MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The execution of Robert Bryant Melson has been a controversial topic in the state of Alabama.
Melson murdered three people and attempted to murder a fourth 23 years ago, eventually he was found guilty of the crime. On Thursday, he was executed for the 1994 murders of Nathaniel Baker, Tamika Collins and Darrell Collier.
After being notified that Mr. Melson’s sentence had been carried out, Governor Kay Ivey released the following,
“As governor, I do not relish the responsibility that I hold related to executions of those convicted of capital murder in this state. However, it is my duty and my charge, on behalf of the people of Alabama, to ensure that justice is done, by both the victims and the convicted. I have given the facts of this case and Mr. Melson’s request for clemency the highest level of scrutiny and review. After carefully considering the nature of this crime, a triple-murder in a public restaurant, the evidence presented to and considered by a jury, and the mitigating factors presented by Mr. Melson, I determined that justice and the law of this state required me to deny his clemency petition and to allow the punishment to be carried out.”
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall released the following statement Thursday night after the execution of the death row inmate at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore.
