Donald Lehman (1933 – January 8, 1981) was an American man who was murdered in front of his family by four men in Arkansas. All four men – James William Holmes, Hoyt Franklin Clines, Michael Orndorff, and Darryl Richley – were convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death, although Orndorff's sentence was reduced to life without parole on appeal. The other three were all executed one by one on August 3, 1994. It was the first triple execution in the United States in the post-Gregg v. Georgia modern era.[1]
Donald Lehman | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1933 |
| Died | (aged 47) Rogers, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Homicide |
Hoyt Franklin Clines | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 18, 1956 |
| Died | August 3, 1994 (aged 37) |
| Cause of death | Execution by lethal injection |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Conviction(s) | Capital murder Aggravated robbery (2 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
Darryl V. Richley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | April 12, 1951 |
| Died | August 3, 1994 (aged 43) |
| Cause of death | Execution by lethal injection |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Conviction(s) | Capital murder Aggravated robbery (2 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
James William Holmes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | December 14, 1956 |
| Died | August 3, 1994 (aged 37) |
| Cause of death | Execution by lethal injection |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Conviction(s) | Capital murder Aggravated robbery (2 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
Michael Ray Orndorff | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 1, 1959 |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated |
| Conviction(s) | Capital murder Aggravated robbery (2 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Death; commuted to life imprisonment |
| Imprisoned at | East Arkansas Regional Unit |
Murder
editDonald Lehman, his wife, Virginia, and their daughter, Vicki, were at their home when four men wearing ski masks rang the doorbell and forced their way inside. The intruders shot Lehman three times and severely beat him with a motorcycle drive chain in front of his family. The intruders stole more than $1,000 and several guns, according to court documents. Holmes, Richley, Clines, and Orndorff were arrested later that day. They were tried jointly for capital murder and aggravated robbery. All of them were found guilty and sentenced to death.[2] Orndorff later had his sentence overturned on appeal, and Lehman's family agreed to a life sentence in his case.[3][4][5]
Executions
editAfter the U.S. Supreme Court rejected arguments they were being treated like "hogs at a slaughter", Clines, Richley, and Holmes were all executed by lethal injection on August 3, 1994. All three of them declined to make final statements. Clines was executed first, and was pronounced dead at 7:11 p.m. Richley was pronounced dead 58 minutes later, followed by Holmes at 9:24 p.m.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Triple execution scheduled in Arkansas". United Press International. August 2, 1994. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
- ^ "Clines v. State". Justia Law. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
- ^ "Three Killers Executed in Arkansas : Punishment: The three had slain a businessman in 1981. Multiple execution is decried by some as 'slaughter' as others note its efficiency". Los Angeles Times. 1994-08-04. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
- ^ "Four men scheduled for execution Friday". United Press International. June 25, 1984. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
- ^ Greene, Bob (August 7, 1994). "KILLERS AS VICTIMS? A CRIMINAL THOUGHT". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on April 11, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
- ^ "Arkansas Puts 3 to Death After Flurry of Appeals". The New York Times. August 4, 1994. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.