Executed January 6, 2004 at 8:06 p.m. in Arkansas by lethal injection.
Summary of the Murder: Singleton was convicted at the age of 44 for stabbing Mary Lou York, a grocery store owner who had befriended Singleton.
Murderer - Charles Laverne Singleton
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Date of Birth - 3-29-59
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Race - Black
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Sex - Male
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Age when crime committed - 20
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Age when executed - 43
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Date of Sentence - 10-30-79
Victim - Mary Lou York
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Date of Murder - 6-01-79
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Race - W
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Sex - Female
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Age when murdered - 19
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Method of Murder - Stabbing with knife
- Relationship to Murderer - None
When police arrived on the scene, Ms. York was lying in a pool of blood, and was awake and aware of her slim chances of survival.
In route to the hospital, Mary Lou repeated several times that she knew she was dying and that Singleton was the one who attacked her. She died before reaching the hospital.
Singleton's execution drew global attention because he was inflicted with schizophrenia and was considered legally sane only when treated with medication. His attorney argued that the state could not alter Singleton's state of being with medication in order to make him sane enough to be executed.
Singleton's execution had been scheduled five times but in his final appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that he was taking his medication voluntarily.
- Singleton v. Arkansas, 124 S.Ct. 74 (2003) (Cert. Denied)
- Singleton v. Arkansas, 120 S.Ct. 808 (2000) (Cert. Denied)
- Singleton v. Arkansas, 118 S.Ct. 118 (1997) (Cert. Denied)
- Singleton v. Arkansas, 115 S.Ct. 419 (1994) (Cert. Denied)
- Singleton v. Arkansas, 110 S.Ct. 207 (1989) (Cert. Denied)
- Singleton v. Arkansas, 103 S.Ct. 184 (1982) (Cert. Denied)
- Singleton v. Arkansas, 102 S.Ct. 1996 (1982) (Cert. Denied)
His final words were written (not spoken) and included many religious references. A part of his final statement read, "I am Charles Singleton, anointed by God, Victor Ra Hakim..." In part he wrote, "The blind think I’m playing a game. They deny me, refusing me existence. But everybody takes the place of another. "You have taught me what you want done — and I will not let you down. God bless."
His final meal included two double-soy patty sandwiches, fried eggplant, fried green tomatoes and fried sweet potato slices, which he ate while he visited for the last time with his lawyer, Rosenzweig.
Rosenzweig said Singleton ate, took a shower, and appeared at peace with what layed ahead.
Charles Singleton, 44, was pronounced dead at 8:06 p.m. by lethal injection.
