Execution Report: James Beathard

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A jury convicted James Beathard of the capital murder of Marcus Hathorn in March 1985 and sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed his conviction and sentence in March 1989. All of his subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.

Gene Hathorn Jr. was also convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. He has been on death row since 1985. His case was affirmed on direct appeal in October 1992. His habeas corpus appeals are still pending.

At his execution, Beathard began his lengthy last statement by expressing love to his family. He then spoke out against the ills of society. "My death is just a symptom of a bigger illness," he said. Beathard spoke against the U.S. government's sanctions against Iran, Iraq, and Cuba, and its destruction of the environment. He also praised the free press, saying, "one of the few ways in the world the truth is ever going to get out, or people are ever going to know what's happening, as long as we support a free press out there." Beathard then addressed Joe Price, the district attorney of Trinity County. "Gene Hathorn lied at my trial," he said. "Everybody knew it. I'm dying tonight based on testimony that all parties -- me, the man who gave the testimony, the prosecutor who used it -- knew it was a lie. ... I hope somebody makes Mr. Price account for or explain the tennis shoes he is talking about that put me here. I'm still completely lost on that and I'm hoping that somebody will go back and verify the trial record and make him accountable for lying to the public and the press that way." Beathard finished his last statement with some more loving remarks made to his family. The lethal injection was then administered, and he was pronounced dead at 6:21 p.m.

By David Carson. Posted on 4 September 2002. Minor edit made on 18 September 2002.
Sources: Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Attorney General's Office, Associated Press.