March 20, 2012 Execution of Larry Matthew Puckett
7:00 p.m. News Briefing
Parchman, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) today
conducted the mandated execution of state inmate Larry Matthew Puckett. Inmate Puckett was pronounced dead at 6:18 p.m. at Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman.
MDOC Commissioner Christopher Epps said during a press conference following the execution that the evening marked the close of the Larry Matthew Puckett case. Puckett was sentenced to death in August 1996 for the Petal, Mississippi capital murder of Ms. Rhonda Hatten Griffis.
“The State of Mississippi – Department of Corrections has carried out a court order issued by the state Supreme Court. The role of the MDOC is to see that the order of the court is fulfilled with dignity,” said MDOC Commissioner Chris Epps. “Through the course of nearly 17 years, death row inmate Larry Matthew Puckett was afforded his day in court and in the finality, his conviction was upheld all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The cause of justice has been championed.”
“I ask that you join me in prayer for the family of Rhonda Hatten Griffis. It is our fervent hope that you may now begin the process of healing. Our prayers and thoughts are with you as you continue life’s journey,” said Epps.
Epps concluded his comments by commending Deputy Commissioner of Institutions/Parchman Penitentiary Superintendent Emmitt Sparkman and the entire Mississippi State Penitentiary security staff for their professionalism during the process.
† Larry Matthew Puckett, 35, was put to death by injection and pronounced dead at 6:18 p.m
No,” was the final word from Puckett’s mouth after being asked if he had any final statements.
Epps said Puckett has also requested the opportunity to shower before his execution, but does not want a sedative before the injection.
“I asked him if he wanted one … he said he did not,” Epps said.
read more click here
from Mary Stennett Puckett
We have heard from the Governor and he has declined Matt’s clemency application. We have talked to Matt and he is calm and at peace. He asked that we not worry about him. We prayed that God would free Matt but God has a different definition for free. Matt will finally be free. I told him that he was put on this earth for a purpose and that was to teach us lessons. He asked that we not squander what we had learned and that if we can’t love our neighbor, then we cannot get right with God. We want to thank each and every one of you who joined us in this fight. We appreciate the petition signatures, the prayers and all the encouragement we as a family have received.
4:29 PM
Mississippi governor refuses to stop this evening’s execution
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant has refused to stop the execution scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight of a Mississippi man for the sexual assault and slaying of the wife of his former boss.
3;46 pm source : http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com
Puckett has asked for his remains to be released to his mother by way of Glenwood Funeral Home in Vicksburg.
3.29 pm source : http://www.therepublic.com
Puckett spent Tuesday visiting with relatives. He requested a last meal of Macadamia nut pancakes, shrimp and grits, ice cream cake, caramel candy and root beer.
Puckett has a petition before the U.S. Supreme Court to block the execution. Thousands have signed an online petition in support of Puckett, insisting he is innocent.
Puckett’s supporters hope to persuade Gov. Phil Bryant to stop the execution.
Puckett has requested that his body be released to his mother, Mary Puckett.
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2.58 pm source : http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com
Larry Matthew Puckett, set to be executed this evening, is currently visiting with his family.
Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps said in a news conference at Mississippi State Penitentiary that six family members were meeting with Puckett as of 2 p.m.
Puckett, 35, was convicted in 1996 of the October 14, 1995 murder and sexual battery of Rhonda Hatten Griffis in Petal.
Epps said Puckett still maintains his innocence.
“He said there was more to the story,” Epps said.
Currently visiting with Puckett are his mother, Mary Puckett, his father, Larry Ross, two brothers, Edgar Puckett III and Paul Michael Puckett, stepmother Janie Ross and uncle Keith Stennett.
Epps said Puckett is reportedly “somber,” according to MDOC officers stationed outside his cell.
For his last meal, Puckett has requested macadamia nut pancakes with butter and maple syrup, shrimp and grits, an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen, a bag of Werther’s Originals caramel candy and an A&W root beer.
He has requested none of his family nor his attorney witness his execution, scheduled for 6 p.m. by lethal injection.
The victim’s mother and father, Cecil and Nancy Hatten of Hattiesburg, are scheduled to witness the execution.
Lamar County Sheriff Danny Rigel, Forrest County Sheriff Billy McGee and Sunflower County Sheriff James Haywood will witness the execution, along with the Hattiesburg American and three other media outlets.
Epps said more updates would be delivered to media soon.
Read more in tomorrow’s Hattiesburg American or later today at hattiesburgamerican.com.
30 min ago 12:30 pm source : Inmates rights miles apart
From Mary Stennett Puckett
I would like to ask that anyone that calls, emails or otherwise contacts Governor Bryant about Matt’s clemency to please be courteous and respectful. The Governor has a heart wrenching decision to make that will change the lives of many people and being unkind is not something that Matt or I would want his supporters to be. Thank you for all of your support and prayers. We are on the road now going to see Matt and we are praying for strength and mercy. Blessings to all of you…
Toll Free: 1-877-290-9487
601.359.3150
601.359.3741
info@governorbryant.com
update march, 20, 3.20 am source http://www.wlox.com
watch the new video click here
Gov Bryant of Mississippi. Ask him to commute Matthew Puckett’s sentence to Life With Out Parole. He is scheduled to be put to death at 6pm. His phone number is 601-359-3150 His fax is 601-359-3741
march, 19 , 10.05 pm source : http://www.clarionledger.com
Mary Puckett, mother of convicted killer Matt Puckett, talks to the media at a protest against the death penalty. Puckett and others feel the judicial system failed on several levels and wrongly put her son on death row. Puckett is scheduled for execution today.
