William Mize granted stay of execution from Ga. Supreme Court
April 28, 2009 at 3:35 pm by Thomas Wheatley in NewsAccording to a press release from the court:
The Supreme Court of Georgia today issued a stay of execution for William Mark Mize to give the trial court judge time to rule on Mize’s Extraordinary Motion for New Trial. Chief Judge Lawton Stephens of the Western Judicial Circuit on Monday denied Mize’s request for a hearing on the motion, but he did not rule on the motion itself. An appeal to the state’s highest court is therefore premature.
In today’s order, the Georgia Supreme Court states the stay will automatically expire 24 hours after the judge rules. Mize, 52, was due to be put to death tonight at 7:00 p.m. by lethal injection for the 1994 murder of Eddie Tucker in Oconee County.
Some background on Mize from the Athens Banner-Herald:
Mize, who led a small group authorities said was related to the Ku Klux Klan, was convicted in December 1995 of killing 34-year-old Eddie Tucker of Hull.
In October 1994, a few members of the group – and Tucker, who had filled out an application to join – went into the Northwestern Oconee County woods, supposedly to camp, after Tucker and another group member failed to follow Mize’s orders to burn down a purported crack house in Athens.
Mize killed Tucker with a shotgun blast, prosecutors said.
April 28th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Thomas, you’re just like all those stupid AJC reporters, rewriting press releases all day. :)
April 28th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I suggest all reporters volunteer for cloning research so we can do more with more of us.
April 28th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
The true murderer of Eddie Tucker, named Eric Hattrup, is also in prison and has repeatedly admitted and written affidavits that he and NOT Mark Mize killed the man. If Georgia kills this innocent man, he will be clear before the judgment bar of God, but those who Murder Mark will soon enough themselves be judged and be found guilty of murder before the Almighty God.
April 29th, 2009 at 1:37 am
You can very easily contact the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles by calling 1-800-GEORGIA or sending an email to them at Clemency_Information@pap.state.ga.us . Ask for clemency for Mark Mize.