Thomas Andy Barefoot

Offender

Thomas Andy Barefoot (offender; also identified as Thomas Barefoot #621) was executed by lethal injection in Texas on October 30, 1984.

Timeline

• Aug. 7, 1978 — Thomas Andy Barefoot shot a police officer in Harker Heights, Texas.
• Dec. (previous to Jan. 1983) — An almost identical case involving Charlie Brooks was brought to the Supreme Court and was rejected.
• Jan. 1983 — Barefoot was granted a stay by the U.S. Supreme Court 83 hours before his scheduled execution.
• Oct. 30, 1984 — At 10:10 a.m., the Supreme Court turned down his final appeal; execution followed later that day.

The offence

At the age of 38, Thomas Andy Barefoot shot a police officer in Harker Heights, Texas, on Aug. 7, 1978.

The officer, Carl LeVin, was 31 years old and had a wife and five children. Barefoot shot LeVin in the head with a .25 caliber pistol while trying to avoid arrest for the rape of a three year old girl.

Investigation

A manhunt soon began for Barefoot with help from the Killeen and Nolanville Police Departments, Bell County Sheriff’s Department, Texas Rangers and the FBI.

Arrest

Barefoot was soon captured.

Trial

Barefoot was put on trial and was later convicted and sentenced to execution by injection.

Appeals

His first appeals were denied.

In Jan. 1983, 83 hours before his scheduled execution, Barefoot was granted a stay by the U.S. Supreme Court. He had not exhausted all appeals.

One month earlier, in December, an almost identical case was brought to the Supreme Court and rejected. In that case, Charlie Brooks and an accomplice were involved in the murder of a mechanic, and Brooks was never convicted of being the “trigger man.” These two cases sparked many questions about the Supreme Court’s capital punishment approach.

At 10:10 a.m. on Oct. 30, 1984, the Supreme Court turned down Barefoot’s final appeal.

Sentencing

Barefoot was sentenced to execution by injection.

Outcome

Barefoot was executed by lethal injection in Texas on October 30, 1984.

Last statement

When asked if he had a last statement, he replied:

"Yes, I do. "I hope that one day we can look back on the evil that we’re doing right now like the witches we burned at the stake. I want everybody to know that I hold nothing against them. I forgive them all. I hope everybody I’ve done anything to will forgive me. I’ve been praying all day for Carl Levin’s wife to drive the bitterness from her heart because that bitterness that’s in her heart will send her to Hell just as surely as any other sin. I’m sorry for everything I’ve ever done to anybody. I hope they’ll forgive me. "Sharon, tell all my friends goodbye. You know who they are: Charles Bass, David Powell…" Then he coughed and nothing else was said. Thomas Barefoot

Aftermath

Barefoot was the 25th prisoner to be executed since the death penalty was reinstated in Texas in 1976.

Other details

Supreme Court of the United States case name: Barefoot v. Estelle.