Texas Execution Information Center

Execution Report: Randall Hafdahl

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A jury convicted Hafdahl of capital murder in April 1986 and sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed his conviction and sentence in June 1990. He was originally scheduled to be executed in July 1995, but received a stay. Four the next 4½ years, Hafdahl won various motions to keep his case open. In August 2000, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to hear his case. After briefing and oral argument, the Fifth Circuit denied his appeal in May 2001. Hafdahl did not win any proceedings in state or federal court after that.

Daniel Helgran received a sentence of one year's probation for failure to stop and render aid.

After Hafdahl's trial, Dr. Ralph Erdmann pleaded guilty to perjury and tampering with government records in other cases he testified in.

In an interview on death row, Hafdahl retold his account of the shooting. "I believed him to be a driver who was coming at me angry because I hit him with my car," he said. In another interview, he said,"I started to turn around, and I saw someone standing at the other end of the fence, but I couldn't hardly see him. ... There was a gun, I could see that real clear." Mitchell didn't say anything, Hafdahl said. "Now, I been shaken down by police officers plenty of times in my life, and they ever do something like that, they always tell me, 'Put your hands on your head. Get on the ground.' - something," Hafdahl said. "They don't just run up on you. And when he ran up on me ... I just spun around and clipped him down. It was just Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! And as he's falling, and he's going to the ground, I realized right then who he was." Hafdahl said he felt remorse for the killing since the night it happened. "I wish I could give the Mitchells back what they lost. I wish I could give Mitchell back what he lost, but I can't," he said.

At his execution, Hafdahl released a written last statement that criticized the law enforcement and prosecution officials involved in his case, by name. He accused them of planting evidence and lying at his trial in order to secure his conviction. The next part of his statement read, "And to the Mitchell family: I truely am sorry for the tragedy that took place on Nov 11, 85. Thats all I can give you. Thats all I will give you. Because today your making my family and loved ones a victim just as you have cried to the world you were in this tragedy. I did not deliberately shoot James Mitchell. I had no premeditation in my thoughts when I spun around and fired, no matter how many fantasy motives Clayton and Sherrod fabricated. So today my family becomes a victim. You know, the truth sets you free, and the truth is, if your loved one had acted with any professionalism at all, he would be alive today! And thats all I got to say about it."

Hafdahl also made an oral last statement, in which he expressed affection for his daughter. After telling her and other friends that he loved them, he lifted his head from the death chamber gurney and shouted into the microphone, "The road goes on forever and the party never ends." He screamed, his faced turning crimson. "Rock 'n Roll!" he shouted. After this, he regained his composure and the lethal injection was begun. "It's on the way. I can feel it. Take me home. We got a party to go to," Hafdahl said. His voice rose again and he shouted "Remember Wet Willie. Keep on smiling. Keep on smiling." His eyes closed and he began to snore. He took about eight breaths and then stopped. Eleven minutes later, he was pronounced dead at 6:48 p.m.

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By David Carson. Posted on 4 February 2002.
Sources: Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Attorney General's office, Associated Press, Amarillo Globe-News, Huntsville Item.

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