Latest news with #JudithSmith
The Sun
23-05-2025
- The Sun
Pleading final words of death row's oldest inmate, 75, as he was executed by injection for killing wife & her two sons
DEATH row's oldest inmate left behind an eerie plea with his final words before being executed by lethal injection. Tennessee inmate Oscar Smith, 75, was put to death on Thursday morning for the 1989 murders of his ex-wife and her teenage sons in the state's first execution since 2020. 7 7 With his final words, Smith insisted that he was innocent and begged for the justice system to be reformed. He said: "Somebody needs to tell the governor the justice system doesn't work." Refuting his conviction one final time, Smith said: "I didn't kill her." He was pronounced dead at 10:47am on Thursday after receiving a lethal dose of the drug pentobarbital at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. The Sun recently spoke to a former death row executioner who saw a killer's head burst into flames and a pastor who has accompanied with more inmates in their final minutes than anyone else. Smith was convicted of fatally stabbing and shooting his estranged wife Judith Smith, 13-year-old Jason Burnett and 16-year-old Chad Burnett. He murdered them at the home in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 1, 1989. Sentenced to death in July 1990, Smith spent almost 35 years on death row, and was its oldest inmate in the US. A county court judge denied a request to reopen the case in 2022 , despite some new evidence that another person's DNA had been on one of the murder weapons. The judge ruled that the evidence of Smith's guilt was overwhelming and that the new information did not change that. I'm a death row executioner - a killer's head burst into flames when I put him in electric chair Two of Smith's colleagues told the original trial that he asked them to kill Judith. He also had a history of violence and threats against the family. Further clinching the conviction was the fact that Smith took out insurance policies on all three of his victims. The court also heard that one of the teen victims could be heard screaming "Frank, no!" in the background of a 911 call at the time of the murders. Frank is Smith's middle name, and the one he used regularly. After Smith had been confirmed dead, Judith's two siblings said they still miss the three victims, all these years later. 7 7 Her sister, Terri Osborne, said the deaths are a reminder of the dangers of domestic violence. She said: 'We know it is an incredibly hard thing to do to leave a spouse who is abusing, but pray that this case becomes a call to action, encouraging those in danger to seek help before it's too late." Smith's execution was the first in Tennessee since 2020, and he chose the lethal injection - a cocktail of three drugs. He could alternatively have chosen to be killed in the electric chair. There has been significant controversy around the method in recent years - with Justice Sonia Sotomayor of the Supreme Court describing it as "the chemical equivalent of being burned at the stake". 7 7 In March, a double murderer called Brad Sigmon became the first person in the US to be executed by firing squad in 15 years. He reportedly kept breathing after being shot three times in the chest. Three special bullets were shot at his heart by three volunteer riflemen at the South Carolina Department of Corrections in Columbia. Sigmon, 67, was convicted of beating to death with a baseball bat his ex-girlfriend's parents, David and Gladys Larke, at their Taylors home in 2001. List of executions so far in 2025 January 31: Marion Bowman (South Carolina) February 5: Steven Nelson (Texas) February 6: Demetrius Frazier (Alabama) February 13: James Ford (Florida) February 13: Richard Tabler (Texas) March 7: Brad Sigmon (South Carolina) March 18: Jessie Hoffman (Louisiana) March 19: Aaron Gunches (Arizona) March 20: Wendell Grissom (Oklahoma) March 20: Edward James (Florida) April 8: Michael Tanzi (Florida) April 11: Mikal Mahdi (South Carolina) April 23: Moises Sandoval Mendoza (Texas) April 24: James Osgood (Alabama) May 1: Jeffrey Hutchinson (Florida) May 15: Glen Rogers (Florida) May 20: Benjamin Ritchie (Indiana) May 20: Matthew Johnson (Texas) May 22: Oscar Smith (Florida)
New York Post
23-05-2025
- New York Post
Tennessee death row inmate Oscar Smith's final words revealed as he's executed for murder of wife, her sons
