This marks the state's first lethal injection death following a pause in procedures for review. Barber, 64, was pronounced dead at 1:56 a.m. at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. He had been convicted and sentenced to death for the May 2001 murder of 75-year-old Dorothy Epps, after confessing to killing her with a claw hammer and stealing her purse.
According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, Barber's last meal consisted of "loaded" hash browns, a western omelet, spicy sausage, and toast. State Attorney General Steve Marshall revealed that Barber was a handyman who knew Epps through repair work and a previous relationship with her daughter.
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Barber was arrested shortly after the murder and provided a detailed confession to the police. He admitted that the crime was senseless and stupid and expressed his belief that he deserved to be charged and put to death for committing it, as stated by the attorney general's office.
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Despite Barber's attorneys' request for a stay of execution due to concerns about Alabama's lethal injection procedures, the execution proceeded as scheduled. The Supreme Court denied the stay just before midnight on Thursday, giving the state until 6 a.m. to carry out the execution.
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Attorney General Marshall commented on the execution, stating, "Justice has been served. This morning, James Barber was put to death for the terrible crime he committed over two decades ago: the especially heinous, atrocious, and cruel murder of Dorothy Epps." He also called on the people of Alabama to pray for the victim's family and friends, hoping they can find some sense of peace and closure.
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Barber's execution is the first to take place in Alabama since last fall, when Governor Kay Ivey ordered a review of lethal injection procedures following several issues, including a botched execution and two failed attempts between July and November. In February, Governor Ivey announced that the state had been cleared to resume executions. The review led to an expansion of the prison system's pool of medical professionals, the acquisition of new equipment, and additional rehearsals, according to Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Hamm.
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Barber's attorneys argued for a stay of execution, claiming that it would likely be botched, similar to the previous three attempts. However, Attorney General Marshall's office urged the Supreme Court to allow the execution to proceed, emphasizing that the victim's family had waited long enough to see justice done. Marshall explained that the previous executions were called off due to a combination of factors, including health issues specific to the inmates and last-minute litigation that significantly shortened the window for conducting the executions.
In the days leading up to his execution, Barber had 22 visitors and two phone calls, according to the Department of Corrections.
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