Death row inmate shares bold four-word claim seconds before execution
Oscar Smith was executed by lethal injection on Thursday morning for the 1989 murders of his ex-wife, Judith Smith, and her sons, Jason and Chad Burnett, and he had some bold final words.
Smith was convicted of fatally stabbing and shooting Judith Smith, 13-year-old Jason Burnett and 16-year-old Chad Burnett at their Nashville, Tennessee, home on October 1, 1989. He was sentenced to death by a Davidson County jury in July 1990 for the murders.
Two of Smith's co-workers testified at trial that he had solicited them to kill Judith Smith, and he had a history of threats and violence against her and the boys. Smith had also taken out insurance policies on all three victims. And one of the child victims could be heard yelling what prosecutors said was, 'Frank, no!' in the background of a 911 call on the night of the murder. Frank is Smith's middle name and the one that he used regularly.
Despite the overwhelming evidence the former machinist never wavered in his claims of innocence.
In an extensive last statement, he condemned the justice system, claiming it "doesn't work." Regarding the Tennessee Govenor Bill Lee, Smith said: "He has the last word and is the last person who can give justice where justice is needed." He noted that others are awaiting their fate in prison, stating, "I'm not the first, and I'm not going to be the last.
The Tennessee prisoner, 75, was secured to a gurney with an IV in his arm connected to a tube leading to another room. But, moments before his death his speech grew strained while talking to his spiritual adviser, with witnesses hearing him assert: "I didn't kill her." Throughout, he remained composed and showed no signs of struggle as his breathing stopped. He was declared dead at 10:47am local time following the lethal injection of the barbiturate pentobarbital.
This execution was notable as it was the first instance in Tennessee where a spiritual adviser was permitted inside the chamber. She offered prayers and solace to Smith, even singing "I'll Fly Away" at one point.
Over the years, he's had multiple execution dates that were rescheduled because of COVID-19 and moratoriums to review the state's lethal injection process.
Judy's sister Terri said: 'The pain of losing Judy, Chad, and Jason is something that we will continue to carry. It's not a moment that goes by that we don't miss them. I miss the sound of Judy's voice — I know my brother does as well — on the other end of the phone. We miss the excitement of planning Chad's driving lessons, and we miss the pure joy of hearing Jason's laughter. These are memories and wounds that will never fully heal.'
Despite some fresh evidence in 2022 suggesting the DNA of an unknown individual on one of the murder weapons, a Davidson County Criminal Court judge dismissed appeals to revisit his case. The judge's ruling stated that the proof of Smith's guilt was incontrovertible and that the new DNA findings didn't alter the situation in his favour.
At the trial, two of Smith's colleagues testified that he had tried to hire them to murder Judith Smith, and there was evidence of his previous threats and violence towards her and the boys. Smith had also taken out insurance policies on all three victims.
Moreover, during a 911 call made on the night of the murders, one of the young victims can be heard shouting what prosecutors claimed was, "Frank, no!" Frank is Smith's middle name, which he commonly used.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Tragic update after thug poured scalding hot coffee on helpless baby and fled
WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT: Nine-month-old Luka was horrifically burned by a stranger during a picnic with his mum and friends. His attacker might never face justice A heartless man who threw boiling hot coffee on a nine-month-old baby is still on the run and may never face justice, an ex-officer has warned. Nine-month-old Luka was horrifically burned by a stranger during a picnic in Brisbane's Hanlon Park on August 27, 2024. The attacker, unknown to the group, cruelly poured a Thermos over the helpless tot and fled. The baby is still undergoing regular surgery on his painful burns nearly a year after the incident. Pictures taken just seconds before show the youngster happily enjoying the picnic and playing with a toy truck, while chilling images taken afterwards show him swaddled in bandages and crying in pain. His mum says she was left traumatised by the incident, saying "I couldn't protect him". The attacker, a 33-year-old-male, fled Australia and is believed to have returned to China. However, he is protected from extradition under Chinese law. Australian authorities, who have been pushing China to return the man for prosecution, say they are being ignored and their requests are constantly rejected. It comes as police insist they are "working hard" to try and find the attacker nearly a year later. Former Australian Federal Police officer Dr David Craig has urged China to take the attack "seriously" and renewed calls for the suspect to be extradited. He told local media: "The problem is how seriously China is going to take it. China can actually agree to extradite one of its citizens back to Australia. However, it has a mechanism where it can refuse to do so and that's what it's using." The former cop believes the best chance of justice maybe for the man to be prosecuted under domestic law in China. "There are comparable laws, and China should be able to do that,' he said. "If I were a Chinese-Australian, I would be embarrassed by this - that the Chinese government seems to think it's acceptable for a person to throw hot water on a baby, flee the country, and not face any justice." Dr Craig admits the man would have been prosecuted in Australia had the crime been committed in China. "That should happen over there in China," he added. "We have a criminal prima facie case against this person for a horrible assault causing permanent damage on an Australian citizen. The Chinese government can prosecute him under domestic law in China." He believes the random attack and the lack of justice is something Australians "cannot accept." "'It's not the sort of justice we accept. And I would hope that the Chinese government would feel some embarrassment, or some need, to actually see justice is served," Dr Smith added. An "acceptable" alternative would be for Beijing authorities to prosecute the suspect in China. "That way they're not causing any diplomatic issues," Dr Smith said. "There are comparable laws in China for assaulting minors, which is what this person allegedly did. So, prosecuting him in China would be a satisfactory outcome. 'To have no outcome is not acceptable." Recalling the horrific incident, friends of Luca's mum said she yelled "my baby, my baby", describing the incident as a "callous, random attack" on a baby who "does not deserve this pain and suffering". Reliving her ordeal, the mother told Nine News: "I'm just having flashbacks all the time about what happened and I wish that he had poured the coffee over me. I don't know who would think it is okay to harm a little, innocent baby."
