A jealous lover got back at the woman who dumped him in a depraved and callous crime.
Andrew Lee Jones took his wrath out on his ex-partner’s child after he abducted the little girl as she slept.
Jones broke into the house and swiped the 11-year-old in the early hours, leaving behind a tell-tale piece of evidence – a footprint.
Sister act
Yet he managed to wangle an alibi. He was living with his sister and her partner and they vouched for him – actually going on record as saying that he’d been with them on the night in question.
So Jones was off the hook for a few hours at least, until his sister got an attack of conscience. She phoned the cops to say she’d got it wrong and confessed that she could not account for his whereabouts for the half-hour in question.
Right there and then, the story unravelled. And it was just as well, for the small body of Tumekica Jackson had turned up. The innocent child had been raped, beaten and strangled.
The police got a warrant and found trainers to match the tread of the footprint, as well as other damning evidence to link Jones inextricably to the murder.
Trial and errors
That said, his trial was not standard. He did not testify, nor did the defence put up an opposing argument. Yet Jones did not want to die. ‘I’m like anyone else…I don’t want to die or anything like that.’
His words were to leave a lasting social legacy. Amicus is said to have been founded in his memory, and was established to ensure defendants get the right to fair trials and appeals.
Ironically it was set up too late to help Jones, who was given over to the clutches of Louisiana’s Old Sparky, where he kicked the electric bucket, aged roughly 36. He was also the last inmate to be executed by electrocution in the State.
Also on this day
22 July 1612 – Mary Barber
22 July 1902 – William Churcher
Bookmark this site
del.icio.us | digg | facebook | reddit | StumbleUpon
Execution of the day 