Tony Carruthers: Tennessee death row case—granted a one-year stay after reportedly acting as his own counsel in a high-profile appeal. Notable biographic snippet: long legal saga tied to capital punishment proceedings in Tennessee.
Leroy Dean McGill has been executed by lethal injection in Florence, Arizona, for the July 2002 arson murder of Charles Perez and the attack on his girlfriend Nova Banta. McGill’s last meal included onion rings, bread and butter, chocolate cake and a green salad, and he has told witnesses, “I’m going home soon.” Three more executions are planned this week in Tennessee, Florida.
The Independent reports that Tony Carruthers has received a one-year reprieve from execution after his botched injection, amid questions over lethal injection drugs, DNA testing, and his mental competence. The AP and The Independent corroborate that Carruthers, 57, was convicted in 1994 for kidnappings and murders and was forced to represent himself at trial.