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
DWP confirms when it will start taking payments straight from bank accounts
The new Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill will be introduced from April 2026 and will give the Government power to recover money straight from bank accounts The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed when a major crackdown on benefit cheats will come into force. The new Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill will be introduced from April 2026 and will give the Government power to recover money straight from bank accounts of those who have committed benefit fraud. The DWP will be able to request bank statements of those who are under investigation, but it will not have direct access to bank accounts. There will be new requirements for banks and building societies to flag where there is a potential breach of eligibility rules for benefits. The DWP will also be able to apply to the court to ban people from driving for up to two years. It is hoped the new powers will save taxpayers £1.5billion over five years. The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill forms part of wider government plans to save a total of £8.6billion. An estimated £7.4billion was lost to benefit fraud last year. Other measures include DWP organised crime investigators being allowed to apply to for search warrants to seize evidence against fraudsters, including computers and smartphones. The time limit for civil claims against Covid fraud will also be doubled from six to twelve years. DWP minister Liz Kendall said back in March: "The social security system that we inherited from the Conservatives is failing the very people that it is supposed to help and is holding our country back. "The facts speak for themselves. One in 10 people of working age are now claiming a sickness or disability benefit. Almost one million young people are not in education, employment or training - one in eight of all our young people." In more DWP news, pensioners have been told they have until September 15 to opt out of the Winter Fuel Payment worth up to £300. Winter Fuel Payments are being paid this year to pensioners who were born before September 22, 1959 - but if you earn over £35,000 a year, then your Winter Fuel Payment will be automatically recovered by HMRC. This will be done through PAYE, or through self-assessment return. If you earn over £35,000, then there is an option to opt out of getting your Winter Fuel Payment. You can do this by filling out a form on or by contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre by post or telephone. The income eligibility is based per person. You can check if your Winter Fuel Payment will be clawed back by HMRC on this page.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
Qantas fined over £43 million for illegally sacking 1,800 workers during Covid pandemic
A judge on Monday fined Qantas Airways 90 million Australian dollars ($59m or £43m) for illegally firing more than 1,800 ground staff at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The penalty is in addition to the AU$120m ($78m) in compensation that Australia's biggest airline had already agreed to pay its former employees. Australian Federal Court Justice Michael Lee said the outsourcing of 1,820 baggage handler and cleaner jobs at Australian airports in late 2020 was the 'largest and most significant contravention' of relevant Australian labour laws in their 120-year history. Qantas agreed in December last year to pay AU$120m ($78m) in compensation to former staff after seven High Court judges unanimously rejected the Sydney -based airline's appeal against the judgment that outsourcing their jobs was illegal. The Transport Workers Union, which took the airline to court, had argued the airline should receive the largest fine available — AU$121,212,000 ($78,969,735). Lee ruled that the minimum fine to create a deterrence should be AU$90m ($59m), noting that Qantas executives had expected to save AU$125m ($81m) a year through outsourcing the jobs. Lee questioned the sincerity of Qantas 's apology for its illegal conduct, noting that the airline later unsuccessfully argued that it owed no compensation to its former staff. 'If any further evidence was needed of the unrelenting and aggressive litigation strategy adopted in this case by Qantas, it is provided by this effort directed to denying any compensation whatsoever to those in respect of whom Qantas was publicly professing regret for their misfortune,' Lee said. "I do think that the people in charge of Qantas now have some genuine regret, but this more likely reflects the damage that this case has done to the company rather than remorse for the damage done to the affected workers,' Lee added. Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson, who was the airline's chief financial officer during the layoffs, said in a statement after Monday's decision: 'We sincerely apologise to each and every one of the 1,820 ground handling employees and to their families who suffered as a result.' 'The decision to outsource five years ago, particularly during such an uncertain time, caused genuine hardship for many of our former team and their families," she said. 'Over the past 18 months, we've worked hard to change the way we operate as part of our efforts to rebuild trust with our people and our customers. This remains our highest priority as we work to earn back the trust we lost,' she added. Lee ruled that AU$50m ($33m) of the fine go to the union, because no Australian government agency had shown interest in investigating or prosecuting Qantas. 'But for the union … , Qantas' contravening conduct would never have been exposed and it would never have been held to account for its unlawful conduct,' Lee said. 'Hence the union has brought to the attention of the court a substantial and significant transgression of a public obligation by a powerful and substantial employer,' Lee added. A hearing will be held at a later date to decide where the remaining AU$40m ($26m) of the fine will go. Michael Kaine, national secretary of the union that represents 60,000 members, said he felt vindicated by Monday's ruling, which ends a five-year legal battle that Qantas had been widely expected to win. 'It is a significant — the most significant — industrial outcome in Australia's history, and it sends a really clear message to Qantas and to every employer in Australia: Treat your work force illegally and you will be held accountable,' Kaine told reporters. 'Against all the odds, we took on a behemoth that had shown itself to be ruthless, and we won,' Kaine added. Qantas has admitted to illegally dealing with passengers as well as employees in its responses to pandemic economic challenges. Last year, Qantas agreed to pay AU$120m ($78m) in compensation and a fine for selling tickets on thousands of cancelled flights. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, a consumer watchdog, sued the airline in the Federal Court, alleging that Qantas engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct by advertising tickets for more than 8,000 flights from May 2021 through to July 2022 that had already been cancelled.
