Charles Laverne Singleton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charles Laverne Singleton | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 29, 1959 Hamburg, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | January 6, 2004 (aged 44) |
| Criminal status | Executed by lethal injection |
| Conviction | Capital murder |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
| Details | |
| Victims | Mary Lou York, 19 |
| Date | June 1, 1979 |
Charles Laverne Singleton (March 29, 1959 – January 6, 2004) was an American convicted murderer, who, at the time of his execution, lived on death row in Arkansas longer than any other state inmate.[1] He was executed in 2004 for the June 1, 1979, murder of 19-year-old Hamburg store owner Mary Lou York.[2][3]
Mary Lou York was attacked in York's Grocery Store, of which she was the owner. She died in the hospital from loss of blood as a result of two stab wounds in her neck.[3]
The evidence of Singleton's guilt was overwhelming. Patti Franklin, who was a relative of Singleton, and Lenora Howard were both witnesses at the scene and identified him as having attacked York. Prior to her death, en route to the hospital, York also identified Singleton as her attacker. She told both police officer Strother, first to arrive at the scene, and her personal physician, Dr. J.D. Rankin, that she was dying and that Singleton did it. He was 20 years old at the time.[3]
Appeals
After his conviction and imprisonment, Singleton was diagnosed with schizophrenia. In 1986, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in Ford v. Wainwright that execution of the mentally insane was unconstitutional, as they could not understand the reality of, or reason for, their punishment. It thus constituted "cruel and unusual punishment."[3]
The death sentence for Singleton drew global attention because he was considered legally sane only when treated with medication. His attorney argued that the state could not alter Singleton's mental state with medication in order to make him sane enough to be executed.[3]
Singleton's execution was scheduled five times. In Singleton's final appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that he was taking his medication voluntarily and refused to overturn his sentence. In the end, Singleton asked his attorney not to do anything further to block his execution.[3]