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Death Row Inmate Passes Away In Atmore Prison
July 2, 2014
An Alabama death row inmate died early Tuesday morning in the infirmary at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore.
The Alabama Department of Corrections said 49-year old Ricky Adkins was pronounced dead at about 2:55 a.m. His exact cause of death is pending autopsy results from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.
Adkins was convicted of capital murder in St. Clair County for the death of Billie Dean Hamilton and dumping her body. He was sentenced to death on November 21, 1988. He served a total of 25 years, seven months and eight days on Alabama’s death row.
According to reports, Adkins raped and kidnapped the Birmingham real estate agent. He then beat her with a wrench and stabbed her. The U.S. Court of Criminal Appeal ordered a new trial for Adkins in February 2013 after a finding that prosecutors in the case discriminated against black jurors. His retrial was set to begin July 10 in St. Clair County, Alabama.
Comments
16 Responses to “Death Row Inmate Passes Away In Atmore Prison”
CONTEMPLATING;
“Y’all should chill about passing judgment because, by doing so, you show ignorance.”
Are you always so judgmental?
David concerning pots and kettles
I’m listening to all you talking about 25 years to long and they live better than most people….. How many of you have been there? ADOC? How many of you have never made a mistake ? Accident? Or just done something bad in your life? I sure most always point down the street at someone else’s and say not me…. Well I’m sure if this man did what he was locked up for he is pay up in full! How much you you want to kill someone? Most people are like prison is a cake walk. Hell no it is not!!!! Everyday you hav to fight to live in there… Everyday is a battle for food, showers, heat and cold!!! No place at all to live! If I had to do it I would Reather be dead! Prison is a big diffence than your lil local jail house!!!!
Y’all should chill about passing judgment because, by doing so, you show ignorance. People should be forgiven for their sins, and we must show mercy and justice, otherwise, no mercy or justice will be rendered for US. Basic human rights are not too much to ask, especially if even ONE inmate is innocent. We all know there are more than just one.
Haley, they are not locked up like dogs, they live better than some dogs or animals, most live better than you probably do, but without ac, that they do not have.
haley,
Appeals, lots of appeals. The Constitution guarantees the right to appeal. The state of Alabama guarantees the rightto appeal.
His attorneys need time to frame their appeals.
The prosecutors need time to frame their responses.
Then the judges need time to hear their arguments.
Then the judges need time to consider their responses.
Some of those responses need further response from lower judges and attorneys.
The convict’s attorneys may be handling many cases or may simply drag their feet in hopes he will die before executed or critical evidence will be lost or some witness’ testimony will come into question or will die.
And death warrants have to be signed. Some governors never do and THAT delays things.
In this case, his conviction was overturned and the new trial hadn’t happened yet.
I just don’t get it. What is wrong with our judicial system? 25 years really? WHY? I do believe there should be a certain amount of years between sentencing and execution as there are, people out there, in prison that have been wrongly convicted -however, 25 years? What goes on in those 25 years? A person sits there in a horrible, cruel prison environment, locked up like a dog. Why does our system work like that? Its ridiculous……
25 years and 7 months too long.
J-Mo
He was NOT scheduled to die.
He was no longer legally guilty since his conviction was thrown out.
The prosecution and the court figured black jurors might have voted to acquit or at least vote for a lesser punishment.
They got no faith, it seems.
Now we’ll never know.
David for flawless justice
And I thought i was the only one with those feelings.
This is normal for death row unless its high profile they die of old age or illness.
Yep. Let spend all of the money we can before he is buried or cremated by now performing an autopsy on a man scheduled to die.
Why was he still alive? Why didn’t they execute this monster in 88?
This makes people commit these heinous crimes. Oh I’ll just sit on death row for 25 years and get a better life than I would if I actually worked and made an honest living.
Capital punishment is a joke and the criminals know it.
Well, as bad as it may sound, this will save the BROKE state of Alabama A LOT of money!
25 years 7 months and 8 days to long ,,,,, should have done away with him on November 22 1988, it would have saved all the taxpayers a lot of money ,good riddance.
E
Agreed. Too much of our taxes go to feeding and housing these monsters. I don’t understand why we even have a death penalty. We surely don’t carry out the punishment. Most of these “people” (and I use that word loosely, end up dying from natural causes versus their actual punishment. Very sad for Billie Hamilton’s family-thanks to our lovely system, they still didn’t get justice for her.
25 years and seven months too long.