Tennessee inmate Oscar Smith was executed by lethal injection on Thursday morning for the 1989 murders of his estranged wife, Judith Smith, and her teenage sons, Jason and Chad Burnett. Smith was pronounced dead at 10:47 a.m. after a lethal injection of the barbiturate pentobarbital. The 75-year-old had maintained his innocence. In a lengthy final statement, he railed against the justice system, saying it 'doesn't work,' echoing sentiments expressed in a recent interview with The Associated Press. 6 Oscar Smith was executed in Tennessee on May 22, 2025. Tenesse Department of Corrections/AFP via Getty Images Speaking of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Smith said, 'He has the last word and is the last person who can give justice where justice is needed.' There are more men waiting to die at the prison, he said. 'I'm not the first, and I'm not going to be the last.' Smith was strapped to a gurney and had an IV in his right arm. It was attached to a long tube that ran into a different room where the lethal injection was administered. Witnesses saw no obvious sign that the injection had begun after his final statement, but Smith's speech became labored as he spoke with his spiritual adviser. Witnesses heard him say, 'I didn't kill her.' He appeared calm and did not appear to struggle as visible signs of respiration stopped. Thursday marked the first time Tennessee officials allowed a spiritual adviser into the execution chamber with the inmate. She prayed over Smith and comforted him, at one point singing, 'I'll Fly Away.' 6 Terri Osborne and Mike Robirds speak about their sister Judy Robirds Smith who was killed by her husband alongside her twin sons on Oct. 1, 1989. AP The crime 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 Oct. 1, 1989. He was sentenced to death by a Davidson County jury in July 1990 for the murders. In 2022, a Davidson County Criminal Court judge denied requests to reopen his case despite some new evidence that the DNA of an unknown person was on one of the murder weapons. 6 Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada and Assistant Commissioner of Prison Operations Linda Thomas leave the Riverbend Maximum Seciurity Insititution to speak to reporters on May 22, 2025. AP The judge wrote that the evidence of Smith's guilt was overwhelming and the DNA evidence did not tip the scales in his favor. 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. Judith Smith's siblings speak Judith Smith's sister, Terri Osborne, and brother, Mike Robirds, witnessed the execution and spoke to reporters afterwards, standing in front of large portraits of their sister and nephews. 'The pain of losing Judy, Chad, and Jason is something we will continue to carry,' Osborne said. 'Not a moment goes by that we don't miss them. We miss the sound of Judy's voice 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.' 6 Judith Smith's sister, Terri Osborne, and brother, Mike Robirds, witnessed the execution and spoke to reporters afterwards, standing in front of large portraits of their sister and nephews. AP The tragic deaths are a reminder of the devastating consequences of domestic violence, Osborne said. 'We know it is an incredibly hard thing to do to leave a spouse who is abusing, but pray that this case becomes a call to action, encouraging those in danger to seek help before it's too late,' Osborne said. The murders were brutal, Robirds said. 'No one should have to live in fear like our sister did,' he said. 'And no family should have to endure a loss like ours.' Protesters gather Christina Isbell was among the death penalty opponents who protested outside the prison. Her downtown Nashville church, Christ Church Cathedral, includes a death row ministry. 'For me, it's just all about what God teaches,' Isbell said. 'And that is, even though somebody else may commit a horrible crime, you don't go do that to them as well.' 6 Protesters gather outside the prison in Nashville, Tenn. on May 22, 2025. AP William Burgess was the lone person standing in a fenced off area for death penalty supporters outside the prison. He said he owned a car lot across the street from the home where Smith murdered his family members. Burgess said he was one of the first one to see the bodies. 'He lived too long,' Burgess said of Smith. 'Waste of taxpayers' money.' A surprise reprieve and a lawsuit Smith's attorney, assistant federal public defender Amy Harwell, told reporters afterward he will be remembered for his 'cantankerous, curmudgeonly brand of kindness' and leatherwork skill. She said Smith will not have an autopsy due to his religious beliefs. But she said other autopsies have shown this execution method causes 'excruciating pain and suffering.' 6 Guards on horseback watch the demonstration outside the maximum security institution. AP Tennessee executions have been on hold for five years, first because of COVID-19 and then because of missteps by the Tennessee Department of Correction. Smith came within minutes of execution in 2022 before a surprise reprieve from Republican Gov. Bill Lee. It later turned out the lethal drugs for that planned execution had not been properly tested. A yearlong investigation revealed numerous other problems with Tennessee executions. The correction department issued new guidelines for executions in December that are the subject of an ongoing lawsuit. Nineteen men have died by court-ordered execution so far this year in the US, and nine other people are scheduled to be put to death in seven states during the remainder of 2025.
