Opinion ID: 4556600
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: trial and offense conduct

Text: In 1993, Mr. McWhorter was indicted and charged in Alabama state court with intentionally killing Edward Williams by shooting him with a rifle during the course of a robbery. He was represented at trial by Thomas Mitchell and James Berry. The guilt phase of trial began on March 17, 1994. Five days later, the jury found Mr. McWhorter guilty. After a brief recess, the penalty phase began. During the penalty phase, the State and Mr. McWhorter’s counsel made opening statements and the State resubmitted the evidence it presented in its case in chief. Mr. McWhorter’s counsel argued that McWhorter “had a difficult childhood,” and grew up to be “a pretty good kid, but that he got mixed up with the wrong crowd.” Counsel went on to call four witnesses during its penalty phase presentation. First, counsel called Vonnie Salee. Ms. Salee previously worked 2 Case: 19-11535 Date Filed: 08/18/2020 Page: 3 of 35 with Mr. McWhorter at the Food World grocery store, and testified that McWhorter was one of the better bag boys and was a hard worker. Next, counsel called Van Reid. Mr. McWhorter had worked for Mr. Reid as a busboy, and Reid described McWhorter as a good kid and a dependable worker. Third, counsel called Elsie Garrison, Mr. McWhorter’s aunt. Ms. Garrison testified that Mr. McWhorter was about 2 years old when his parents divorced. Later, when Mr. McWhorter was around 16, he came to live with Ms. Garrison because his mother believed he was using drugs. Ms. Garrison described her nephew as a very bright, intelligent, compassionate young man who had a difficult childhood, but emphasized that he “is not a bad boy.” She ended her testimony by asking the jury to spare Mr. McWhorter’s life. Finally, counsel called Carolyn Rowland, Mr. McWhorter’s mother. Ms. Rowland described Mr. McWhorter’s childhood. She said she divorced Mr. McWhorter’s father, Tommy McWhorter, remarried David Rowland, and moved the family to Tennessee. Because Mr. McWhorter was so young when his parents divorced, he believed that his stepfather, Mr. Rowland, was his father. This illusion was pierced after the family moved back to Alabama and Ms. Garrison told Mr. McWhorter he had two fathers. Ms. Rowland said this news did not seem to have an effect on Mr. McWhorter at the time, but she explained that complications arose later. She said as Mr. McWhorter got older, his biological 3 Case: 19-11535 Date Filed: 08/18/2020 Page: 4 of 35 father instructed him that he did not have to listen to his stepfather. Mr. McWhorter’s refusal to listen progressed to the point that Mr. and Mrs. Rowland “couldn’t talk to him.” Around the same time, when Mr. McWhorter was about 16 years old, he began socializing with a new set of friends and Ms. Rowland noticed a change in her previously respectful son. Ms. Rowland closed her testimony by asking the jury to spare her son’s life. After about an hour of deliberating, the jury told the trial court it could not reach an agreement on the sentence. The court explained that it was not trying “to force or coerce [the jury] to reach a verdict,” but reminded the jurors about the importance of reaching a verdict. Later that day, after further deliberations, the jury returned and rendered a verdict recommending the death penalty by a 10-to-2 vote. The trial court followed the jury’s recommendation and sentenced Mr. McWhorter to death.