PARCHMAN – Almost two days after Edwin Hart Turner was granted a stay of execution by U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, the U.S. Court of Appeals vacated that stay and Turner – convicted of killing two men in 1995 – was executed on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m.
Prison officials confirmed that Turner was pronounced dead at 6:21 p.m.
In recent weeks, Turner’s attorneys had sought to stop the execution claiming that Turner was mentally ill. They cited the fact that Turner had twice tried to commit suicide – once when he was 18 when he put a rifle in his mouth and pulled the trigger leaving his face severely disfigured, and again in 1995 when he slit his wrists. He spent three months in the State Hospital at Whitfield as a result of that attempt.
Shortly after he was released, Turner and his friend, Paul Stewart, robbed and shot two men, store clerk Eddie Brooks and customer Everett Curry.
Turner’s attorneys also argued that his family had a history of mental illness and the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) erred when they prohibited Turner from getting the psychiatric evaluation he needed to prove he was mentally ill.
In spite of their efforts, the temporary stay issued by Reeves was vacated Wednesday morning and Gov. Phil Bryant refused to intervene.
“After reviewing the facts associated with Mr. Edwin Hart Turner’s case, I have decided not to grant clemency for his violent acts,” Bryant said in a statement. “Mr. Turner has been convicted by a jury of his peers and I see no reason to delay this execution.”
Prison officials said Turner had no final words before his execution Wednesday night and didn’t discuss his crimes.
The Clarion-Ledger reported that at one point during the execution process, Turner asked: “What are we waiting on?”
Media witnesses Keith Hill of the Mississippi News Network and Charlie Smith of the Greenwood Commonwealth noted the lethal drugs began to take hold fairly quickly. Turner soon was lying motionless, mouth open, and seemed to be in a deep sleep, the Clarion-Ledger reported.
Earlier that day for breakfast, Turner was offered grits, pancakes, a sausage link, coffee and milk and prison officials said for his last meal he requested and ate a Porterhouse steak-medium rare, fried shrimp with cocktail sauce, two slices of Texas toast, a side salad with Russian dressing, a pack of red Twizzlers candy and sweet tea.
Turner visited with several family members throughout the day including his mother, two aunts and two cousins. MDOC officials said Turner was “talkative” with his family, but requested they not witness the execution.
Turner asked to take a shower after his meal, but refused the offer of a sedative. MDOC officers said Turner was “still being talkative.”
Roy Curry, the brother of Everett Curry, did witness the execution and commented afterward that the pain of losing his brother was just as strong now as it was 16 years ago. He said Turner and his accomplice, Stewart , never made any effort at an apology or explanation for their crimes, the Clarion-Ledger reported.
“One of the perpetrators of this evil act recently sought a pardon from the outgoing governor, yet Everett was robbed of the possibility of ever requesting a pardon for his life,” Roy Curry said. “May God have mercy on their souls.”
After his death, Turner’s remains were turned over to his mother and Williams and Lord Funeral Home in Greenwood.
Court records showed that on Dec. 12, 1995, Turner and Stewart, then 17, had been drinking beer and smoking marijuana while joy riding in Stewart’s car when they decided to rob convenience stores in Carroll County.
They first drove to Mims Truck Stop, but left after finding it too crowded. They then drove to Mims Turkey Village Truck Stop, about four miles away and at around 2 a.m., Dec. 13, the two entered the store wearing masks and carrying rifles. Turner shot the store clerk, Eddie Brooks, in the chest.
Turner and Stewart then tried to open the cash register, and at one point, both men shot at the register. After their unsuccessful attempts to open the register, Turner placed the barrel of his rifle inches from Eddie Brooks’ head and shot him.
Turner and Stewart then drove back to Mims Truck Stop. While Stewart went inside the store, Turner approached Everett Curry, who was pumping gas outside.
Turner ordered Curry to the ground, robbed him, and shot him in the head as Curry begged for his life.
Meanwhile, inside the store, Stewart grabbed some of the store’s cash. Turner then came into the store and pointed his gun at the people inside. Stewart testified at trial that he told Turner there was no need to kill anyone else because he already had the money from the cash register.
The pair left the store and returned to Turner’s home where Turner reportedly had shrimp for dinner and went to bed.
The next morning, police officers arrived at Turner’s home and found the two guns used in the crimes inside. They also found the hockey mask Stewart used during the robberies in the backseat of Turner’s car.
After the two were arrested, Stewart gave a full confession and pleaded guilty to two counts of capital murder. As part of his plea, Stewart agreed to testify against Turner.
Stewart remains in MDOC custody serving two life sentences.
“I don’t think we’ll ever have complete closure because a void will always exist in our hearts,” Curry’s brother, Roy said in a statement. “At least we’ll have some consolation in knowing the person who committed this cowardly and senseless act is finally gone. We pray that God would give us the faith and courage and strength to move on with our lives.”
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