Court Halts Execution
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Court Halts Execution
A state appeals court Thursday halted the execution of 43-year-old death row inmate convicted of abducting, raping and killing his ex-girlfriend’s 11-year-old daughter.
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(October 23, 2008)—A state appeals court late Thursday morning halted the execution of death row inmate Bobby Wayne Woods, 43, who was convicted of abducting, raping and killing his ex-girlfriend’s 11-year-old daughter.

Woods was to have been executed Thursday evening in Huntsville.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, stopped the execution after Woods’ attorneys raised claims that the inmate is mentally retarded and ineligible for execution under U.S. Supreme Court standards.

Prosecutors said Woods raped Sarah Patterson and then abducted her and her 9-year-old brother Cody in 1997 from their home southwest of Fort Worth.

They say he beat the boy so violently that skull fragments later had to be removed from the youngster’s brain, and then left Cody for dead in a cemetery.

Then, they say, he slashed the girl’s throat.

Woods denied responsibility and blamed the death on a cousin who subsequently committed suicide.

Prosecutors convinced a jury otherwise.

Woods' trial was moved to Llano in Central Texas in 1998 because of extensive publicity in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Woods would have bee the second Texas prisoner executed this week and 13th this year.

Two more men face execution next week in the country's most active death penalty state.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Me on Oct 24, 2008 at 10:20 AM

Kill him.. that's what he deserves
[ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Marlin Location: Texas on Oct 24, 2008 at 09:39 AM

Mentally Retarded....okay. Did he know it was wrong to rape and kill? Yes. In that case, I don't care how "Mentally Retarded" he and his taxpayer paid lawyers claim he is. Give him the needle and bury what's left.
[ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: william Location: waco on Oct 24, 2008 at 05:13 AM

When are we going to wake up and start holding judges, lawyers and parole boards accountable for their insanely assanine decisions??? He was found guilty, he should be allowed 30 days for an appeal, new evidence etc. Go back before the same judge and jury, if the coviction is upheld carry out the sentence the next day PERIOD.
[ Report Abuse ]
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