UPDATE (5-19-09) — He’s dead. Some people are just no damned good, and the world is a better place without them. Michael Riley was one such person, and now the world is a little bit better off.
Riley’s final statement:
Yes I do. To the Harris family. I have been trying to tell you for years that I am sorry. I know that I hurt your family bad. I am sorry. Wynona should not of even have happened. I am sorry. I truly am sorry for the hurt and pain I caused you. I hope you can forgive me. One day I hope you can move on and if not I understand. Tim Jackson, Bobby Dan Spade and Mr. Segal thank you for your lies. Your lies set me free. I couldn’t do a life sentence. To my mom, I’m sorry. I love you. I’m not the big son that you wanted me to be. But, I love you. To my friends, Synnova, Kay I thank you for everything. I’m ready. I told you years ago that I was ready. Synnova tell everyone I got full on Chicken and Pork Chops. Rodney, take care of my mom. To the fellas on the row, stay strong. Renee, I love you baby. Fleetwood is up out of here. I’m ready Warden.
_________
Michael Lynn Riley was convicted of the February 1986 robbery and murder of 23-year-old Wynona Harris, a clerk at the Shop-a-Minit convenience store in Quitman, Texas.
Riley stabbed Harris 31 times during the course of a violent robbery that netted $1,110. The money was later recovered from a pair of Riley’s overalls.
Riley served 20 months of a 2 year conviction in 1977-78 for buglary and larceny. Less than 2 months later he was convicted of burglary again. This time he only served 3 years of a 9 year sentence before being paroled.
When Riley killed Wynona Harris, he was still supposed to be in prison.
Once again. our revolving door justice system fails the innocent citizens of Texas.
On May 19, shortly after 6:00 p.m., Michael Lynn Riley will be put to death by the state of Texas. He has been a shit-stain on humanity for at least the last 30 years, and at long last we will all be safe from this animal.
Previous Stay of Execution
Riley was supposed to be executed in September of 2005, but received a stay so the court could conduct an evidentiary hearing on Riley’s claim that he is mentally retarded.
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Maybe our state should contact Avis and learn how to put in an Express Lane on death row.
I am so tired of the last-minute claims of “mental retardation” made by criminals seeking exculpation from their crimes. They will try ANYTHING to avoid taking responsibility for their own freely-executed actions.
I have met plenty of mentally challenged individuals who have hearts of gold and would not hurt a fly, let alone plan a robbery and carry out a brutally tortuous murder. What an insult to those who are truly mentally challenged, as seeking this type of excuse seemingly suggests that this type of behavior is simply to be expected of those branded “mentally retarded.”
He finished 10th grade so his claim that he was mentally retarded was specious from the beginning.
Awesome. Go Texas!
Go Texas go. Time to juice another piece of scum that this earth has produced!!!!!
The South shall risie again. Full member of NRA. YA Baby!!!
This would never happen in Maryland. We have a pussy for a governor. Go Texas…
good job men.
I knew this piece of scum and i promised him one day i would hear it on the news of his execution and my day has come true thank you Mr. Taylor, and the State of Texas,and now the family can move on and close the last chapter of their book. I know one thing he didnt suffer as much as Ms.Harris who was a friend of mine. R.I.P.
How long was she alive? How long was he on Death Row? Hmm… Something wrong here?
He’s dead, Jim.
Chad, I don’t know what you think is wrong, but go here, and scroll down to Riley.
He’s dead, by the way.
I think Chad is understandably frustrated by an ironic injustice: This young woman’s killer was allowed to live 23 more years after he so brutally cut short her life when she was only 23.
Just imagine what her young daughters would give to have had their mother 23 more years so that they could at least have gotten to know her . . . It is sad that her killer was given a reprieve equivalent to each year their mother lived on Earth.
Tracy, you are probably right about Chad questioning the years.
As for Lynn being allowed to play the system for so long, it is unfortunate, but is based on a serious system of punishment. We do want capital punishment, but want to make certain that every opportunity to prove innocence is extended. In this case, he played it out fully, even after admitting guilt.
I don’t know how I stumbled across your blog, but I’m impressed. I think the time is coming when a like-minded core of folks like you will be the only hope of saving whatever’s left of this country. Thank you.
Thank God for states like Texas. In Maryland we have someone on death row for over 25 years and it looks like he will be there alot more years. Why, because of our liberal POS governor and legislature. This guy gunned down several people in a motel robbery and yet he gets to live. Go Texas…Turn the burners up…….
We do want capital punishment, but want to make certain that every opportunity to prove innocence is extended.He delayed his execution by 4 years with a phony claim of retardation. That was a blatant abuse of the system and had nothing to do with innocence.
Why did you leave off the sentence that followed the one you quoted?
I’m glad this is over so maybe the family can get on with their lives… I know her daughter… I wonder how her life might be different had she of had her mother all these years. There are now grandchildren without a grandmother…… so sad!
I expect defendants to obfuscate and delay. However, I don’t expect the justice system to entertain such obviously frivolous appeals with no merit and no purpose beyond delaying execution for as long as possible. Four years to issue a finding that he was not retarded? Ridiculous!
I agree it was ridiculous that it took so long. I stated he played the system, I just don’t understand why you overlooked my saying so.
I believe in serving my god, country, family….. Oh yeah, good ole Sparky too…
Because I wasn’t addressing that point, okay? It is irrelevant to my point that the judicial system allowed his h.c. hearings, opinions, etc., to drag on twice as long as it should have. It should never have taken 4 years for the courts to hold the hearings and issue their opinions. The courts abused the system.
It’s the lawyers that abuse the system. This dumb shit wouldn’t know whether he was retarded or not. It was his lawyer that “played” the system. In the long run he lost and cost the tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars with unnecessary appeals. The real question is did he ride the small bus to school or not. If so then maybe they have a case. If not this should have been done years ago.
Hi everybody! I’m back …
What we fail to remember is that there were two families here that suffered because of the action of one man. With that said I wonder if those who has posted comments earlier would be so quick demand justice in the form of the death penalty if it were their son? As parents our children don’t always do the right thing, however it just strikes me as amazing when it the son of someone who chose to get high on drugs or drunk with alcohol that it cost the life of an innocent person they cry for mercy. Taking a life because you wanted money or because you chose to drink or get high on drugs to me both decisions are stupid and costly and the price to be paid should be the same. Where’s the justice in that?