An inmate on death row scheduled for execution this week has made a plea to the governor of the state to meet with him “before an innocent man is put to death.” Anthony Boyd, who has maintained his innocence for over 30 years in the case of Gregory Huguley’s murder, is facing execution by nitrogen gas in Alabama. Boyd, aged 53, has urged authorities to reconsider their decision just hours before the scheduled execution.
In a recorded message played at a press conference in Alabama, Boyd expressed his desire for a meeting with Governor Kay Ivey, stating, “Before an innocent man is executed, come sit down with me and have a conversation with the guy you deemed one of the worst of the worst.” He indicated that if the governor perceives him as deceptive during the meeting, she should proceed with the execution, but if not, he requested a stay of execution to allow for a thorough investigation of his case.
Boyd was convicted of the 1993 murder of Gregory Huguley, who was burned alive over a drug debt in Talladega County, Alabama. Despite Boyd’s continuous assertions of innocence, authorities in the county maintain their belief in his guilt. Mike Lewis, a spokesperson for Governor Ivey, mentioned that all cases are reviewed before execution dates are set and emphasized that there have been no recent challenges to Boyd’s guilt in the murder.
Described as a challenging case by Governor Ivey’s team, Boyd’s plea for clemency faces an uphill battle. The governor has only intervened in one execution since taking office in 2017. Other death row cases in Alabama, such as that of Geoffrey Todd West, who was convicted of a 1997 woman’s murder during a robbery, have also faced appeals.
Another individual accused of involvement in Huguley’s murder, Shawn Ingram, has also been convicted of capital murder and is on death row in Alabama. The state began using nitrogen gas for executions last year, prompting Boyd’s attorneys to seek a halt to his execution for further examination of the new method.