Alabama state death row inmate #NathanielWoods has, officially been executed as of March 5th by legal injection, after being identified as an accomplice for a 2004 police officer shooting!
The case recently gained national attention after receiving attention from #KimKardashianWest , #MartinLutherKingJr III and multiple other activists due to apparent inconsistencies in the case its self.
According to FOX News, Woods and Kerry Spencer were originally convicted of capital murder for the killing of Alabama officers Officers Carlos Owen, 58; Harley Chisholm III, 40; and Charles Robert Bennett, 33 within rapid gunfire located in Birmingham. It has been indicated that a fourth officer was wounded but survived.
Reports read that the officers arrived at Woods and Spencer’s shared apartment to issue a warrant of arrest after found belief that the two were alleged drug dealers. However officials believe the officers were set up to be ambushed upon their arrival.
The prosecution teams arguments that Wood’s was an accomplice to the murder, indicating that he lured the officers into the apartment.
Spencer has since came forward vouching for Woods innocence, “Nathaniel Woods is 100% innocent,” Spencer, who remains on death row, wrote in an open letter. “I know that to be a fact because I’m the person that shot and killed all three of the officers that Nathaniel was subsequently charged and convicted of murdering. Nathaniel Woods doesn’t even deserve to be incarcerated, much less executed.” Spencer admits to shooting the officers within an act of self defense because the officers were nearing woods according to, NBC NEWS.
Surviving officer Michael Collins originally stated that Woods was apart of the shooting and later stated that Woods never actually used a fire arm. He states that within the incident Woods yelled, “I give up. I give up. Just don’t spray me with that mace,” before the shooting took place. He concludes, “I knew it wasn’t Nathaniel” who had shot at him.
Supporters around the world argued that Woods was a victim of incompetent counsel that failed to adequately investigate and missed key deadlines.
There was never any evidence that proved that Woods was an accomplice or pulled a trigger. Despite numerous efforts Woods was still identified as being guilty.
Sources have concluded that Woods was wrongfully informed by his own legal team that he wouldn’t be convicted of capital murder because it needed to be proven that he pulled the trigger in order to do so. When in fact, Woods would’ve far more benefited from a plea deal of 20 to 25 years in prison.
A petition rallying for his innocence notes, “Mr. Woods did not accept this plea deal because he thought — with counsel’s encouragement — that he would be acquitted of these charges because the evidence would prove that he was not the shooter that day.”
Though Woods execution was temporarily halted on Thursday evening by the Supreme Court, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey contest to not granting woods Clemency. “This is not a decision that I take lightly, but I firmly believe in the rule of law and that justice must be served.”
It has been indicated that Woods, had no final words before his execution he only raised his hands within Islamic belief.
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