An anti-death penalty group says the testimony of a controversial forensic dentist helped put Larry Matthew Puckett where he is today: facing death by lethal injection in a matter of hours.
But the state attorney general’s office and others say Puckett will pay with his life for the life he took more than 15 years ago. Puckett, 35, is scheduled to be put to death today a little after 6 p.m. for the 1995 sexual assault and murder of Rhonda Hatten Griffis, 28, a mother of two from Forrest County.
In a rally Monday at the state Capitol , Mississippians Educating for Smart Justice, which opposes the death penalty, asked Gov. Phil Bryant to commute Puckett’s death sentence to life in prison without parole.
The group said it is also making a similar request for William Mitchell, who is scheduled to be put to death Thursday for the 1995 rape and murder of store clerk Patty Milliken, 35, who was killed in Harrison County.
The anti-death penalty group said it has collected more than 5,000 signatures on a petition asking Bryant to commute the sentences.
“The governor and his staff are currently reviewing the facts in these cases and have no further comment at this time,” Bryant’s spokesman, Mick Bullock, said Monday after the anti-death penalty rally.
About 50 people gathered in the first floor rotunda of the state Capitol for the rally.
“We are here to oppose as a whole the death penalty,” said Benjamin Russell of MESJ.
But Jackson resident Ann Pace, whose 22-year-old daughter, Charlotte Murray Pace, was killed by serial killer Derrick Todd Lee in 2002 in Louisiana, said the death penalty isn’t something that is morally wrong.
Pace said if she would have known the rally was taking place she would have been there with her signs in favor of the death penalty when it is judicially used.
“It’s not a good thing, it’s a tough thing you do to protect innocent people,” Pace said of carrying out executions.
Jim Craig, an attorney for death row inmates, said at the rally that Puckett and Mitchell didn’t get fair trials. Craig also criticized one of the state’s expert witness at Puckett’s trial, forensic dentist Michael West. Puckett’s attorneys have filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in hopes of blocking the execution.
read more click here
march 19, source :http://www.wlbt.com
Advocacy group calls for clemency in Puckett execution
watch the video click here
Update : march 19 ,2012 source : http://www.wtok.com
Thousands of people have signed an online petition seeking to block the execution of death row inmate, Larry Matthew Puckett.
He is scheduled to die by lethal injection Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Puckett was convicted of sexually assaulting and killing his former boss’ wife when he was 18 years old.
His lawyers petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court last week to block the execution.
A group opposed to capital punishment spoke out Monday at the state capitol.
Mississippians Educating for Smart Justice want Gov. Phil Bryant to grant clemency to Puckett, as well as condemned killer, William Mitchell, who is also scheduled for execution this week.
“Neither of these men, William Mitchell or Matt Puckett, have had a fair trial,” said attorney Jim Craig. “Neither of them have had a real appeal. It’s time to quit hiding behind this fraud and accept the fact that our system is deeply flawed. And these two cases prove it.”
As of Monday, there were nearly 4500 electronic signatures on a petition called ‘Save Matt Puckett: stop an innocent man from being executed.’
click here for read more about case and updates
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
CERTIORARI DENIED
11-9290 PUCKETT, LARRY M. V. MISSISSIPPI
(11A875)
The application for stay of execution of sentence of death
presented to Justice Scalia and by him referred to the Court is
denied. The petition for a writ of certiorari is denied.
Usa Supreme Court, march 14
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|||||||||||||||||||||
| ~~Name~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ~~~~~~~Address~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ~~Phone~~~ |
| Attorneys for Petitioner: | ||
| Keir Michael Weyble | Cornell Law School | (607) 255-3805 |
| 103 Myron Taylor Hall | ||
| Ithaca, NY 14853 | ||
| Party name: Larry Matthew Puckett | ||
| Attorneys for Respondent: | ||
| Marvin L. White Jr. | Assistant Attorney General | (601) 359-3680 |
| 450 High Street | ||
| P.O. Box 220 | ||
| Jackson, MS 39205 | ||
| Party name: Mississippi | ||
CLAIM YOUR INNOCENCE 
I’m sorry for commenting here…I couldn’t find my original comment. No, but I have a blog I could write about it in, plus I’m contributing at another one, Would it just be better to start one for him specifically? I write to him pretty regularly and he rights back even more regularly.
He is sentenced to life in prison for supposedly molesting his stepdaughters. He was 40 when these charges were levied at him, with absolutely no prior accusations, convictions, or anything that would suggest that he struggled with sexual problems. In fact, I was molested most of my teen years, and I can spot a pervert a mile a way within 4 seconds. And he isn’t a rapist or a molester. I let my teen daughters spend the night at his and his wife’s home on many, many occasions. When the charges came out, the first thing I did was quiz my girls, and my son, extensively. They were appalled by the whole conversation, insisting that he’d never even given them a weird feeling.
I know you primarily focus on death row inmates, and I get that. But if I had to choose between death row and life in prison, give me the needle, because I don’t want to live my life behind bars. And he feels the same exact way.
Let me know what you think would be helpful, and I will do it. Thanks! Bird