Governor, AG have ‘no intention’ of stopping execution

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The impending Mississippi execution of David Neal Cox appears likely to go on.

Governor Tate Reeves issued a statement saying he has no plans of stopping the execution. His spokesperson, Bailey Martin, sent this statement to WLBT:

“The Governor has reviewed the facts of this case and there is no question that David Cox committed these horrific crimes. Mr. Cox has admitted his guilt on multiple occasions and has been found competent by both the Circuit Court and Mississippi Supreme Court. Further, Mr. Cox himself filed a motion requesting that all appeals be dismissed and his execution date be set. In light of this, the Governor has no intention at this time of granting clemency or delaying this execution.”

Cox is set to die by lethal injection Wednesday for the 2010 killing of his wife, Kim Kirk Cox.

He also pleaded guilty to other crimes, including sexually assaulting his then 12-year-old stepdaughter in front of her dying mother.

The Mississippi State Supreme Court recently granted David Cox’s request to dismiss all appeals in his death sentence conviction and set his execution date for November 17, 2021.

Attorney General Lynn Fitch also has no intention to step in. Chief of Staff Michelle Williams issued this statement:

“The Attorney General’s Office has the responsibility of ensuring the faithful performance of the laws of the State, which have culminated in the Supreme Court’s order of this execution. Beyond that, out of respect for the families of the victims and the condemned, we will not comment.”

Cox initially appealed the death sentence, but in 2018, began petitioning the state’s high court to waive his appeals and move forward with the execution.

“I am worthy of death & I do not wish to challenge the state of Mississippi any further,” he wrote in a November 2018 motion. “I seek the termination of all counsel & all appeals on the grounds of ineffective and (inefficient) counsel.”

This will be Mississippi’s first execution since 2012.