Stop the Execution of Demetrius Frazier in Alabama
Governor Kay Ivey
.png)
Demetrius Frazier is scheduled for execution in Alabama on February 6, 2025 by nitrogen gas asphyxiation. He was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1991 murder of Pauline Brown.
Case-specific details are below. Please sign this petition to receive updates in this case, and watch for the follow-up email which will direct you to related petitions regarding transparency in Alabama executions and opposing the use of the gas suffocation method of executions.
Most natoble among the injustices in this case, Demetrius Frazier is a MICHIGAN prisoner first, and we are calling on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to demand his turn to that state to serve his left sentences there.
The Equal Justice Initiative spells out concerns in this case, notably serious questions about the reliability of his death sentence.
Demetrius Frazier, now 52, was charged with capital murder in the shooting of a Birmingham woman in 1996, when he was a teenager.
Too poor to hire a defense attorney, he was appointed lawyers who met with him only a few times before his capital trial. According to court filings, Mr. Frazier told the court his lawyers were not prepared for trial and not committed to challenging the State’s case.
At the time of Mr. Frazier’s trial, Alabama law capped his lawyers’ compensation at $1,000 for out-of-court trial preparation for each phase of the capital trial, based on a $20 per hour rate. So the most his lawyers could have been paid to represent him was $2,000.
The appointed lawyers did not call a single defense witness at trial. At the guilt/innocence phase, they conceded Mr. Frazier was guilty, admitting to the jury that “he was looking for somebody to rob.”
In addition, during closing arguments, the prosecutor made explicit comments about race that created the risk that Mr. Frazier, a Black man, was subjected to a race-conscious sentencing verdict in this case.
At the penalty phase, which lasted just 45 minutes, Mr. Frazier’s attorneys called no witnesses and presented no evidence about his life history or background—except that he was 19 at the time of the crime. In closing argument, defense counsel told the jury:
You haven’t seen any of his family out here basically because there is none. And we can’t offer you any background, because he has no background.
Even so, two jurors voted for life without parole, leaving only the bare minimum number of jurors voting for the death penalty. Under Alabama law, the jury could not have returned a death verdict if just one more juror believed Demetrius Frazier should not be condemned to death.
Regarding Gas Suffocation Executions:
Kenneth Smith and Alan Miller were both fully conscious for several minutes as the nitrogen gas suffocated them. Carey Grayson was fully conscious for at least six minutes as the nitrogen gas suffocated him. This method of execution is the conscious suffocation of human beings, and it is abhorrent and absolutely torture. It amounts to cruel and unusual punishment which is barred by the U.S. Constitution.
The vast majority of states with capital punishment continue on a downward trend of executions, Alabama has continued to go against trend by carrying on with scheduled execution dates.
Alabama must delay all executions to allow for a thorough study of its capital punishment process and consider the serious objections raised as to how it administers the death penalty. Alabama has repeatedly shown that it is not capable of carrying out executions - amounting to cruel punishment and the torture of prisoners.
Please take action and sign the petition to stop this execution.
Sponsored by
To:
Governor Kay Ivey
From:
[Your Name]
We are writing to ask that you to stop the upcoming execution of Demetrius Frazier, who is scheduled for execution in Alabama on February 6, 2025 by nitrogen gas asphyxiation. He was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1991 murder of Pauline Brown.
The vast majority of states with capital punishment continue on a downward trend of executions, Alabama has continued to go against trend by carrying on with scheduled execution dates.
Alabama must delay all executions to allow for a thorough study of its capital punishment process and consider the serious objections raised as to how it administers the death penalty. Alabama has repeatedly shown that it is not capable of carrying out executions, as it is botching its lethal injection process - amounting to cruel punishment and the torture of prisoners.
Kenneth Smith and Alan Miller were both fully conscious for several minutes as the nitrogen gas suffocated them. Carey Grayson was fully conscious for at least six minutes as the nitrogen gas suffocated him. This method of execution is the conscious suffocation of human beings, and it is abhorrent and absolutely torture. It amounts to cruel and unusual punishment which is barred by the U.S. Constitution.
We, the undersigned, ask that you do everything within your power to stop this execution, including issuing a stay, and seeking a path to clemency in the case.
Thank you for your time and attention to this serious matter.