Execution Report: Gayland Bradford

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A jury convicted Bradford of capital murder in February 1990 and sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned his conviction in June 1993, ruling that the trial court improperly denied psychiatric testimony obtained by Bradford's lawyers. He was given a new trial, and in May 1995, he was once again convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. In June 1997, the Court of Criminal Appeals abated Bradford's second death sentence, but it reinstated and affirmed it in February 1999. All of Bradford's subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.

Vandron Seymore was convicted of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and sentenced to 42 years in prison. He served 12 years, then was paroled in 2002. Public records do not show any criminal convictions for him since then.

Bradford's execution was attended by Williams' mother and brother. The only person attending on Bradford's behalf was his friend, Noel Martin. "Noel, I love you, man," Bradford said to him in his last statement. "You have been there for me, through thick and thin ... I am at peace. We have no more worries, just as I have no more worries. To the victim's family, may you be at peace, also." The lethal injection was then started. He was pronounced dead at 6:25 p.m.

By David Carson. Posted on 3 June 2011.
Sources: Texas Attorney General's office, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, court documents, Associated Press.