Alabama mother sentenced to death for hiring hit man to kill her daughter
By Jeremy Gray | jgray@al.com AL.com
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An east Alabama woman convicted of hiring a hit man to kill her daughter was sentenced to death on Wednesday, according to news reports.
Lisa Graham, was convicted of paying a family friend to fatally shoot her 21-year-old daughter Stephanie Shae Graham in July 2007.
Russell County Judge Jacob Walker III imposed that sentence after hearing testimony from a psychologist who said Graham is not mentally deficient and has no defect that would keep her from understanding the consequences of her actions, The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported.
"He added, though, that his tests showed Graham had an IQ of 77, indicating she likely would not in advance think through her actions like someone who scored higher," the report continued.
Authorities have said Graham hired Kenny Walton to carry out the slaying. Walton confessed in the case and is serving a life prison sentence.
Graham was convicted during a retrial. Her first trial was declared a mistrial because a judge's deteriorating health prevented him from hearing the whole case.
Graham declined to comment Wednesday, but her mother, Cherie Crabb, lashed out at reporters, WRBL News 3 reported.
"The news did this. I hope y'all got children cause karma is gonna come back to you and your grandchildren cause what goes around comes around," the station quoted her as saying.
While the case will be appealed, Graham will now be the fifth woman on Alabama's death row, according to the state department of corrections. There are 183 men there, the department's website states.
Other women on Alabama's death row include:
Patricia Blackmon, convicted in the May 1999 capital murder of her 2-year-old adopted daughter, Dominiqua Bryant. The child's body sustained numerous injuries, including a fractured skull, and was stomped with such force that an imprint from a shoe was left on her chest.
Tierra Goble, convicted in the death of her 4-month-old son Phoenix Jordan ''Cody'' Parrish in 2004. The child suffered a fractured skull, five broken ribs, broken wrists and numerous bruises. An autopsy showed he died from head trauma consistent with child abuse.
Christie Michelle Scott, convicted of setting a house fire that killed her 6-year-old son Mason Scott in order to collect life insurance in 2008.
Heather Leavell-Keaton, convicted of murdering her common law husband's 3-year-old son Chase DeBlase in 2010. Prosecutors allege that Leavell-Keaton cooked anti-freeze into the children's food.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.