Curtis Osborne
BornMarch 1970 (1970-03)
Spalding County, Georgia, U.S.
DiedJune 4, 2008(2008-06-04) (aged 38)
Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison, Jackson, Georgia, U.S.
Cause of deathExecution by lethal injection
Criminal statusExecuted
Conviction(s)Malice murder (two counts)
Criminal penaltyDeath (August 15, 1991)
Details
VictimsArthur Lee Jones
Linda Lisa Seaborne
DateAugust 7, 1990

Curtis Osborne (March 1970 – June 4, 2008)[1][2] was an American convicted murderer on death row in Georgia from Spalding County.[3] He murdered Arthur Lee Jones and Linda Lisa Seaborne in 1990 to avoid paying a $400 debt.[3] Johnny Mostiler, his court-appointed attorney, allegedly neglected to inform Osborne that the prosecutor had offered him a life sentence in exchange for a plea bargain, declaring "That little nigger deserves the death penalty."[4][5][6][7] Osborne's case for clemency was championed by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former Deputy U.S. Attorney General Larry Thompson, who wrote letters to the clemency board pleading for mercy.[8] Former U.S. Attorney General Griffin Bell also spoke on his behalf.[8] His execution was carried out despite these appeals.[9][10]

Murders

On August 7, 1990, the bodies of Arthur Lee Jones and Linda Lisa Seaborne were found in an abandoned car on a dirt road in Spalding County, Georgia. Both victims had been shot in the head, with Jones sustaining a gunshot wound just below his left eye and Seaborne sustaining a gunshot wound to her neck. Three weeks before the murders, Jones had asked Osborne, his sister's boyfriend, to help him sell a motorcycle. Osborne had sold the motorcycle for USD 400 and kept the money. Osborne was interviewed by authorities and eventually admitted to the crime. He claimed, however, that Jones had reached towards the floor for a weapon, and he had acted in self-defense. However, evidence from the crime scene showed Jones had been sitting upright when Osborne shot him and that the gun was only an inch away from his skull.[11] Osborne's mother later testified that her husband's .357 Ruger was missing, a gun which was already suspected as the murder weapon. The gun was never recovered.[12][13]

Trial

In October 1990, Osborne was indicted on two counts of malice murder and two counts of felony murder.[13] Prosecutors alleged Osborne murdered Jones after he was confronted about the money from the motorcycle sale. Jones had demanded Osborne give him the USD 400, and Osborne had killed him in retaliation, as well as Seaborne because she was a witness.[8] On August 14, 1991, a jury found Osborne guilty, and he was sentenced to death the following day.[12]

Execution

On June 4, 2008, Osborne was executed via lethal injection. He refused any special last meal and made no final statement.[14] He had initially been scheduled for execution at around 7:00 p.m., however, the execution was delayed when the executioners took over thirty-five minutes to find a suitable vein they could use to administer the lethal drugs.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Inmates Under Death Sentence January 1, 2008" (PDF). Georgia Department of Corrections. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Curtis Osborne #1103". Clark County Prosecutor. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Execution set for double murderer". United Press International. 2008-05-27.
  4. ↑ Berlow, Alan (2008-06-03). "Lose That Lawyer: Do defendants in Georgia have any right at all to competent representation?". Slate.
  5. ↑ Sessions, William S. (2008-06-03). "Death Penalty: Osborne sentence a stain on justice". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
  6. ↑ Von Drehle, David (2008-06-02). "If Your Lawyer Wants You Executed". Time.
  7. ↑ Cook, Rhonda (2008-06-03). "Execution set for today, despite questionable defense". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Georgia murderer executed". United Press International. 2008-06-04.
  9. ↑ "Georgia puts double murderer to death; 2nd execution for the state within the last month". Associated Press. 2008-06-04. Archived from the original on June 9, 2008.
  10. ↑ Cook, Rhonda (2008-06-05). "Executioners had trouble putting murderer to death: For 35 minutes, they couldn't find good vein for lethal injection". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Osborne v. State". Justia. June 21, 1993. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Execution Date Set for Curtis Osborne in Spalding County Double Murder". law.georgia.gov. May 27, 2008. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Osborne v. Terry". FindLaw. October 16, 2006. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Georgia executes man who killed 2 in 1990". AccessWDUN. June 4, 2008. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
Preceded by
Kevin Green		 People executed in US after Baze v. Rees ruling Succeeded by
David Mark Hill
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