‘Society failed this man as a child, and my family suffered’: Daughter of murdered hitchhiker speaks after execution
Posted on 11/22/2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Thursday, Nov. 21, Alabama carried out the execution of a death row inmate for for the brutal murder of a woman who was hitchhiking through Alabama on her way to her mother’s home in Louisiana.
Carey Dale Grayson was the state’s third execution using nitrogen gas for his role in the 1994 murder of Vickie DeBlieux. He was pronounced dead at 6:33 pm, and he did not go quietly.
When asked for his last words by warden Terry Raybon, Grayson said “Yeah, for you, [EXPLITIVE] off, for the rest of you…” the microphone was then carried away from Grayson.
Grayson continued to talk and made an obscene gesture with both his hands, would occasionally drop his head only to lift it up and begin speaking again.
His spiritual advisor walked over and spoke to him, seemingly calming him down.
His breathing began to labor as the nitrogen gas began to take effect and continued for roughly 10 minutes. At one point, his body seemed to squirm as if he were fighting. At another point, he shook his head as if he were resisting, and at another point, he raised his feet. He also continued making obscene hand gestures.
“First movements, he was doing all that was, in my opinion and other staff that was all show,” said ADOC commissioner John Hamm, at a media briefing following the execution. “He did have some breaths there, some of his movements consistent with, just as we’ve talked about with the other two, you’re going to have some involuntary body twitching in the nitrogen hypoxia executions.”
DeBlieux’s daughter also spoke to media, sharing more about who her mother was as a person.
“She was unique, she was spontaneous, she was wild, and she was funny,” said Jodi Haley.
She condemned the execution, citing alleged abuse and neglect Grayson endured as a child and calling on the justice system to do more.
“I have to wonder how all of this slips through the cracks of our justice system, because society failed this man as a child, and my family suffered because of it,” Jodi said.
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Carey Dale Grayson was the state’s third execution using nitrogen gas for his role in the 1994 murder of Vickie DeBlieux. He was pronounced dead at 6:33 pm, and he did not go quietly.
When asked for his last words by warden Terry Raybon, Grayson said “Yeah, for you, [EXPLITIVE] off, for the rest of you…” the microphone was then carried away from Grayson.
Grayson continued to talk and made an obscene gesture with both his hands, would occasionally drop his head only to lift it up and begin speaking again.
His spiritual advisor walked over and spoke to him, seemingly calming him down.
His breathing began to labor as the nitrogen gas began to take effect and continued for roughly 10 minutes. At one point, his body seemed to squirm as if he were fighting. At another point, he shook his head as if he were resisting, and at another point, he raised his feet. He also continued making obscene hand gestures.
“First movements, he was doing all that was, in my opinion and other staff that was all show,” said ADOC commissioner John Hamm, at a media briefing following the execution. “He did have some breaths there, some of his movements consistent with, just as we’ve talked about with the other two, you’re going to have some involuntary body twitching in the nitrogen hypoxia executions.”
DeBlieux’s daughter also spoke to media, sharing more about who her mother was as a person.
“She was unique, she was spontaneous, she was wild, and she was funny,” said Jodi Haley.
She condemned the execution, citing alleged abuse and neglect Grayson endured as a child and calling on the justice system to do more.
“I have to wonder how all of this slips through the cracks of our justice system, because society failed this man as a child, and my family suffered because of it,” Jodi said.
Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here.
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