North Mississippi man will be the first person executed in the state in nearly a decade
UNION COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A North Mississippi man will be the first person executed in the state in nearly a decade.
The Mississippi Supreme Court today upheld David Neal Cox’s request to waive all further appeals of his capital murder conviction and death sentence and set an execution date of November 17th.
Earlier this year, Cox had expressed his desire to dismiss his lawyers and waive any further appeals. It was the latest in a number of attempts made by Cox.
The high court ordered a competency hearing in circuit court in Union County. The trial judge ruled that Cox was competent to make that decision.
Justices upheld that decision.
Cox pled guilty to killing his wife, sexually assaulting his stepdaughter, and holding the stepdaughter and his son hostage at their home in Sherman in 2010.
He was convicted and sentenced to death in 2012.
Mississippi hasn’t executed anyone since 2012 due to questions about the effectiveness of the drugs used for lethal injection, and the availability of those drugs.
