Lethal Injection Scheduled After First-in-Nation Nitrogen Gas Execution
Alabama is scheduled to execute Jamie Ray Mills on Thursday evening for the 2004 murders of an elderly couple. This will be the state’s second execution in 2024, following the nation’s first-ever execution using nitrogen gas in January. Lethal injection remains the primary method of execution in Alabama, with nitrogen gas available only upon request by the condemned inmate.
Brutal Crimes and Claims of Innocence
Mills, 50 years old, stands accused of bludgeoning Floyd Hill, 87, and his wife Vera, 72, to death in their Guin, Alabama home. Prosecutors allege Mills and his wife sought prescription drugs and a small amount of cash, leading to the brutal attack with a hammer, tire tool, and machete. Mills maintains his innocence despite his conviction in 2007.
Legal Appeals and Arguments
Mills’ attorneys have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in his execution. The defense argues that newly discovered evidence reveals the prosecution misled the court, claiming they had a plea deal with Mills’ wife in exchange for her testimony against him. The Alabama Attorney General’s office refutes these claims and maintains Mills’ guilt is undeniable.
Details of the Murders and Investigation
Floyd Hill, the primary caregiver for his diabetic wife Vera, kept their medications in a tackle box. The couple, known for holding yard sales, were discovered by their concerned granddaughter who could not reach them by phone. Responding officers found the couple deceased in a pool of blood within their backyard storage shed. Floyd Hill succumbed to blunt force trauma, while Vera Hill passed away weeks later due to complications from head injuries sustained in the attack. Unable to speak after the assault, Vera reportedly only managed to call out for her husband.
Key Witness and Upcoming Execution
JoAnn Mills, the common-law wife of Jamie Mills, served as the prosecution’s star witness. She testified about drug use on the night of the murders and her husband’s plan to obtain money. Her statement detailed witnessing the attack on the elderly couple within the backyard shed. The scheduled execution on Thursday will mark the culmination of a lengthy legal battle, with Mills’ fate resting in the hands of the justice system.
