Alabama Executes Geoffrey Todd West for 1997 Shooting Death of Store Clerk
An Alabama man, Geoffrey Todd West, was put to death on Thursday for the 1997 killing of a woman during a gas station robbery. West, 50, was executed at William C. Holman Correctional Facility using nitrogen gas, a method Alabama began using last year. This execution is one of two that took place in the country on the same night, with Texas also carrying out an execution for a man convicted of killing his girlfriend’s 13-month-old daughter.
West was convicted of capital murder in the 1997 killing of Margaret Parrish Berry, 33, who was shot in the back of the head while lying on the floor behind the counter at Harold’s Chevron in Etowah County. Prosecutors stated that Berry was killed execution-style to ensure there was no witness, and $250 was taken from a cookie can that held the station’s money. A jury voted 10-2 to recommend a death sentence.
Execution and Final Statements
During the execution, West gave a thumbs-up in the direction of his attorney as the process began at about 5:56 p.m. He appeared to struggle for breath, with his eyes open, and his head rocking from side to side. West was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m. In a final statement provided by his attorney, West apologized to the family of Margaret Parrish Berry and expressed his gratitude for the forgiveness extended by Berry’s son, Will.
West also stated that he was baptized in the Catholic Church this year and was “at peace because I know where I am going.” Will Berry, who was 11 when his mother was killed, urged Alabama’s governor to commute West’s sentence to life in prison, saying that taking another life would not help his family. Berry exchanged letters with West ahead of the execution and expressed his forgiveness.
Reactions and Reflections
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey stated that she intended to let the execution go forward, citing her duty to uphold Alabama law. After the execution, Ivey said, “Tonight, the lawfully imposed death sentence has been carried out, justice has been served, and I pray for healing for all.” Will Berry expressed astonishment at the execution and offered condolences to West’s loved ones, saying that West acted out of character that night and that people who knew him described him as a good person who got off track.
The Federal Defenders Office of the Middle District, which represented West, stated that the execution was a “lost opportunity — for closure, for healing, for humanity.” They also reflected on the need for society to consider how capital punishment is handled, particularly in regards to age and life circumstances. The execution method used, nitrogen gas, has been used in seven executions nationwide, with six of those taking place in Alabama.
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