Gary Carl Simmons - MS - 6/20/12

[Grinning Grim Reaper]

Gary Simmons execution: Appeal made to U.S. Supreme Court

Published: Wednesday, June 20, 2012, 4:30 PM     Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2012, 4:34 PM

PARCHMAN, Mississippi -- A former butcher convicted of dismembering a man in Mississippi has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stop his execution, which is scheduled for Wednesday evening.
 
Gary Carl Simmons Jr., 49, is set to be executed at 6 p.m. CDT for the August 1996 killing of Jeffery Wolfe, whose body was found in pieces in a Jackson County bayou. Simmons also was convicted of kidnapping and raping Wolfe's friend and sentenced to life on those charges.
 
Simmons' lawyers asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to stay the execution and to order the Mississippi Supreme Court to give Simmons a chance to pursue appeals based on claims of ineffective counsel and mental illness.
 
"Post-conviction counsel did not arrange for Mr. Simmons to undergo any mental health evaluations and it appears that counsel completely overlooked raising any claims regarding Mr. Simmons' addiction, posttraumatic stress disorder and brain dysfunction even though a cursory investigation would have raised a number of red flags," the petition said.
 
The Mississippi court ruled against stopping the execution in a 5-4 vote earlier Wednesday. The U.S. Supreme Court turned down an earlier petition in May.
 
Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps said during a news conference at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman that Simmons was somber and not talkative.
 
"He said he made peace with God and that he was remorseful," Epps said.
 
Simmons requested a last meal that included pizza, french fries and strawberry ice cream.
 
Epps said Simmons has had 60 serious rule violations since being put in the prison in 1997, a "very unusual and astronomical" number of infractions that include threatening to kill a guard and throwing hot water on a prison staff member.
 
Simmons' sister was on the execution witness list. The victim's father and stepmother also were on the list.
 
If the execution were to proceed, it would be the sixth in Mississippi this year, the most in the state in a single year since eight in 1956.
 
Simmons and his former brother-in-law, Timothy Milano, were both convicted of killing Wolfe. Milano was sentenced to life.
 
Authorities say Milano shot Wolfe, but Simmons planned the killing, dismembered Wolfe and raped Wolfe's friend.
 
Court records say that Simmons planned the death and dismemberment because he didn't have the money to pay a debt he owed Wolfe for marijuana.
 
Wolfe and his female friend went to Simmons' house in Jackson County on Aug. 12, 1996, to collect the debt -- estimated at as much as $20,000. Milano shot Wolfe numerous times with a .22 caliber rifle inside Simmons' home, according to court records.
 
Simmons raped the woman and put her in a metal box and used bolt cutters and the knives from his grocery store butcher job to dismember Wolfe in the bathtub, the court records said. The woman escaped the next day and pieces of Wolfe's body were found in a bayou behind Simmons' home.
 
According to court testimony, Simmons told a friend that he had planned to keep the woman as a "sex toy."

Mississippi Press (blog)

[Dr_Edison]

They should break out the gas chamber for this piece of detritus, the needle is way too good for him.

[Nigel]

Simmons is set to die at 6 p.m.

PARCHMAN -- Condemned killer Gary Carl Simmons Jr., 49, has indicated that he plans to say a few last words just prior to his scheduled execution in the shooting death and dismemberment of a Texas man in August 1996.

Simmons since 2 p.m. has visited with his sister, Belinda Simmons Bowen, and his brother-in-law, Anthony Bowen, MDOC Commissioner Christopher Epps, said at a 4:45 p.m. briefing.

In addition, his attorney, Harvey Barton, and Simmons' spiritual advisors visited with him.

Simmons has eaten at least half of his last meal and sampled everything except a bag a chips, though he's still eating ice cream. Epps said he also was reading a book.

The U.S. Supreme Court has denied any last-minute stay.

Simmons did not wish to shower or take a sedative and remains under observation, Epps said. He said Simmons' mood improved after he met with his spiritual advisors.

