Gary Lee Davis (August 13, 1944 – October 13, 1997) was an American convicted murderer and rapist who was executed by the U.S. state of Colorado in 1997. He was the only person to be executed by the state of Colorado between 1968 and 2020; when Colorado abolished capital punishment.[2][3]
Davis was born in Wichita, Kansas on August 13, 1944.[4] Although raised by his mother, he later claimed to have suffered sexual abuse from an early age at the hands of his older stepbrothers. After dropping out of school in the ninth grade, Davis joined the United States Marine Corps in 1961; he married Tonya Ann Tatem; the couple had two sons before their divorce. Davis held multiple jobs before marrying Leona Coates in 1974; he was 30 and she was 17 years old. They had four children.
Although Davis had a history of predatory sexual behavior, which he later admitted to following his conviction for murder (on one occasion, he estimated that he had raped 15 women), his criminal record included only convictions for grand larceny and burglary in Kansas in 1970 and 1971, and menacing in Colorado in 1979. In 1982, Davis was jailed on a sexual assault conviction in Colorado; during his imprisonment, he struck up a correspondence with Rebecca Fincham. The couple married in 1984, while Davis was still in prison. He was released in 1985, after which he and Fincham moved to Byers, Colorado.
Murder, trial, and convictionedit
On July 21, 1986, Davis and Fincham kidnapped their neighbor, 34-year-old Virginia May, in front of her children; they subsequently drove her to a deserted field, where Davis raped May and then shot her 14 times with a rifle.[5] At trial, Davis confessed to the murder, despite the advice of his attorneys; he was sentenced to death exactly one year after the murder, on July 21, 1987.[6] The jury took three hours to reach a verdict. In a separate trial, Fincham was sentenced to life in prison.
Davis alternately encouraged and suspended appeals of his death sentence, which was upheld by state courts in 1990 and federal courts in 1995.[7] During the time he sat on Colorado's death row, Davis was able to reunite with some of his family, including his first two wives, and, according to some witnesses, experienced a dramatic spiritual conversion during his final years.
Then-Governor of Colorado Roy Romer refused to grant clemency to Davis, stating, in part: "[T]here undoubtedly has been some rehabilitation of his character and his demeanor. But I do not believe that whatever remorse or rehabilitation that is displayed here justifies reaching that extraordinary event that would cause this governor to give him clemency."
Executionedit
Davis's last meal before his execution was ice cream.[8] Shortly before his execution, Davis also requested a cigarette; as a smoking ban was in place in Colorado prisons, his request was denied. He made no final statement before being executed by lethal injection.[9]
Davis was pronounced dead at the Colorado State Penitentiary at 8:33 p.m. on October 13, 1997.[10] As his death was the first execution carried out by the state of Colorado in approximately three decades, the event received intense media coverage; about 200 anti-death-penalty protesters gathered outside the prison as Davis was executed, as did a smaller group of death penalty supporters.[11]
Davis was the only person executed in Colorado between 1968 and 2020; when the state of Colorado abolished the death penalty.[2][12] His execution was the 417th carried out in the United States since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
Davis' wife, Rebecca Fincham, died in prison in 2008 while serving a life sentence for May's murder.
^Zalubowski, David (September 24, 1997). "The mug shots and biography of Gary Lee Davis". Associated Press. from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2021 – via The Colorado Sun.
^ ab"If theater shooter gets death, execution could take decades". KUSA (TV). July 21, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^"Colorado becomes 22nd state to abolish death penalty". The Independent. March 25, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^Prendergast, Alan (October 16, 1997). "The Killer Inside Him". Westword. Retrieved November 13, 2005.
^Simpson, Kevin (October 11, 2007). "Execution gave debate new fury". The Denver Post. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^"Convicted Murderer Davis Sentenced to Death". Associated Press. July 23, 1987. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^Prendergast, Alan (September 21, 2012). "Gary Lee Davis: Colorado's last volunteer for the death penalty". Westword. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
^Ryckman, Lisa (October 14, 1997). . Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on June 17, 2009. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^Prendergast, Alan (October 16, 1997). "Scenes From an Execution". Westword. Retrieved November 13, 2005.
