Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 12, 2006 20:29:02 GMT -5
Cocaine addict executed for 1991 Houston slaying
Associated Press
--> HUNTSVILLE —
Condemned prisoner Farley Charles Matchett was executed today for killing his uncle 15 years ago as part of a three-day violence spree that also left a woman dead and another seriously injured.
In a brief final statement, Matchett expressed love to his family "for standing with me throughout this situation. Stay strong and know I am in a better place. I ask for forgiveness."
He also asked the victim's family to "find peace in your heart" with his death and to move on.
Matchett said a short prayer and then thanked his friends and pen pals just before the lethal drugs began to take effect. "Don't let this be the end. Keep on going," he said. Seven minutes later at 6:16 p.m., he was pronounced dead.
Matchett, 43, pleaded guilty to capital murder and a Harris County jury decided he should die for the fatal stabbing and beating of his 52-year-old uncle in Houston, Uries Anderson.
The execution was the 21st this year in Texas, the nation's busiest capital punishment state.
About an hour before the lethal injection, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal to halt the execution.
At the time of his trial in 1993, Matchett, who lived in Huntsville and who had as much as a $600-a-day crack cocaine habit, had pleaded guilty to murder and took a life sentence for killing Melonee Josey, a 74-year-old woman in Huntsville who refused his request for $10. He also agreed to a 99-year sentence for beating 91-year-old Ola Mac Williams of Huntsville, who was left with brain damage. The weapon in both those attacks was a hammer.
Evidence showed he stole Josey's car and drove to Houston, where an argument over his continued drug use led to a fight and Anderson's slaying.
All three attacks occurred the same week in July 1991.
Matchett said he ignorantly pleaded guilty to the Anderson slaying at the advice of his trial lawyer, who argued Matchett should received a life prison term.
"He set me up to get the death sentence," the inmate said on a Web site devoted to his case.
"You're so used to going forward on death penalty cases, anticipating a plea of not guilty," recalled Donna Goode, the Harris County assistant district attorney who was prosecuting Matchett. "It kind of caught everybody off guard."
But she said she had a "good jury and a strong case" that produced the death sentence.
"It's sad for the family and the victims," she said. "They're the ones who call me and it reminds me that their pain is still there. It's justice denied."
"He's definitely caused pain in my life and throughout the lives of my family members," Uries Anderson Jr., who lost his father, told the Houston Chronicle from Norfolk, Va., where he is a Navy officer. "Will death suffice for his punishment? Maybe. Maybe not. I think it's up to the higher being. Let him decide."
A witness at the punishment phase of his trial testified he saw Matchett buy or smoke about $1,000 worth of crack cocaine in the days immediately after Anderson was killed.
With a history of violence culminating with the spree, the jury that heard the guilty plea deliberated only about two hours before returning a death sentence.
On his Web site, Matchett contended the slaying was in self-defense, that in the fight his uncle grabbed a knife but that he was able to push it back toward him.
"It lodged in his chest and he immediately fell," Matchett said.
An autopsy showed Anderson died of stab wounds to the back, not chest, and a skull fracture caused by blows from a hammer.
Matchett said he called paramedics to help his uncle. Prosecutors said a call never was made. Anderson's body was discovered by a relative two days later.
Matchett was arrested the next day after he tried to cash a $500 check written on Anderson's account. He was carrying a pad of Anderson's blank checks.
At the time of his arrest, Matchett was on probation for theft and was facing charges of check forgery, of assaulting a 14-year-old boy with a television cable and of biting a police officer in Madisonville.
Other evidence showed he had repeated arrests for theft, drug offenses and forgery and was booted from the military for misconduct.
www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4182021.html
Associated Press
--> HUNTSVILLE —
Condemned prisoner Farley Charles Matchett was executed today for killing his uncle 15 years ago as part of a three-day violence spree that also left a woman dead and another seriously injured.
In a brief final statement, Matchett expressed love to his family "for standing with me throughout this situation. Stay strong and know I am in a better place. I ask for forgiveness."
He also asked the victim's family to "find peace in your heart" with his death and to move on.
Matchett said a short prayer and then thanked his friends and pen pals just before the lethal drugs began to take effect. "Don't let this be the end. Keep on going," he said. Seven minutes later at 6:16 p.m., he was pronounced dead.
Matchett, 43, pleaded guilty to capital murder and a Harris County jury decided he should die for the fatal stabbing and beating of his 52-year-old uncle in Houston, Uries Anderson.
The execution was the 21st this year in Texas, the nation's busiest capital punishment state.
About an hour before the lethal injection, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal to halt the execution.
At the time of his trial in 1993, Matchett, who lived in Huntsville and who had as much as a $600-a-day crack cocaine habit, had pleaded guilty to murder and took a life sentence for killing Melonee Josey, a 74-year-old woman in Huntsville who refused his request for $10. He also agreed to a 99-year sentence for beating 91-year-old Ola Mac Williams of Huntsville, who was left with brain damage. The weapon in both those attacks was a hammer.
Evidence showed he stole Josey's car and drove to Houston, where an argument over his continued drug use led to a fight and Anderson's slaying.
All three attacks occurred the same week in July 1991.
Matchett said he ignorantly pleaded guilty to the Anderson slaying at the advice of his trial lawyer, who argued Matchett should received a life prison term.
"He set me up to get the death sentence," the inmate said on a Web site devoted to his case.
"You're so used to going forward on death penalty cases, anticipating a plea of not guilty," recalled Donna Goode, the Harris County assistant district attorney who was prosecuting Matchett. "It kind of caught everybody off guard."
But she said she had a "good jury and a strong case" that produced the death sentence.
"It's sad for the family and the victims," she said. "They're the ones who call me and it reminds me that their pain is still there. It's justice denied."
"He's definitely caused pain in my life and throughout the lives of my family members," Uries Anderson Jr., who lost his father, told the Houston Chronicle from Norfolk, Va., where he is a Navy officer. "Will death suffice for his punishment? Maybe. Maybe not. I think it's up to the higher being. Let him decide."
A witness at the punishment phase of his trial testified he saw Matchett buy or smoke about $1,000 worth of crack cocaine in the days immediately after Anderson was killed.
With a history of violence culminating with the spree, the jury that heard the guilty plea deliberated only about two hours before returning a death sentence.
On his Web site, Matchett contended the slaying was in self-defense, that in the fight his uncle grabbed a knife but that he was able to push it back toward him.
"It lodged in his chest and he immediately fell," Matchett said.
An autopsy showed Anderson died of stab wounds to the back, not chest, and a skull fracture caused by blows from a hammer.
Matchett said he called paramedics to help his uncle. Prosecutors said a call never was made. Anderson's body was discovered by a relative two days later.
Matchett was arrested the next day after he tried to cash a $500 check written on Anderson's account. He was carrying a pad of Anderson's blank checks.
At the time of his arrest, Matchett was on probation for theft and was facing charges of check forgery, of assaulting a 14-year-old boy with a television cable and of biting a police officer in Madisonville.
Other evidence showed he had repeated arrests for theft, drug offenses and forgery and was booted from the military for misconduct.
www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4182021.html