Jackson, Georgia – Willie James Pye, a man convicted of the horrific 1993 abduction, rape, and murder of his former girlfriend, met his fate through lethal injection at a prison in Jackson Wednesday night. This execution marks the first in the state since 2020, despite multiple legal challenges and a plea for clemency to spare Pye’s life on the grounds of his alleged intellectual disability and inadequate legal representation during his trial.
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to delay the execution, and the Georgia parole board denied the clemency plea just a day before Pye’s death. Pye, who was visited by family members, a clergy member, and an attorney on the day of his execution, offered a final prayer but declined to make a final statement.
Pye’s lawyers argued that his previous attorney, Johnny B. Mostiler, was incompetent and racist, highlighting Pye’s intellectual disability and asserting that he posed no threat while incarcerated. Despite Pye’s IQ of 70, the state proceeded with the execution, using the sedative pentobarbital for lethal injections.
The tragic events leading to Yarbrough’s death unfolded on a night in 1993 when Pye and two accomplices planned to rob her, eventually resulting in her abduction, rape, and murder. Pye’s claims during court hearings that Yarbrough had willingly engaged in a trade for cocaine were dismissed by judges due to unreliable witness testimonies.
Following a hiatus in executions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia resumed capital punishment, with Pye being one of 35 men and one woman currently on death row in the state. As the state grapples with the aftermath of Pye’s execution, questions surrounding the ethics of the death penalty and the adequacy of legal representation in capital cases persist.