http://www.news8austin.com/content/your ... rID=145525Frances Newton executed in Huntsville
Updated: 9/14/2005 6:49 PM
By: Associated Press
HUNTSVILLE -- Frances Newton was the third woman and first black woman executed since Texas resumed capital punishment in the early '80s.
The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the
execution late Wednesday.
On Wednesday justices rejected appeals that could have kept Frances Newton, 40, from execution.
Without dissent, the high court declined a pair of
appeals about an hour before Newton was scheduled to be taken to the Texas death chamber.
Newton was sentenced to die for the 1987 shooting
deaths of her husband, Adrian Newton, and their two children -- Alton and Farrah.
Newton insisted all along that she was innocent and said her trial attorneys were incompetent and evidence was improperly destroyed.
Newton was the 13th convicted killer to be executed this year in Texas.
Prosecutors said they believe the killings were part of a life insurance scheme. The real killer is or may be related to a drug dealer she knew only as "Charlie," Newton said.
THe rest of the story:
http://www.socialistworker.org/2005-2/5 ... wton.shtmlHorror of the Texas killing machine
By Nicole Colson | September 16, 2005 | Page 16
