ATMORE, Ala. (WIAT) — Alabama is set to execute Joe Nathan James, Jr. at 6 p.m. Thursday for the 1994 murder of Faith Hall. Barring court action, James will die by lethal injection at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, where the state’s death row is located. Hall’s family is opposed to the execution, but Gov. Kay Ivey has said the lethal injection will move forward as scheduled.
CBS 42 will provide live updates on the execution below as new information becomes available. The latest updates will appear first.
9:27 p.m. – Joe Nathan James, Jr. has been executed by the State of Alabama. The lethal injection came after an hours-long delay. Alabama Department of Corrections’ Commissioner John Hamm would not provide an explanation for the delay. You can read CBS 42’s eyewitness account of the execution here.
5:52 p.m. – Reporters are still waiting to be transported to Holman Correctional Facility for the execution.
5:26 p.m. – The U.S. Supreme Court has denied Joe Nathan James’ application for a stay of his execution. The lethal injection will proceed at 6 p.m.
4:45 p.m. – The family of Faith Hall released the following statement about today’s execution.
“Today is a tragic day for our family. We are having to relive the hurt that this caused us
many years ago. We write to inform you that we have decided to not attend the
execution of Mr. Joe Nathan James Jr. We’ve asked Governor Kay Ivey and Attorney
General Steve Marshall to hear our voices and respect our wishes. We know they
decided not to. We hoped the state wouldn’t take a life simply because a life was taken
and we have forgiven Mr. Joe Nathan James Jr. for his atrocities toward our family. We
have relied upon our faith to get us through these dark days. Although we knew this day
would come, we hoped to have our voices heard through this process. We’d like to
thank State Representative Juandalyn Givan for her help and assistance by reaching
out to the Governor’s office. We pray that God allows us to find healing after today and
that one day our criminal justice system will listen to the cries of families like ours even if
it goes against what the state wishes. Our voices matter and so does the life of Mr. Joe
Nathan James, Jr.”
4:16 p.m. – ADOC officials told a reporter that her skirt is too short to witness the execution. Other reporters were able to find her pants to wear. Officials said the policy is not new, although no reporter present can remember such a policy being enforced at an execution.
3:57 p.m. – According to prison officials, James had no in-person visits on the day of his execution or the day prior. He had phone calls with multiple attorneys and his mother, although it’s worth noting that James has been representing himself in recent court filings.
Officials said that on the day of his execution, James refused his dinner tray and did not ask for a final meal, although officials noted that James was “observed” eating a “regular food tray” at lunch.
James made no special requests of the government that would carry out his lethal injection.
3:22 p.m. – Documents provided to the media by ADOC officials show that four members of the media are scheduled to witness the execution. Faith Hall’s family members — daughters Terryln and Toni Hall and brother Helvetius Hall — are set to attend, although they have told CBS 42 they will leave the witness room after James’ last words. No witnesses chosen by James will attend the execution, according to ADOC.
