James Neil Tucker SC RIP

[scburr88]

I am very sadened by what has happened today in the state where I reside.
I pray that Mr. Tucker is at peace as I pray the victims family are also.

This following is the the posting from www.wistv.com following the electrocution this evening at 6 P.M. in Columbia SC.

SC man convicted of two '92 murders executed in electric chair



(Columbia-AP) May 28, 2004 - James Neil Tucker has been put to death in the electric chair for killing two Midlands women in robberies during the summer of 1992.

In his final statement, Tucker expressed remorse. He said he offers his deepest apologies and regret to those he hurt. He also said he was ashamed.

Corrections officials say the 47-year-old prisoner was pronounced dead at 6:11pm.

Tucker was the first inmate in the nation to be electrocuted in more than a year and the first to go to the electric chair in South Carolina since 1996. South Carolina built the chair in 1912 when it authorized electrocution.
He was the first electrocuted in South Carolina since Larry Gene Bell chose the method in 1996. Tucker did not make a decision on whether to die by lethal injection or electrocution, so state law says he goes to the electric chair by default. Tucker's reasons are not known.

Under South Carolina law, any inmate sent to death row before June 1995 can ask to die by lethal injection. But, if no decision is made, the condemned goes to the electric chair. Inmates executed after June 1995 are put to death by lethal injection unless they choose electrocution. Tucker was given the death sentence in 1992.

South Carolina is one of only 10 states that still uses the chair.

Tucker's lawyer, Teresa Norris, says Tucker decided a month ago to drop an appeal claiming dying by electrocution is cruel and unusual punishment. He had no appeals pending and hadn't asked the governor for clemency.

The state put him to death for shooting Rosa Lee "Dolly" Oakley and taking $14 from her at her Sumter County home in 1992. Tucker also killed Shannon Mellon and took $20 from her a week later.

James Neil Tucker said in his confession that he killed and robbed two Midlands women in 1992 because he needed money to take care of his pregnant wife.

During the death penalty trial in 1992 Tucker talked about shooting Mellon, "The second and third time I shot her for the same reasons that I shot Mrs. Oakley the second time." He said those shots were to put his victims out of their misery, "I was simply thinking that I don't like to see anyone or anything suffer. I'm not a sadist. I don't get pleasure from someone's pain."

The prosecutor in one of James Neil Tucker's death penalty trials calls him a cold and calculated killer. Prosecutor Walter Bailey says Tucker's confession is chilling, since he describes the killing just like any other day in his life.

One of his defense lawyers says that's close to the truth. Orangeburg lawyer Jay Jackson says Tucker was only concerned with himself. Jackson defended Tucker in the Calhoun County case.

Death penalty opponent David Bruck says at the time, Larry Gene Bell was psychotic, "He believed he was like Jesus and was going to go straight to heaven because he was being killed on a chair of oak that was like the cross."

The debate continues and not just about the method of execution, but for Bruck it's the death penalty altogether, "We shouldn't delude ourselves into thinking there's a humane way to kill somebody by the clock."

Attorny General Henry McMaster has a different view, "What these murderers are getting is a lot more humane than what they gave their victims. Their innocent victims didn't have any choice at all about what was going to happen to them and how or when they were going to die."

South Carolina's last 22 inmates executed have chosen lethal injection. Tucker was the 247th inmate put to death in South Carolina's electric chair. Tucker was the fourth person executed in South Carolina this year.

Reported by: Catherine Reynolds
Updated 6:37 PM by Brett Witt

[Kyla]

One of his defense lawyers says that's close to the truth. Orangeburg lawyer Jay Jackson says Tucker was only concerned with himself. Jackson defended Tucker in the Calhoun County case.

That alone is extremely bad defense. Mr. Tucker didnt stand a chance, when his own attorneys agreed with the prosecution. This is a great injustice, and SHOULD of been used in a error with his appeals.


Attorny General Henry McMaster has a different view, "What these murderers are getting is a lot more humane than what they gave their victims. Their innocent victims didn't have any choice at all about what was going to happen to them and how or when they were going to die."

I would like to say, to Attorney General Henry McMaster THAT murder is murder, no matter who commits it. How can he make a decision like this? Death by electrocution is the worst in the cruel and unusual punishment. Furman won that to put a moretorium on the death penalty in GA in the 70s. Murder is WRONG... it doesnt matter if its in the states hand or the person committing the murder. "THIS STATEMENT IS WRONG"

May James Neil Tucker Rest in peace, from this cruel world that we live in.

[scburr88]

Yes Kyla I agree there was very poor defence evident in Mr. Tuckers trial. He did testify himself and admitted to the killings and it was from this testimony that people formulated their opinion. I did see excerpts in the news and he spoke in a very direct unemotional manner which appeared very cold and calculating on the surface. This is in start contraxt to his presention at his execution of apologizing being remorceful and ashamed.

As far as Attorney General McMasters he unfortunately is expressing the opinion of the majority of the population of South Carolina. He is of course wrong and misguided in the fact that the use of the electric chair is more humane than the victims fate it is a gruesome death but then again all methods of execution are equally qruesome and barbaric lethal injection may be more esthetically acceptable but isn't any more than humane than any other method.
I did find out today that Mr Tucker would not choose the manner in which he was to be executed because he felt that if he made the choice he would be condoning his own death.

[J.J]

I hope Mr Tucker is in peace now. I don't understand how anyone can be put to death in a "humane" way. That's the delusion that these people use to justify their acts of murder. You're right Kyla - it is a sad, sick world.

[rosita]

Sad sad...... and no end in sight for this the cruelest of punishments. May Mr. Tucker rest in peace. I am thinking of his family.........