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Death row inmate shares bold four-word claim seconds before execution
Oscar Franklin Smith was executed by lethal injection on Thursday morning at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville for the brutal murders of his estranged wife and her two sons in 1989 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.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- CBS News
Tennessee man executed for killing wife and her 2 sons, says "justice system doesn't work" before lethal injection
Tennessee inmate Oscar Smith was executed by lethal injection on Thursday morning for the 1989 murders of his estranged wife Judith Smith and her teenage sons, Jason and Chad Burnett. Smith, 75, was pronounced dead after a lethal injection of the barbiturate pentobarbital. The 75-year-old had maintained his innocence, and in a lengthy series of final words, in part said, "Somebody needs to tell the governor the justice system doesn't work." Witnesses also heard Smith say, "I didn't kill her." Oscar Smith was executed in Tennessee for fatally stabbing and shooting his estranged wife and her sons decades ago. Tennessee Department of Correction / AP He 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 Oct. 1, 1989. He was sentenced to death by a Davidson County jury in July 1990 for the murders. In 2022, a Davidson County Criminal Court judge denied requests to reopen his case despite some new evidence that the DNA of an unknown person was on one of the murder weapons. The judge wrote that the evidence of Smith's guilt was overwhelming and the DNA evidence did not tip the scales in his favor. 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. Terri Osborne and her brother Mike Robirds miss the sound of their sister's voice on the other end of the phone, she told reporters after the execution. They'll never get to plan Chad's driving lessons or hear the "pure joy of hearing Jason's laughter" again, she said. The tragic deaths are a reminder of the devastating consequences of domestic violence, Osborne said. "We know it is an incredibly hard thing to do to leave a spouse who is abusing, but pray that this case becomes a call to action, encouraging those in danger to seek help before it's too late," Osborne said. Darlene Kimbrough, who knows Smith through her visits to another inmate on death row over the past decade, said she sent him a card recently. It just said, "'I hope you know that you are loved,'" Kimbrough said. Unexpectedly, she received a letter in reply on Tuesday, thanking her. She thinks that Smith was at peace with the idea of death, she said. Tennessee executions had been on hold for five years, first because of COVID-19 and then because of missteps by the Tennessee Department of Corrections. There are 46 people currently on the state's death row, according to the not-for-profit Death Penalty Information Center, which researches and collects data on the death penalty. Smith came within minutes of execution in 2022 before he was saved by a surprise reprieve from Republican Gov. Bill Lee. It later turned out that the lethal drugs that were going to be used had not been properly tested. A yearlong investigation turned up numerous other problems with Tennessee executions, which found that the state repeatedly failed to follow its own protocols in performing seven executions and preparing for an eighth between 2018 and 2022. The correction department issued new guidelines for executions in December. The new execution manual contains a single page on the lethal injection chemicals with no specific directions for testing the drugs. It also removes the requirement that the drugs come from a licensed pharmacist. Tennessee is not the only state to resume executions after a pause to examine its methods. Indiana resumed executions by lethal injection this week after a 15-year hiatus. Other states have turned to alternative methods. Idaho lawmakers passed legislation that will make firing squads the state's primary method of execution starting next year. South Carolina executed two people by firing squad this year. Alabama turned to nitrogen gas, executing four people using the controversial method since 2024.
NBC News
22-05-2025
- NBC News
Tennessee man is executed for killing his wife and her 2 sons, 3 years after last-minute reprieve
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee inmate Oscar Smith was executed by lethal injection on Thursday morning for the 1989 murders of his estranged wife Judith Smith and her teenage sons, Jason and Chad Burnett. Smith, 75, was pronounced dead after a lethal injection of the barbiturate pentobarbital. The 75-year-old had maintained his innocence, and in a lengthy series of final words, in part said, 'Somebody needs to tell the governor the justice system doesn't work.' Witnesses also heard Smith say, 'I didn't kill her.' In a recent interview with AP, he primarily wanted to discuss the ways he felt the court system had failed him. He 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 Oct. 1, 1989. He was sentenced to death by a Davidson County jury in July 1990 for the murders. In 2022, a Davidson County Criminal Court judge denied requests to reopen his case despite some new evidence that the DNA of an unknown person was on one of the murder weapons. The judge wrote that the evidence of Smith's guilt was overwhelming and the DNA evidence did not tip the scales in his favor. 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. The siblings of Judith Smith, Mike Robirds and Terri Osborne, spoke to reporters after the execution. Osborne said they miss the sound of their sister's voice on the other end of the phone, planning Chad's driving lessons and the 'pure joy of hearing Jason's laughter.' She said the tragic deaths are a reminder of the devastating consequences of domestic violence. 'We know it is an incredibly hard thing to do to leave a spouse who is abusing, but pray that this case becomes a call to action, encouraging those in danger to seek help before it's too late,' Osborne said. Darlene Kimbrough, who knows Smith through her visits to another inmate on death row over the past decade, said she sent him a card recently. It just said, ''I hope you know that you are loved,'' Kimbrough said. Unexpectedly, she received a letter in reply on Tuesday, thanking her. She thinks that Smith was at peace with the idea of death, she said. Tennessee executions have been on hold for five years, first because of COVID-19 and then because of missteps by the Tennessee Department of Corrections. Smith came within minutes of execution in 2022 before he was saved by a surprise reprieve from Republican Gov. Bill Lee. It later turned out that the lethal drugs that were going to be used had not been properly tested. A yearlong investigation turned up numerous other problems with Tennessee executions. The correction department issued new guidelines for executions in December. The new execution manual contains a single page on the lethal injection chemicals with no specific directions for testing the drugs. It also removes the requirement that the drugs come from a licensed pharmacist. Smith's attorney, Amy Harwell, has said, 'It's as if, having been caught breaking their own rules, TDOC decided, 'Let's just not have rules.'' The new protocols are the subject of a lawsuit filed by Smith and other death row inmates. A trial in that case is set for next January.