^Kohler, Judith (October 14, 1997). "Colorado Holds First Execution in 30 Years, Giving Convicted Murderer and Rapist Gary Lee". Associated Press. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^Simpson, Kevin (March 4, 2019). "In 1997, Colorado's first execution in 30 years marked a watershed moment. But did it change the conversation about capital punishment?". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
^Li, David K. (March 23, 2020). "Colorado abolishes the death penalty". NBC News. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
gary, davis, august, 1944, october, 1997, american, convicted, murderer, rapist, executed, state, colorado, 1997, only, person, executed, state, colorado, between, 1968, 2020, when, colorado, abolished, capital, punishment, born, 1944, august, 1944, wichita, k. Gary Lee Davis August 13 1944 October 13 1997 was an American convicted murderer and rapist who was executed by the U S state of Colorado in 1997 He was the only person to be executed by the state of Colorado between 1968 and 2020 when Colorado abolished capital punishment 2 3 Gary Lee DavisBorn 1944 08 13 August 13 1944 1 Wichita Kansas U S DiedOctober 13 1997 1997 10 13 aged 53 Colorado State Penitentiary Canon City Colorado U S Cause of deathExecution by lethal injectionCriminal statusExecutedConviction s First degree murderConspiracy to commit first degree murderSecond degree kidnappingConspiracy to commit second degree kidnappingCriminal penaltyDeath July 21 1987 DetailsVictimsVirginia May 34Location s Byers ColoradoWeaponRifle Contents 1 Early life 2 Murder trial and conviction 3 Execution 4 See also 5 ReferencesEarly life editDavis was born in Wichita Kansas on August 13 1944 4 Although raised by his mother he later claimed to have suffered sexual abuse from an early age at the hands of his older stepbrothers After dropping out of school in the ninth grade Davis joined the United States Marine Corps in 1961 he married Tonya Ann Tatem the couple had two sons before their divorce Davis held multiple jobs before marrying Leona Coates in 1974 he was 30 and she was 17 years old They had four children Although Davis had a history of predatory sexual behavior which he later admitted to following his conviction for murder on one occasion he estimated that he had raped 15 women his criminal record included only convictions for grand larceny and burglary in Kansas in 1970 and 1971 and menacing in Colorado in 1979 In 1982 Davis was jailed on a sexual assault conviction in Colorado during his imprisonment he struck up a correspondence with Rebecca Fincham The couple married in 1984 while Davis was still in prison He was released in 1985 after which he and Fincham moved to Byers Colorado Murder trial and conviction editOn July 21 1986 Davis and Fincham kidnapped their neighbor 34 year old Virginia May in front of her children they subsequently drove her to a deserted field where Davis raped May and then shot her 14 times with a rifle 5 At trial Davis confessed to the murder despite the advice of his attorneys he was sentenced to death exactly one year after the murder on July 21 1987 6 The jury took three hours to reach a verdict In a separate trial Fincham was sentenced to life in prison Davis alternately encouraged and suspended appeals of his death sentence which was upheld by state courts in 1990 and federal courts in 1995 7 During the time he sat on Colorado s death row Davis was able to reunite with some of his family including his first two wives and according to some witnesses experienced a dramatic spiritual conversion during his final years Then Governor of Colorado Roy Romer refused to grant clemency to Davis stating in part T here undoubtedly has been some rehabilitation of his character and his demeanor But I do not believe that whatever remorse or rehabilitation that is displayed here justifies reaching that extraordinary event that would cause this governor to give him clemency Execution editDavis s last meal before his execution was ice cream 8 Shortly before his execution Davis also requested a cigarette as a smoking ban was in place in Colorado prisons his request was denied He made no final statement before being executed by lethal injection 9 Davis was pronounced dead at the Colorado State Penitentiary at 8 33 p m on October 13 1997 10 As his death was the first execution carried out by the state of Colorado in approximately three decades the event received intense media coverage about 200 anti death penalty protesters gathered outside the prison as Davis was executed as did a smaller group of death penalty supporters 11 Davis was the only person executed in Colorado between 1968 and 2020 when the state of Colorado abolished the death penalty 2 12 His execution was the 417th carried out in the United States since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976 Davis wife Rebecca Fincham died in prison in 2008 while serving a life sentence for May s murder See also edit nbsp Biography portalCapital punishment in Colorado Capital punishment in the United States List of most recent executions by jurisdictionReferences edit Zalubowski David September 24 1997 The mug shots and biography of Gary Lee Davis Associated Press Archived from the original on May 22 2021 Retrieved May 22 2021 via The Colorado Sun a b If theater shooter gets death execution could take decades KUSA TV July 21 2015 Retrieved May 22 2021 Colorado becomes 22nd state to abolish death penalty The Independent March 25 2020 Retrieved May 22 2021 Prendergast Alan October 16 1997 The Killer Inside Him Westword Retrieved November 13 2005 Simpson Kevin October 11 2007 Execution gave debate new fury The Denver Post Retrieved May 22 2021 Convicted Murderer Davis Sentenced to Death Associated Press July 23 1987 Retrieved May 22 2021 Prendergast Alan September 21 2012 Gary Lee Davis Colorado s last volunteer for the death penalty Westword Retrieved May 23 2021 Ryckman Lisa October 14 1997 Davis pays final price Rocky Mountain News Archived from the original on June 17 2009 Retrieved May 22 2021 Prendergast Alan October 16 1997 Scenes From an Execution Westword Retrieved November 13 2005 Kohler Judith October 14 1997 Colorado Holds First Execution in 30 Years Giving Convicted Murderer and Rapist Gary Lee Associated Press Retrieved May 22 2021 Simpson Kevin March 4 2019 In 1997 Colorado s first execution in 30 years marked a watershed moment But did it change the conversation about capital punishment The Colorado Sun Retrieved December 6 2019 Li David K March 23 2020 Colorado abolishes the death penalty NBC News Retrieved May 22 2021 Preceded byLuis Monge 1967 Executions carried out in Colorado Succeeded byNonePreceded by Ricky Lee Green Texas October 8 1997 Executions carried out in the United States Succeeded byAlan Bannister Missouri October 24 1997 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gary Lee Davis amp oldid 1148185934, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
