Alabama Executes Inmate for 1998 Double Murder
Jeffery Lee, 49, was put to death by lethal injection for the killings of a pawnshop owner and an employee.
Alabama executed Jeffery Lee, 49, by lethal injection on Thursday for the 1998 double murder of Jimmy Ellis and Elaine Thompson at a pawnshop. Lee was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m. at William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. This execution marks the second in Alabama this year and the 27th nationwide.
Lee was convicted of killing Ellis, the owner of Jimmy's Pawn Shop in Orrville, and employee Elaine Thompson during a robbery on December 12, 1998. Another employee survived the incident by feigning death and subsequently called 911.
Ruling Blocks Nitrogen Gas Execution
Lee's execution by lethal injection occurred three months after a judge blocked the state from using its newly adopted nitrogen gas method. The judge ruled in June that the nitrogen gas method violated the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Lee had been scheduled to be executed by nitrogen gas on June 11, but the execution was halted when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to lift the judge's ruling. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall stated that "justice was finally served," and Governor Kay Ivey affirmed that the promise made to the victims' families had been fulfilled.
Lee's attorneys and supporters made an unsuccessful bid for clemency, highlighting that the jury which convicted him recommended a life sentence, a recommendation that was overridden by the judge. Alabama abolished judicial override for sentencing in capital cases in 2017, but this change was not retroactive. Supporters of Lee's clemency bid rallied under the banner "HONOR THE JURY," arguing that his death sentence was based on an outdated and since-repealed law.
Lee's Final Words and Execution Details
In his final words before the execution began, Lee said, "All is well. I just want to say to my family, I love them. To my brothers on life row, I love them." As the lethal injection began, Lee clenched his fists on the gurney. His spiritual adviser stood by him, and Lee closed his eyes.
The U.S. Supreme Court had denied Lee's request to stay the execution earlier on Thursday. The request sought to prevent the state from switching from nitrogen hypoxia to lethal injection. Lee had previously agreed to dismiss a lawsuit challenging lethal injection protocols in 2018, based on the state's agreement to carry out his execution by nitrogen hypoxia if one were to occur.
Lethal injection has been the primary execution method in the U.S. for decades, though drug procurement issues have led some states, including Alabama, to explore alternatives like nitrogen gas. Alabama began using nitrogen gas in 2024, and it has been used in seven executions in the state and one in Louisiana.
Lee was convicted in 2000 of capital murder and attempted murder. Jimmy Ellis, the pawn shop owner, was also known as an Elvis Presley impersonator who performed as "Orion."