A Georgia man convicted three decades ago for the murder of his former girlfriend was executed on Wednesday evening, marking the state’s first execution in over four years. Willie James Pye, 59, received a lethal injection of pentobarbital and was pronounced dead at 11:03 p.m. at the state prison in Jackson. Pye was convicted for his involvement in the November 1993 abduction, rape, and fatal shooting of Alicia Lynn Yarbrough.
Prior to his execution, Pye was offered the opportunity to deliver any final words but declined. However, he accepted a brief prayer offered by a member of the clergy. As the sedative took effect, Pye exhibited minimal movement before ultimately becoming motionless. The time of death was officially announced by the warden.
Despite last-minute appeals filed by Pye’s legal team urging intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court, the justices unanimously declined to halt the execution. The defense had raised concerns regarding the state’s adherence to post-COVID-19 execution protocols and asserted Pye’s ineligibility due to intellectual disability. State rebuttals maintained that these claims had been previously addressed and dismissed by the courts. Georgia’s last execution occurred in January 2020 before the onset of the pandemic.
The tragic events leading to Yarbrough’s death unfolded during an attempted robbery orchestrated by Pye, Chester Adams, and a 15-year-old accomplice. The trio targeted Yarbrough’s residence while she was home alone with her infant child, robbing her and subjecting her to sexual assault before ultimately fatally shooting her.
Following his arrest, Pye stood trial in June 1996, where he was found guilty on multiple charges including murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape, and burglary. His legal team contended that key testimonies, notably from the teenager involved, were inconsistent, and alleged that Pye’s impoverished upbringing and history of abuse were not adequately considered during sentencing.
Despite ongoing legal challenges seeking resentencing, including claims of inadequate legal representation during the trial’s sentencing phase, Pye’s appeals were ultimately unsuccessful. His co-defendant, Chester Adams, pleaded guilty in 1997 and received multiple life sentences.
Pye’s execution marks the 54th lethal injection administered in Georgia since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. Presently, 35 men and one woman await execution on death row in the state.
(AP)
