Morris Mason
Morris Odell Mason (March 28, 1954 – June 25, 1985) was a convicted rapist and murderer who called himself "the killer for the Eastern Shore".[1]
Morris Odell Mason | |
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Born | |
Died | June 25, 1985 31) | (aged
Cause of death | Execution by electrocution |
Other names | The Killer for the Eastern Shore |
Criminal status | Executed |
Conviction(s) | Capital murder Rape Arson Grand larceny |
Criminal penalty | Death by electrocution |
Details | |
Victims | Ursula Stevenson, 86 Margaret K. Hand, 71 |
Span of crimes | May 2–May 14, 1978 |
Date apprehended | May 15, 1978 |
Early life
Mason was born in Philadelphia, and was raised by his mother in Northampton County, Virginia. He struggled in academics and never completed high school.[2]
Mason was also joined the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.[3]
Crimes
He was convicted of rape, murder, and arson in the murder of 71-year-old Margaret K. Hand in Northampton County, Virginia on May 13, 1978.[4] Mason nailed his victim's wrist into the seat of a chair and bound her with rope into that chair before burning her home down. Mason also confessed to raping and murdering 86-year-old Ursula Stevenson on May 2, 1978, as well as raping and sodomizing a 12-year-old girl and shooting her 13-year-old sister, who became a paraplegic as a result, on May 14, 1978.[5][6]
Attorneys for Mason contended that their client was mentally retarded and did not comprehend his crimes, thus warranting the commutation of his death sentence by Governor Chuck Robb. Robb rejected their appeals after having read internal memos stating that several psychiatric analyses of Mason done by the state during his life of crime showed that Mason had a low IQ but understood his actions. In particular, after killing Hand, Mason took steps to avoid implicating himself by returning to the burning house to recover a bag with his identity papers in it.[7]
Mason's last meal consisted of four Big Macs, two large orders of french fries, two ice cream sundae, a piece of hot apple pie, and two large grape sodas, which he shared with two guards.[8][9] He had no last words.
See also
General references
- The Associated Press. Two Men Convicted Of Murder Are Executed In Virginia And Texas. The New York Times (1985-06-26). Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
- Helen Redmond. Executions Banned For Mentally Retarded. The New Abolitionist (August 2002, Issue 25). Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
- US Executions since 1976. Clark County Prosecutor. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
- Human Rights Watch. Beyond Reason: Defendants with Mental Retardation: Their Stories. Retrieved on 2008-04-01.
References
- "Mason v. Com". Justia Law. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
- Peppers, Todd C.; Anderson, Margaret Adell (2017). A Courageous Fool: Marie Deans and Her Struggle Against the Death Penalty. Vanderbilt University Press. ISBN 978-0-8265-2160-6.
- "Morris Odell Mason (1954-1985) - Find a Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2022-05-01.
- "Mason v. Com". Justia Law. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
- "Morris Mason - Paroled - Daily Press, Jun 11, 1978". Daily Press. 1978-06-11. p. 29. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- "Suffolk News-Herald 18 November 1984 — Virginia Chronicle: Digital Newspaper Archive". virginiachronicle.com. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
- Sherwood, Tom (1985-06-26). "'Killer for Eastern Shore' Executed After Gov. Robb Denies Final Pleas". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
- Hopkins, Evan (July 21, 1985). "My Life Above Virginia's Electric Chair". The Washington Post.
- "Mason". Daily Press. 1985-06-26. p. 3. Retrieved 2022-03-09.