NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday said he will not intervene to stop the execution of Harold Wayne Nichols.
Nichols, 64, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Thursday for the 1988 rape and murder of Karen Pulley, a 20-year-old student at Chattanooga State University.
Nichols confessed to killing Pulley as well as raping several other women in the Chattanooga area. Although he expressed remorse at trial, he admitted that he would have continued his violent behavior had he not been arrested. He was sentenced to death in 1990.
Nichols’ attorneys had sought to have his sentence commuted to life in prison, citing the fact that he took responsibility for his crimes and pleaded guilty.
In a statement emailed late on Tuesday, Lee said, “After deliberate consideration of Harold Wayne Nichols’ request for clemency, and after a thorough review of the case, I am upholding the sentence of the State of Tennessee and do not plan to intervene.”
Nichols broke into Pulley’s home, raped her and beat her on the head with a 2-by-4 board. Pulley suffered massive brain injuries and died the next day.
Nichols, 64, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Thursday for the 1988 rape and murder of Karen Pulley, a 20-year-old student at Chattanooga State University.
Nichols confessed to killing Pulley as well as raping several other women in the Chattanooga area. Although he expressed remorse at trial, he admitted that he would have continued his violent behavior had he not been arrested. He was sentenced to death in 1990.
Nichols’ attorneys had sought to have his sentence commuted to life in prison, citing the fact that he took responsibility for his crimes and pleaded guilty.
In a statement emailed late on Tuesday, Lee said, “After deliberate consideration of Harold Wayne Nichols’ request for clemency, and after a thorough review of the case, I am upholding the sentence of the State of Tennessee and do not plan to intervene.”
Nichols broke into Pulley’s home, raped her and beat her on the head with a 2-by-4 board. Pulley suffered massive brain injuries and died the next day.
