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Georgia’s Oldest Inmate Executed


This undated photo provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections shows Brandon Astor Jones in Georgia. Jones,
This undated photo provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections shows Brandon Astor Jones in Georgia. Jones,

A 72-year-old man has become the oldest person on death row to be executed in the state of Georgia.

Brandon Astor Jones was given a lethal injection early Wednesday morning after last-minute appeals failed.

Jones was sentenced to death 36 years ago for having killed a convenience store worker during a robbery.

Another man, Van Roosevelt Solomon, took part in the crime and was also sentenced to death. He was executed by electrocution in 1985.

Jones denied shooting the store manager, Roger Tackett, and law enforcement officials were never able to determine who fired the fatal shot.

The Death Penalty Information Center, a non-profit organization which aims to educate the public about issues related to capital punishment said the case “ raises questions of proportionality and discriminatory application of the death penalty.”

In 1989, a judge overturned Jones’ sentence because jurors had a bible during their deliberations and that, it was argued, could have influenced their verdict. The death sentence was reinstated in 1997.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper, Jones did not make a final statement but did record a message before his execution.

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