The state of Georgia has executed Scotty Garnell Morrow, a man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend and another woman nearly 25 years ago.
Barbara Ann Young began dating Scotty Morrow in June 1994 and she broke up with him in December 1994 because of his abusive behavior. At 9:52 a.m. on December 29, 1994, Morrow telephoned Young at her home, but she told him that she wanted him to leave her alone. After hanging up, Morrow drove to Young’s home and entered without permission. Young was in the kitchen with two of her friends, Tonya Woods and LaToya Horne. Two of Young’s children, five-year-old Christopher and eight-month-old Devonte, were also present. There was an argument in the kitchen and Woods told Morrow to leave because Young did not want to have anything to do with him anymore. Morrow yelled, “Shut your mouth, bitch!” and pulled a nine-millimeter pistol from his waistband. He shot Woods in the abdomen and Horne in the arm. The bullet that struck Woods severed her spinal cord, paralyzing her from the waist down.
Young fled down the hallway and into her bedroom. Morrow caught her in the bedroom and beat her on the head and face. She managed to flee back to the hallway where Morrow grabbed her by the hair and shot her point-blank in the head, killing her. From his hiding place in a nearby bedroom, Christopher saw Morrow kill his mother. Morrow returned to the kitchen. Testimony as to clicking noises and the fact that a live cartridge was found on the kitchen floor indicate that he either reloaded his pistol or cleared a jam. He then placed the muzzle of the pistol an inch from Woods’ chin and killed her with a shot to the head. The medical examiner opined that, although she was paralyzed, Woods had not lost much blood at that time and was probably still conscious when the fatal shot was fired. Morrow also shot Horne two more times, in the face and the arm, and fled after cutting the telephone line.
Despite her injuries, which included a shattered palate, permanent deafness in one ear, and nerve damage in an arm, Horne managed to get to her feet and run to a neighbor’s house. She and Christopher told the responding police officers that Morrow was the shooter. Morrow confessed after his arrest and the murder weapon was found hidden in his backyard. At trial, Morrow admitted that he shot the victims because he “wanted [ Woods] to shut up.”
Morrow was indicted in the Superior Court of Hall County, Georgia on March 6, 1995 for two counts of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, six counts of aggravated assault, aggravated battery, cruelty to a child, burglary and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. On June 26, 1999, a jury found Morrow guilty on all counts. The jury’s recommendation of a death sentence was returned on June 29, 1999.
Morrow’s last meal request was a hamburger with mayonnaise, two chicken and waffle meals, a pint of butter pecan ice cream, a bag of buttered popcorn, two all-beef franks, and a large lemonade.
Morrow was pronounced dead at 9:38 p.m. Thursday following an injection of pentobarbital at the state prison in Jackson.
