Man executed despite calls from victim’s family to spare him

By KIM CHANDLER
Associated Press

ATMORE, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama inmate convicted of killing his former girlfriend decades ago has been executed despite pleas from the victim’s family to spare his life. Joe Nathan James Jr. was pronounced dead Thursday night after a lethal injection at an Alabama prison. He drew the death penalty for the 1994 shooting death of 26-year-old Faith Hall in Birmingham. Hall’s two daughters, who were 3 and 6 when their mother was killed, recently said they had forgiven James and unsuccessfully pleaded that he serve life in prison. But Alabama’s attorney general had urged Gov. Kay Ivey to let the execution proceed so justice could be served.