Execution Report: Clyde Smith

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A jury convicted Smith of capital murder of David Jacobs in December 1993 and sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence in April 1996.

In 2004, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard Smith's claim that he was denied effective assistance of counsel because the jury was not presented evidence of him being abused as a child - evidence which his appeals lawyer claimed was possibly mitigating and could have resulted in a lesser penalty. The Fifth Circuit denied this claim. All of Smith's other appeals were also denied.

In an interview from death row, Smith maintained his stance that he didn't kill the men. "I realize how bad that looked, because the two were so similar," he said of the crimes. "But at the same time, I still maintain I didn't kill those persons ... I wasn't there when [Jacobs] was killed. I got there afterward."

"Things always went wrong when I was associated with people," Smith said. "I never said I should get off scot-free, but I don't feel like the part I played in it should've led to me being on death row."

Smith's execution was attended by his lawyer and by four pen pals from Europe. "I want to thank you all for being here and for your love and support," he said in his last statement. He did not acknowledge Victor Bilton's family, who also witnessed the execution. David Jacobs' family did not attend. When Smith's last statement was finished, the lethal injection was started. He was pronounced dead at 6:17 p.m.

By David Carson. Posted on 17 February 2006.
Sources: Texas Attorney General's office, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Associated Press.