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Alabama Inmate James Osgood Seeks Execution, Rejecting Appeals

James Osgood, currently on death row in Alabama, has expressed his desire to proceed with his execution, scheduled for Thursday. He believes in the principle of “an eye for an eye” regarding his crime.

In a recent interview with The Associated Press from prison, Osgood, who is 55 years old, stated, “The reason I dropped my appeals is I am guilty of murder. I’m a firm believer in, like I said in court, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. I took a life so mine was forfeited. I don’t believe in sitting here and wasting everybody’s time and everybody’s money.” His remarks highlight a profound acceptance of his actions and a desire to conclude the legal proceedings surrounding his case.

Osgood’s execution marks a significant moment, as Alabama has recently utilized nitrogen gas in executions, making it the first state to adopt this method. Nonetheless, Osgood is among a minority of inmates in the U.S. who have chosen to forgo their legal appeals in pursuit of execution, indicating his firm stance on the matter. Additionally, he has requested that those opposed to the death penalty not protest on his behalf.

Convicted for the 2010 murder of Tracy Lynn Brown in Chilton County, Osgood’s crime involved a brutal attack where prosecutors alleged he cut her throat following an act of sexual assault. Reflecting on the tragedy, Osgood expressed a desire to offer an apology to Brown’s family, acknowledging that his regrets are insufficient given the gravity of his actions. “I regret taking her from them. I regret cutting her life short,” he stated. He emphasized that he does not refer to Brown by name when discussing the murder, feeling unworthy to do so.

Osgood also recognized the pain inflicted not only on Brown’s family but also on his own, sharing, “I regret the pain and suffering that I caused.” Despite his remorse, he noted that Brown’s family had supported the death penalty during his trial, though attempts by the media to reach them for comment were unsuccessful.

Alongside Osgood, another inmate, Moises Sandoval Mendoza from Texas, is also scheduled for execution this week. This comes at a time when the frequency of executions across the U.S. appears to be increasing slightly.

“I don’t want protesting for me. There is no need. I asked for this,” Osgood remarked firmly about the upcoming execution. He believes activists should be free to express their views against the death penalty but insists that they should not leverage his circumstances to advance their agenda.

The murder of Brown, whose body was discovered in her home on October 23, 2010, was grisly, with reports indicating she had been stabbed and suffered severe injuries. Following his conviction in 2014, Osgood’s initial death sentence was overturned due to judicial errors during the trial. However, during the re-sentencing process, Osgood explicitly requested to retain the death sentence, citing a desire to spare both families from re-experiencing the trauma associated with the trial.

Describing his long tenure on death row, Osgood explained that he initially planned to exhaust his appeals for a decade but then opted to drop them altogether last summer, requesting an execution date instead. “I no longer feel as if I’m even existing. I’m tired. I want to complete my sentence,” he communicated to his attorney.

He further shared that the thought of enduring life imprisonment is more terrifying than facing execution itself, stating, “The scary thing is having to stay here. Look what the world is coming to.” His comments reflect a pervasive sense of hopelessness among some inmates regarding long-term imprisonment.

Alabama’s Governor Kay Ivey has indicated that, while she has no immediate plans to grant clemency to Osgood, she retains the authority to reconsider her decision right up until the execution occurs. Historical data from the Death Penalty Information Center shows that clemency has been granted only once to a death row inmate in Alabama since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. Currently, the state has executed 78 individuals, with 167 inmates remaining on death row.

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