New Orleans (WBAP/KLIF) – The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans has set a January 4 hearing date for John William King’s appeal. King is now on Texas’ death row for murdering a black man nearly twenty years ago.
King claims he’s not only innocent, but was inadequately represented at his trial in 1999. He and two others were found guilty of chaining James Byrd Jr. to a pickup truck, then dragging him to death down an old logging road near the town of Jasper.
Both of King’s co-defendants were convicted, as was he. One of them has been executed.
The other is serving a life sentence. One of the attorneys who represented King at his trial has since died.
The other has not publicly commented.
