Kelsey Patterson
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Kelsey Patterson (March 24, 1954 – May 18, 2004) was an African American executed by the U.S. state of Texas. He was convicted of the murder of Louis Oates, 63, and Dorothy Harris, 41.
On August 25, 1992, Oates was standing on the loading dock of his Oates Oil Co. in Palestine, Texas. Patterson walked up behind Oates and shot him in the back of the head with a .38-caliber pistol. He left but returned a short time later and shot Harris who had come outside screaming upon hearing the shots and finding Oates. Patterson then walked to a friend's house where he removed his clothing and was arrested standing naked in the street. No clear motive was established for the murders, but a friend of Oates told police that Patterson and the victim had once argued over who was the better football player, Patterson or Oates' son.
Patterson received a rare recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles that his death sentence be commuted to life on May 17, 2004, because of mental illness. Nonetheless, Governor Rick Perry refused to grant the commutation.
Patterson gave the following last words before being executed by lethal injection:
"Statement to what. State What. I am not guilty of the charge of capital murder. Steal me and my family's money. My truth will always be my truth. There is no kin and no friend; no fear what you do to me. No kin to you undertaker. Murderer. [Portion of statement omitted due to profanity] Get my money. Give me my rights. Give me my rights. Give me my rights. Give me my life back." [1]
Governor Perry explained why he refused to commute Patterson's sentence to life, stating, "This defendant is a very violent individual. Texas has no life without parole sentencing option, and no one can guarantee this defendant would never be freed to commit other crimes were his sentence commuted. In the interests of justice and public safety, I am denying the defendant's request for clemency and a stay."
In 2005, Governor Perry signed a life without parole sentencing option into law.
