Carey Moore

Background

Carey Moore was sentenced to death in 1980.

The offence

In August 1979, Carey Dean Moore purchased a handgun and set out to rob and kill Omaha cab drivers. Moore carefully planned to select older targets because he thought it would be easier for him to shoot an older man rather than a man nearer his own age. Moore called several cabs over a period of time and hid while watching them arrive and depart, if the driver was young. Moore confessed to the police that he felt an older victim would be an easier mark.

Using this approach, Moore selectively abducted and murdered cab driver Reuel Eugene Van Ness, Jr. on August 22, 1979, and Maynard Helgeland on August 27, 1979. Lori and her brothers, Steve and Kenny Helgeland, asked David Renken to represent them as victim witness in connection with the murders of their family member Maynard D. Helgeland and fellow Omaha cab driver Reuel Eugene Van Ness.

Investigation

Arrest

Moore confessed to the police.

Trial

The case involved a United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit opinion 00-4079.

Sentencing

Moore was sentenced to death in 1980.

Appeals

After nearly three decades of fighting in court, Carey Dean Moore gave up on efforts to contest his death sentence and informed the Nebraska Supreme Court that he would not file any more appeals.

Outcome

Officials at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln said they had begun initial preparations for a May 8 execution, including initial tests on the electric chair, and 10 witnesses were being selected to watch the execution. The Nebraska Supreme Court stayed the Tuesday, May 8th execution of death-row inmate Carey Dean Moore.

Aftermath

Moore was on death row at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution. He was scheduled to undergo an evaluation “Just to make sure he is mentally and physically fit for the process,” and was to be transferred to Lincoln in the next two to three weeks where he would remain in the infirmary on death watch. Prison officials were again planning a midmorning execution, and Warden Dennis Bakewell said: “I think we learned from the Otey execution, if you do it late at night, you end up with a whole lot more people attending and some of their behavior isn't very good.”

Warden Dennis Bakewell said: “Our check has been done by an outside electrical company, and as we get closer to the execution date, we'll do a second check,” and also: “What we try to do is select those individuals who have experience in the department who are very professional and mature, because it's a difficult situation for the staff that are directly involved in,” and: “Bakewell said they prison is again planning a midmorning execution. ‘I think we learned from the Otey execution, if you do it late at night, you end up with a whole lot more people attending and some of their behavior isn't very good,’ the warden said.”

Department of Correctional Services spokesman Steve King said: “the state gives victims' families the option of having a representative at the execution.” David Renken said he always had been a proponent of the death penalty and believed he still would be after witnessing Moore's execution, and Renken said: “he doesn't relish the thought of watching a man die, but he feels he owes it to the Helgeland family to see that justice is served.”

Gov. Dave Heineman said: “After 29 years, it's time to follow the law of the land and perform the execution,” and he had cleared his schedule in the days preceding the execution in the event there was a request to the pardon's board for clemency.

Bakewell said one thing different from this scheduled execution than 10 years ago was that “the staff carrying out the death procedure won't have close ties to the inmate because death row is now in Tecumseh and the inmate will be put to death in Omaha.” The article also noted that death row inmate Michael Ryan was currently challenging Nebraska's death penalty, and that the Legislature was looking at changing the death penalty too.