killing two people during a robbery. The crime happened on Dec. 12, 1998, at Jimmy’s Pawn Shop in Orrville. Jimmy Ellis, the store owner, and Elaine Thompson, an employee, were shot dead. Another worker survived by playing dead. Lee returned to the shop with a sawed-off shotgun after asking to see rings. He shot all three people before leaving.
Lee spoke his last words just before the injection started. He said, “All is well. I just want to say to my family, I love them. According to the New York Post, “I love them, to my brothers on life row. As the drugs entered his system, he clenched his fists. His spiritual adviser held his feet and prayed. Lee closed his eyes and did not open them again.
A Shift in Method
This execution came three months after a major legal change. A judge had blocked the state from using nitrogen gas on Lee. The state planned to use gas on June 11, but the US Supreme Court let the block stand. Lee’s team argued the switch in methods was illegal. The Supreme Court denied their request to stop the lethal injection on Thursday.
Alabama officials moved quickly after the gas ruling failed. The Alabama attorney general’s office filed paperwork to set a new date on June 12. They chose lethal injection as the new method. The state began using nitrogen gas in 2024. This change allowed them to proceed with the chemical injection plan.
Official Responses
State leaders said the sentence was carried out as promised. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall spoke Thursday evening. He said, “In June, after Mr. Lee attempted to avoid his deserved death sentence, I reaffirmed my commitment that justice would ultimately be served,” per the New York Post. He noted that for the victims, Jimmy Ellis and Elaine Thompson, plus their long-waiting families, the pledge was realized tonight regarding the execution of his sentence.
Gov. Kay Ivey also released a statement supporting the execution. She noted the victims had waited a long time for this moment. Lee’s attorneys had asked for clemency. They pointed out that the jury originally voted 7-5 to recommend life in prison. A judge overrode that vote and sentenced Lee to death.
Legal Questions Remain
Lee was one of about two dozen people on Alabama’s death row who got the death penalty despite a jury asking for life. His lawyers argued the state should not be allowed to change how he died. They also noted the judge’s override power was based on an old law.
