Condemned killer executed for horrendous dragging death of James Byrd, Jr. in Jasper, Texas

Update: New details have been added to the story below; some of which were not known until the full investigation of James Byrd's murder was completed.

John William King, 44, one of three White males who killed James Byrd, an African American, was executed in Texas, April 24, 2019. Lawrence Russell Brewer was executed for his role in Byrd's death in 2011. A third killer, Shawn Allen Berry, received life in prison.

A park has been named for Byrd, and a bench was constructed in his honor outside the Jasper courthouse. His family has created the Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing. They plan to build an educational and multicultural center in Byrd's name in the future.

The dragging murder of James Byrd, Jr.

The State of Texas conducted an execution September 21, 2011, the same night Troy Davis (see labels for story) was executed in Alabama for killing a White cop. Lawrence Russell Brewer, the condemned Texan, was an avowed White supremacist. His execution did not draw protests from people against the death penalty, or excessive media interest. Brewer was one of three White males who dragged James Byrd, Jr. behind a pickup truck on a secluded road. The victim, an African American, died a horrific death. 

James Byrd, Jr.

James Byrd, Jr. was born in Beaumont, Texas in 1949 to Stella and James Byrd, Sr. He was the third of eight sisters and brothers. Byrd's father was a deacon at the Greater New Bethel Baptist Church, where his mother taught Sunday School. Byrd liked singing hymns and playing piano. He graduated from Jasper High School that segregated in 1967. After high school Byrd got married, fathering three children.

On June 7, 1998, Byrd, age 49, was walking home from a party when he was offered a ride home by three White guy in a pickup truck. He was now living in Jasper, Texas. Byrd accepted a ride from Shawn Allen Berry (age 24), Lawrence Russell Brewer (age 31) and John William King (age 23). Berry was driving the gray Ford pickup. Instead of taking Byrd home, the trio decided to take him to a remote county road, where they reportedly beat him, spray painted his face and chained him to the back of the pickup by his ankles, dragging him for three miles. Later an autopsy revealed that Byrd was alive through much of the dragging. He was still conscious.

Brewer later claimed that Byrd's throat was cut by Berry before he was dragged to his death.  His body hit the edge of a culvert, resulting in his right arms getting torn from his body. He was eventually decapitated. 

Berry, Brewer and King dumped James Byrd's remains near a Black cemetery on Huff Creek Road.  In 1998 Jasper, Texas, a town of 7,600 people, still had "Black" and "White" cemeteries. Byrd's body was found the next morning. His head and arm were found a mile from his dumped body.  

After coldly killing Byrd the trio went to eat barbecue. Along the road where Byrd was dragged, authorities found a wrench with "Berry" written on it. They found a lighter inscribed with "Possum", King's prison nickname. The three of were quickly arrested. 

Brewer and King were White supremacists. King has several tattoos that included a Black man hanging from a tree, a robed KKKer, a Swastika, the word Aryan Pride, among others.  King and Brewer belonged to the a prison gang calling itself "The Confederate Knights of America." James Byrd was targeted because he was African American.

The media reported that police found 75 to 81 pieces of Byrd's flesh on the blood smeared road. Jasper's District Attorney Pat Hardy said of the three White males, "they came straight out of hell. Instead of a rope, they used a chain, and instead of horses, they had a pickup truck." 

Police determined that Brewer and King were well-known white supremacists, giving them reason to label the horrendous murder a hate crime. The FBI was called less than 24 hours after discovering Byrd's scattered remains.

For their brutal, murderous act, King and Brewer were sentenced to death. Berry rolled on his buddies, the reason he got life in prison. King was on death row for 12 years, appealing his sentence. 

Gov. George Bush of Texas, said after King was sentenced, "The brutal beating, dragging murder of James Byrd was a horrible, despicable crime and those responsible deserve the ultimate punishment. The jury sent a clear message that Texas will not tolerate hate and violence." (The Texas Observer) 

On May 11, 2001 Texas governor Rick Perry signed the "James Byrd Hate Crime Act" into law. The law strengthened penalties for any crime motivated by a victim's race, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual preference or national origin. In 2009 President Obama signed the Mathew Shepard/James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law.

 

Brewer’s last meal request was two chicken fried steaks, a triple-meat bacon cheeseburger, fried okra, a pound of barbeque, three fajitas, a meat lover's pizza, a pint of ice cream and a slab of peanut butter fudge with crushed peanuts. Brewer did not touch the meal. But had he decided to eat, he would have to consume the large meal in 30 minutes, the standard rule in Texas.

Lawrence Brewer

An estimated 30 states still have the death penalty, but Texas treats executions like a hobby. However, Texas politicians decided September 22 that death row inmates would no longer have the privilege of ordering lavish feasts before meeting their maker. Some inmates never eat the last meals. Perhaps standing shoulder to shoulder with death has a way of diminishing an inmate's appetite. 

The last meal request by Brewer did not go unnoticed by local politicians. It set one Texas politician’s hair on fire. The wasteful extravagance was too much for him to stomach. Senator John Whitmire (D-Tx), chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, fast forwarded a letter Thursday, Sept. 22, to Brad Livingston, executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, asking that the last meal custom be discontinued. He cited Brewer's request to water-proof his case.

Livingston responded right away, writing: “Effective immediately, this practice has been terminated. Prior to execution, death row offenders will now receive the same meal served to other offenders.” The last meal tradition lasted for 87 years in Texas.

According to the Houston Chronicle (Sept. 22):  “Brewer, 44, made no final statement before the lethal drugs were started at 6:11 p.m. He was declared dead 10 minutes later. Brewer, visibly pale, looked toward the witness room occupied by his parents and brother. 

"He did not make eye contact with Byrd's two sisters and niece, who occupied an adjoining witness room. Tears began to form in his eyes as he breathed heavily and died. Clara Taylor and Louvon Harris, the victim's sisters, stood silently as the execution took place,”wrote the Chronicle.

A day before execution in Texas, Brewer was interviewed by Houston's KHOU 11 News. He had no regret for his actions. "As far as any regrets, no, I have no regrets. I'd do it all over again, to tell the truth". He was executed September 21, 2011 in Huntsville, Texas.

Over 200 people crammed inside the small church to attend James Byrd's funeral, that included Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and NAACP president Kweisi Mfume. Another 600 people stood outside, unable get inside. Basketball star Dennis Rodman paid for Byrd's funeral, and boxing promoter Don King donated $100,000 to the family.