Neighbor’s killer executed in Georgia

JACKSON, Ga. — Georgia has carried out its first execution this year, putting to death a man convicted of killing his 73-year-old neighbor 25 years ago.

J.W. Ledford’s time of death was 1:17 a.m. Wednesday after an injection of compounded barbiturate pentobarbital at the state prison in Jackson, Warden Eric Sellers told witnesses. Ledford, 45, was convicted of murder in the January 1992 stabbing death of Dr. Harry Johnston in Murray County.

Ledford smiled broadly as witnesses entered the viewing area. When given a chance to make a final statement, he appeared to quote from the 1967 Paul Newman movie Cool Hand Luke.

“What we have here is a failure to communicate. Some men you just can’t reach,” he said, later adding, “I am not the failure. You are the failure to communicate.”

“You can kiss my white trash ass,” he added, continuing to smile. As the warden exited the execution chamber at 1:09 a.m., Ledford began talking again, but the microphones had been cut off so his words weren’t audible. He then rested his head, closed his eyes and appeared to take several deep breaths before falling still within two or three minutes of the warden leaving the room.

AP/JULIO CORTEZ A Marine attack helicopter makes a pass by the Statue of Liberty as seen from Liberty State Park in Jersey City, N.J., on Wednesday.