Execution Report: Jackie Wilson

Continued from Page 1

A jury convicted Wilson of capital murder in September 1989 and sentenced him to death. In 1993, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals reversed the guilty verdict because of an error in jury selection. Wilson was convicted by a new jury in June 1994 and sentenced to death again. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed this conviction and sentence in February 1997. All of his subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.

In prison, Wilson caused numerous discipline problems, and required extra-restrictive security measures. He once injured another inmate by stabbing him several times with a wooden shank.

Wilson never admitted to being Maggie's murderer, although he did not dispute the evidence against him. In his appeals, his lawyers asserted that the state did not prove that Wilson was the only participant in the crime.

"Thank you for being there for me," Wilson said to his relatives at his execution, "and all these people here will find the one who did this damn crime. I am going home to be with God." When Wilson finished his last statement, the lethal injection was started. He was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m.

By David Carson. Posted on 8 May 2006. Minor style edits made on 28 July 2014.
Sources: Texas Attorney General's office, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Associated Press.