Robbie Lyons
Encyclopedia
Robbie James Lyons was convicted of the 1993 murder of Stephen Wilson Stafford and in 2003 was executed
at Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina
.
. According to the testimony of Derick Hall, an alleged accomplice who was in the store with Lyons at the time of the murder, Lyons chose to rob the store on the spur of the moment because he was out of money. Hall claimed not to have participated directly in the robbery, but that he heard Lyons fire five shots at Stafford and disappear; Hall turned himself into police custody on the following day. Victoria Lytle, a witness who had just left Stafford's store, also claimed that she heard gunshots and saw Lyons leave the store with a gun in hand shortly afterwards.
, antisocial personality disorder
and had a history of substance abuse
from a very early age. Lyon's mother provided an affidavit, which was not presented at trial, testifying that Lyons was the result of an unexpected teenage pregnancy and grew up in a household where he was regularly abused and beaten by his grandmother.
Lyons' extensive and violent criminal history was also a factor brought forward by those arguing against clemency. A month prior to his execution, Lyons assaulted a prison guard and prison authorities placed him in solitary confinement
for the final days of his incarceration.
After the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition for a writ of certiorari
in Lyons' case on 6 October 2003, the state of North Carolina
set an execution date of 5 December 2003. Lyons was set to be the seventh convicted murderer executed by North Carolina that year, making 2003 a peak for executions in the state (exceeded only in recent history by 1949, which saw 10 executions).
reviewed pleas for clemency; prior to the execution he met both with Lyon's defense attorneys and members of Stafford's family. Reverend Jesse Jackson
also wrote to Mike Easley just prior to Lyon's execution, also pleading for a commutation of the death sentence. Easley declined to commute Lyons' death sentence.
Lyons' final meal prior to his execution was pizza and lasagna, both prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary law, and a Pepsi. His final words were: "It is from Allah that I come and it is to Allah that I return. If my death brings another person happiness, then I'm happy for them." Lyons was pronounced dead
at North Carolina's Central Prison in Raleigh
at 2:17 a.m. in the early morning of 5 December 2003. His execution was the 885th carried out in the United States, and the 30th in North Carolina
, since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
at Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
.
Prior arrests
A series of arrests and releases in 1993 preceded the murder for which Lyons was later executed. Convicted on 16 April 1993 on multiple charges of larceny and forgery, Lyons was sentenced to 17 months in prison; however, he served only a month of this sentence and was released on 17 May 1993. He was arrested again a month later on charges of armed robbery, for which he received three years probation on a plea bargain; he used an alias, and even though his real name was known, his prior arrest and improper release were overlooked. Finally, four days before the murder of Stephen Stafford, Lyons was arrested a third time for failure to appear in court, for which he was released on a $50 bond.Crime
The murder of Stephen Wilson Stafford occurred on 25 September 1993, apparently as part of an attempted robbery. Stafford was the owner of a small store in Forsyth County, North CarolinaForsyth County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 306,067 people, 123,851 households, and 81,741 families residing in the county. The population density was 747 people per square mile . There were 133,093 housing units at an average density of 325 per square mile...
. According to the testimony of Derick Hall, an alleged accomplice who was in the store with Lyons at the time of the murder, Lyons chose to rob the store on the spur of the moment because he was out of money. Hall claimed not to have participated directly in the robbery, but that he heard Lyons fire five shots at Stafford and disappear; Hall turned himself into police custody on the following day. Victoria Lytle, a witness who had just left Stafford's store, also claimed that she heard gunshots and saw Lyons leave the store with a gun in hand shortly afterwards.
Trial
Following Lyons' conviction on 6 May 1994, allegations arose of poor legal representation; Lyons' trial attorneys put forward no evidence during the trial. Additionally, Lyons' primary attorney was primarily a real estate lawyer and had only met Lyons once before the trial. A psychologist testified during deliberations on Lyons' sentencing that he suffered from bipolar disorderBipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
, antisocial personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder is described by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fourth edition , as an Axis II personality disorder characterized by "...a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood...
and had a history of substance abuse
Substance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
from a very early age. Lyon's mother provided an affidavit, which was not presented at trial, testifying that Lyons was the result of an unexpected teenage pregnancy and grew up in a household where he was regularly abused and beaten by his grandmother.
Lyons' extensive and violent criminal history was also a factor brought forward by those arguing against clemency. A month prior to his execution, Lyons assaulted a prison guard and prison authorities placed him in solitary confinement
Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, though often with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner, and has been cited as an additional...
for the final days of his incarceration.
After the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition for a writ of certiorari
Certiorari
Certiorari is a type of writ seeking judicial review, recognized in U.S., Roman, English, Philippine, and other law. Certiorari is the present passive infinitive of the Latin certiorare...
in Lyons' case on 6 October 2003, the state of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
set an execution date of 5 December 2003. Lyons was set to be the seventh convicted murderer executed by North Carolina that year, making 2003 a peak for executions in the state (exceeded only in recent history by 1949, which saw 10 executions).
Execution
As was customary, North Carolina governor Mike EasleyMike Easley
Michael Francis "Mike" Easley is an American politician who served as the 72nd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, from 2001 to 2009. He is member of the North Carolina Democratic Party and became the first North Carolina governor to admit to a felony in a deal that halted a lengthy...
reviewed pleas for clemency; prior to the execution he met both with Lyon's defense attorneys and members of Stafford's family. Reverend Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
also wrote to Mike Easley just prior to Lyon's execution, also pleading for a commutation of the death sentence. Easley declined to commute Lyons' death sentence.
Lyons' final meal prior to his execution was pizza and lasagna, both prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary law, and a Pepsi. His final words were: "It is from Allah that I come and it is to Allah that I return. If my death brings another person happiness, then I'm happy for them." Lyons was pronounced dead
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
at North Carolina's Central Prison in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
at 2:17 a.m. in the early morning of 5 December 2003. His execution was the 885th carried out in the United States, and the 30th in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
See also
- List of individuals executed in North Carolina
- Capital punishment in the United StatesCapital punishment in the United StatesCapital punishment in the United States, in practice, applies only for aggravated murder and more rarely for felony murder. Capital punishment was a penalty at common law, for many felonies, and was enforced in all of the American colonies prior to the Declaration of Independence...
Sources
- Robbie James Lyons. The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
- Offender Data Screen. North Carolina Department of Correction. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
- Robbie James Lyons - Chronology of Events. North Carolina Department of Correction. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.