Doyle Lucas

Case record

Doyle Cecil Lucas, 41, was executed by lethal injection in South Carolina on November 15, 1996. State Corrections Department spokesman John Barkley said Lucas was pronounced dead at 1:28 a.m.

Final statement

Attorney Dottie Fort read Mr. Lucas's final statement. In the statement, Mr. Lucas apologized to the victims' family and his own mother and thanked his lawyers. He also criticized the state for bringing "itself down to a level of the people who have, themselves, killed," saying:

"I know that I gave these appeals up on my own, but it doesn't change the fact that an organized, civilized society has brought itself down to a level of the people who have, themselves, killed,'' he said.

Viewers and reactions

Mickey Rayfield, a son of the victims, watched the Lucas execution. Mickey Rayfield and his brother found their parents' bodies. Before the sentence was carried out, Mickey Rayfield said:

"I feel by seeing him die, it will provide some sort of emotional closure for us,'' Mr. Rayfield said before the sentence was carried out.

After the execution, Mickey Rayfield said, "Justice has been served,'' said Mr. Rayfield.

Attorney David Bruck, who visited Mr. Lucas this week, said:

"He's very filled with remorse, and ashamed,'' said attorney David Bruck, who visited Mr. Lucas this week. ``He hopes his dying will help the Rayfields deal in some way with what he did to them.''

Lucas's lawyer also said Lucas was "filled with remorse" and wanted to die.

Voluntary relinquishment of appeals

Mr. Lucas was the last of a recent group of killers on South Carolina's Death Row who voluntarily gave up appeals to hasten their executions at the Broad River Correctional Institution. The record said he relinquished appeals despite defense lawyers' objections. It also said Lucas was the third inmate executed in South Carolina that year who relinquished appeals; the others were triple murderer Michael Torrence and cop-killer Robert South.

Victims and underlying offence

Mr. Lucas was convicted of the 1983 robbery and killing of Bill Rayfield, 65, and Bill Rayfield's wife, Evelyn, 64, at their Rock Hill home during a burglary. Lucas was described as a double-murderer.

Details described around the murders

A DeseretNews.com article said Lucas was put to death by injection early Friday for murdering a couple in their home just two days after he was paroled. It described that, after shooting the couple, Lucas carried out a blood-spattered pillowcase stuffed with money and costume jewelry, and drove away in the couple's car. The same article said Lucas, wearing a blood-stained shirt and Rayfield's watch, was arrested soon after when the car was spotted.

Family

Lucas's mother, Frances Lucas, was described as 75 years old in the record. The record said she talked to him last week and he looked forward to his death. Frances Lucas said:

"He's tired of being in prison and they're taking away so many of their rights and becoming so strict about things. He just wants it to be over now,'' she said.

Other execution context mentioned

The record said South Carolina executed four other inmates that year. It also said the last time the state executed five inmates in a year was 1961, according to the Corrections Department. A sixth, Frank Middleton, was scheduled to die Friday.

Timeline

• November 15, 1996 — Doyle Cecil Lucas was executed by lethal injection in South Carolina; he was pronounced dead at 1:28 a.m.