Gregory Hunt is scheduled for execution on Tuesday in Alabama, nearly 37 years after he beat Karen Lane to death. Hunt, convicted of capital murder during sexual abuse and burglary in 1990, killed Lane, his girlfriend of about a month, in her Cordova apartment. She sustained over 60 injuries, including 20 to the head, as determined by an autopsy.
This execution will be Alabama’s sixth using nitrogen gas, a method that has sparked controversy; nitrogen has previously been used in five executions, with Hunt selecting this method before its official procedures were established. Alongside Alabama, executions are also set in Florida and South Carolina, while a judge in Oklahoma temporarily stayed one execution.
Hunt’s last plea for a stay revolves around alleged prosecutorial misconduct regarding claims of sexual abuse, which elevated his crime to a death penalty offense. He contends that a prosecutor’s statement about cervical evidence was false, given Lane’s prior hysterectomy. The Alabama attorney general dismissed his claims as meritless, asserting the prosecution’s alleged error did not undermine his conviction.
Hunt acknowledges killing Lane but denies sexually assaulting her. Reflecting on his past, he attributes the night of the crime to substance abuse and jealousy. He describes his prison experience as a transformative journey, claiming he’s changed and dedicating his time to leading Bible classes with fellow inmates, encouraging them to embrace love over hate.
Lane’s family has refrained from direct comments, with Lane’s sister recalling the brutality of the murder in past statements. The attorney general emphasized the prolonged period Hunt has spent on death row, which surpasses Lane’s life.
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