Earlier today, Simmons expressed remorse for the August 1996 shooting death and dismemberment of Jeffery Wolfe, 21, and the kidnapping and rape of Wolfe's girlfriend, Charlene Leaser.

Leaser was raped, tied up and locked in a metal box before she eventually escaped the home with her life.

In 1997, a jury convicted Simmons, a Pascagoula grocery store butcher, and his ex-brother-in-law, Timothy "Timmy" Milano, 34, of capital murder in the killing.

Milano shot Wolfe six times in the back shortly after he (Wolfe) and his girlfriend arrived at Simmons' home in Moss Point.

Wolfe, with his girlfriend in tow, had driven from Houston, Texas, to see Simmons and Milano to collect on a $12,000 marijuana drug debt. Wolfe's family, however, says Wolfe was not a drug dealer, but had instead driven to Mississippi to buy some tires and rims for his vehicle.

Wolfe and his girlfriend, Charlene Leaser, arrived at Simmons' home first, with Milano showing up minutes later.

Simmons and Milano didn't have the money to pay Wolfe.

Milano shot Wolfe and Simmons grabbed Leaser, forcing her into his bedroom, where he tied her hands and feet together and locked her in metal box. He later stripped her of her clothing and raped her.

She wrestled free from the rope that bound her when Simmons and Milano went to clean out the couple's belongings from their motel room.

Leaser testified she realized no one was home when the phone rang and rang. She kicked and kicked until she broke the lock on the metal box, jumped out, grabbed some clothes and ran to a neighbor's house. They called for help.

South Mississippi authorities described the case as one of the macabre slayings in recent history.

Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd is here to witness the execution.

http://www.sunherald.com/2012/06/19/4018272/execution-day-is-here-for-pascagoula.html#storylink=omni_popular#wgt=pop

[Nigel]

June 20, 2012 Scheduled Execution of Gary Carl Simmons
4:45 p.m. News Briefing
_________________________________________________________________________________
Parchman, Miss.  -  The Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) today briefed
members of the news media of death row Inmate Gary Carl Simmons’ activities from 2:00
p.m. to approximately 4:45 p.m., including telephone calls and visits.
Inmate Simmons’ Collect Telephone Calls
 Today, Wednesday, June 20, 2012
None
Update to Inmate Simmons’ Visits
 Family visitors, Belinda Simmons Bowen (sister) and Anthony Bowen (brother-in-law)
arrived at Unit 17 at 1:30 pm and left at 3:00 p.m.
 Attorney Harvey Barton visited with inmate Simmons from 3:00 p.m. until 3:22 p.m.
 His spiritual advisor, David Lowery, visited with inmate Simmons from 3:22 p.m. until
4:00pm. 
Activities of Inmate Simmons:
 Inmate Simmons has eaten at least half of his last meal. He has sampled everything
except one bag of chips and is still eating.   
 Inmate Simmons does want to take a shower.
 He does not want a sedative.
 Inmate Simmons remains under observation.  Officers have observed Inmate
Simmons as being slightly more upbeat since visiting with his spiritual advisor

http://www.mdoc.state.ms.us/PressReleases/2012NewsReleases/SIMMONS%20%20445%20p%20m%20%20News%20Briefing.pdf

[JoeGuru]

Supreme Court just denied his stay.

[Amanda]

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120620/NEWS/120620022/US-Supreme-Court-refuses-to-block-Miss-execution?odyssey=tab%7Cmostpopular%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

US Supreme Court refuses to block Mississippi execution

Wed. June 20, 2012

The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to block the planned Wednesday evening execution of a former butcher convicted of dismembering a man in Mississippi.

Gary Carl Simmons Jr., 49, is set to be executed shortly after 6 p.m. CDT for the August 1996 killing of Jeffery Wolfe, whose body parts were found in a south Mississippi bayou. Simmons also was convicted of kidnapping and raping Wolfe's friend and sentenced to life on those charges.

A statement released in Washington by the nation's highest court did not elaborate on its decision.

