Anthony Boyd has been on death row for around 30 years after Gregory Huguley was burned alive over a $200 (£150) drug debt in Talladega County, which is part of Alabama
A death row inmate set to die this week has begged the state’s governor to meet with him “before an innocent man is executed.”
Anthony Boyd has, for more than three decades, maintained his innocence over the death of Gregory Huguley despite being convicted of capital murder. He has been on death row in Alabama since then and now, hours before he is set to be executed by nitrogen gas, Boyd, 53, has pleaded authorities change their mind.
In a recorded message played at a news conference in Alabama today, Boyd said: “Before an innocent man is executed, come sit down with me and have a conversation with the guy you deemed one of the worst of the worst.” Boyd wants to meet Kay Ivey, the Republican govorner of the state.
The inmate added if Gov Ivey feels he is being deceptive or evasive during that meeting, “then please carry out the sentence.” But he went on: “If not, then I ask you to stay this execution, to stop this execution to have my case fully and fairly investigated.”
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Boyd was convicted of the 1993 murder of Mr Huguley, who was burned alive over a $200 (£150) drug debt in Talladega County, Alabama. The man’s body was found in a recreation ground in a rural area in August of that year. Prosecutors say Boyd was one of four young men who kidnapped Mr Huguley the prior evening.
And, despite Boyd’s pleas, authorities in the county remain confident he killed the man. Mike Lewis, a spokesman for Gov Ivey, said all cases are reviewed before execution dates are scheduled. He added: “At this point, however, we have not seen any recent court filings disputing Mr Boyd’s guilt in the horrific, burning-alive murder of Gregory Huguley. Nor have we received a clemency submission to such an effect.”
Boyd’s case was described as “especially unworkable” by the Republican’s team today. The 81-year-old politician has only halted one execution since she took office in 2017. There have been appeals by others on death row in Alabama, including that of Geoffrey Todd West who killed a woman during a petrol station robbery in 1997.
And Shawn Ingram, the man prosecutors accused of pouring the gasoline and then setting Mr Huguley on fire in this case, was also convicted of capital murder and is on Alabama’s death row too.
Alabama last year began using nitrogen gas to carry out some executions. Boyd’s attorneys have urged the federal courts to halt the execution to scrutinise the new method.