Earlier Wednesday, the Mississippi Supreme Court rejected Simmons' appeal and Gov. Phil Bryant issued a statement in the afternoon saying he would not grant clemency.

~~
Go Mississippi!!!

[Grinning Grim Reaper]

He's as good as dead...in fact he probably is by now at 6:20 CDT! 

[Dball2002]

PARCHMAN, Miss. — Mississippi has executed a former grocery store butcher for dismembering a man and raping a woman he locked in a metal box.

Authorities say 49-year-old Gary Carl Simmons Jr. was pronounced dead at 6:16 CDT Wednesday. He was convicted of the Aug. 12, 1996 killing of Jeffery Wolfe, who was shot, dismembered and his body parts scattered in a bayou.

Simmons also was convicted of kidnapping and raping Wolfe's female friend and sentenced to two life terms on those charges. He was the sixth Mississippi inmate executed this year.

Simmons' former brother-in-law, Timothy Milano, also was convicted of killing Wolfe, who drove to Mississippi from Houston with the woman to collect a drug debt. Milano received a life sentence.

Authorities said Milano shot Wolfe, but Simmons planned the killing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20120620/us-mississippi-execution/

[Grinning Grim Reaper]

Going to collect money on a drug debt is almost as dangerous as working in a convenience store!

[Last Suppers]

Inmate Simmons requested the following as his last meal: one Pizza Hut medium super supreme deep dish (thin crust if available) pizza, double portion: tomato sauce, mushrooms, onions, jalapeño pepper slices and pepperoni. Regular portion: 3 cheeses, olives, bell peppers, tomato, garlic and Italian sausage. Ten (8oz) packs of parmesan cheese, ten (8oz) packs of Ranch dressing, One (16oz) family size bag of Doritos nacho cheese chips, 8oz jalapeño nacho cheese, 4oz sliced jalapeño peppers, 2 large strawberry milkshakes, two (20oz) cherry Cokes, one super-sized order McDonald’s French fries (extra ketchup and mayonnaise) and two pints strawberry ice cream (any brand).

Question of the day: what did Simmons do with 80 ounces of ranch dressing (equal to five full bottles) and no salad?

[Grinning Grim Reaper]

Last words and such...

After the execution, Wolfe's step-mother Linda Wolfe says Simmons never apologized even with his last words.  "Did he tell us, 'I am sorry. I wish I could take it back'? No, He didn't take nothing back. Like he said, 'Let's get it over with. Let's get done so these people can go home'.

Inmate Simmons requested the following as his last meal:

one Pizza Hut medium super supreme deep dish (thin crust if available) pizza,
double portion: tomato sauce, mushrooms, onions, jalapeño pepper slices and pepperoni.
Regular portion: 3 cheeses, olives, bell peppers, tomato, garlic and Italian sausage.
Ten (8oz) packs of parmesan cheese,
ten (8oz) packs of Ranch dressing,
One (16oz) family size bag of Doritos nacho cheese chips,
8oz jalapeño nacho cheese,
4oz sliced jalapeño peppers,
2 large strawberry milkshakes,
two (20oz) cherry Cokes,
one super-sized order McDonald’s French fries (extra ketchup and mayonnaise)
and two pints strawberry ice cream (any brand).

[Grinning Grim Reaper]

Question of the day: what did Simmons do with 80 ounces of ranch dressing (equal to five full bottles) and no salad?

Not to mention 80 oz of Parmesan cheese...5 lbs. 

[k"KKK"hirschkorn]

What a mess for the mortuary. And or autopsy.  O well here is a bell ring for the victims..

[Hutchsmash]

Question of the day: what did Simmons do with 80 ounces of ranch dressing (equal to five full bottles) and no salad?

My wife and kids like dip the crust of the pizza in ranch dressing.  As for the cheese, maybe he was hoping it would bind him up so bad that he would no crap his pants as the justice juice sends him on his way 

Hutch

[turboprinz]

Inmate Simmons does want to take a shower.

Damn....as at the last exceution this scumbag also missed to go cleaned into hell