Ernest West Basden
Encyclopedia
Ernest West Basden was convicted of the 1992 murder of Billy Carlyle White for $300 and in 2002 was executed by the State of North Carolina
at the Central Prison in Raleigh
.
The Supreme Court of North Carolina
on direct appeal described the facts of White's murder as follows:
The State's evidence tended to show Sylvia White wanted to kill her husband, Billy White, for at least a year. She unsuccessfully tried to poison him with wild berries and poisonous plants. She also enlisted the help of Linwood Taylor, Basden's nephew. Taylor then approached Basden and told him he needed a hit man and asked Basden if he wanted the job. Basden initially thought the idea was crazy and refused. Later, when Basden got into financial difficulty he asked Taylor if the offer still stood and agreed to kill White.
Taylor developed a scheme to lure White, who was an insurance salesman, to a location where he could be killed. Taylor pretended to be a wealthy businessman from out of town who had bought property in Jones County
and wanted to buy insurance. Taylor arranged for White to meet him in a wooded rural area at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, January 20, 1992. On the day of the murder, Taylor and Basden drove to the designated spot and waited for White.
When White arrived, Taylor got out of his car and introduced himself to White as Tim Conners. Then Taylor said he needed to use the bathroom and stepped to the other side of the road. Basden got out of the car and picked up a twelve-gauge shotgun
he had placed on the ground beside the driver's side of the car. Basden pointed the gun at White and pulled the trigger. The shotgun did not fire because Basden had not cocked the hammer back. Basden then cocked the hammer and fired. White was knocked to the ground. Basden removed the spent shell casing and loaded another shell into the shotgun. Basden then approached White, who was lying faceup on the ground, and while standing over White, shot him again. At trial the pathologist testified that White bled to death from massive shotgun wounds to the right upper chest and left lower abdomen. Although his aorta
was nearly severed from his heart, White did not die instantly but would have remained conscious for some period of time and would have felt pain.
Basden and Taylor drove back to Taylor's house after the shooting. Taylor said he thought he left a map at the crime scene so they returned and went through White's pockets taking a blank check, wallet, and gold ring. They then returned to Taylor's house and burned all their clothing in the backyard. They also sawed the shotgun into three or four pieces with a hacksaw, put the pieces into a bucket of cement, and threw it over a bridge into the Neuse River
. Taylor gave Basden $300.
Prior to Basden's arrest, police officers retrieved two metal base portions of spent shotgun shells which were found in ashes from the fire in Taylor's backyard. Forensic examination indicated they were consistent with twelve gauge shotgun shells and could have been fired from the same weapon. Officers also went to Basden's repair shop in Kinston
and retrieved a man's gold-tone ring with three diamond settings from Basden, who had it in his pocket.
Taylor and Sylvia White were arrested for murder on February 12, 1992. Basden went to the Jones County
Sheriff's Department where Taylor told Basden that he had confessed. Taylor advised Basden to turn himself in and talk to SBI Agent Eric Smith. Basden was interviewed by Agent Smith and Detective Simms of the Lenoir County Sheriff's Department. After giving some preliminary background information, Basden told the officers that he shot White. The officers immediately read Basden his Miranda rights and Basden signed a written waiver of his rights. Basden then gave a detailed confession and stated that he killed White because he needed the money.
Basden presented evidence that he suffered from depression, arthritis
, kidney problems, pancreatitis
, and drug and alcohol abuse. He is the youngest of ten children (and thus actually a few months younger than Taylor, his much older sister's son). He was extremely close to his mother, who was killed in a car accident when he was 14 years old, and he never really recovered from her death. Basden had been married once for about five years and was a good father to his stepchildren. Basden was considered by friends and family to be a loner.
Dr. J. Don Everhart, a clinical psychologist, testified that Basden has a dependent personality disorder; he is lacking in self-confidence and clings to stronger people, performing unpleasant tasks for them to retain their support. Dr. Everhart further testified that Basden has an avoidance personality disorder; he is shy and uncomfortable in social settings and is easily isolated. Finally, Basden has a schizotypal personality disorder
, with feelings of being disembodied and disassociated from life events. State v. Basden, 339 N.C. 288, 451 S.E.2d 238, 241-42 (N.C. 1994).
The State tried Basden for capital murder, and the jury convicted him, less than fourteen months after he shot and killed Billy White. At Basden's trial, the State established the details of the crime that are outlined above, through the testimony of police officers and cross examination of Basden himself. Two officers testified to the contents of several detailed confessions, from both Basden and his coconspirator, Taylor. Moreover, Basden himself took the stand and admitted in cross examination that he was "the one who actually shot Mr. White, "that he agreed to do it the Friday before the Monday murder, and that he "did it for the money."
The jury deliberated for an hour and fifteen minutes before convicting Basden, and for nearly nine hours before issuing its sentencing recommendation. The jury found one statutory aggravating factor—the crime was committed for pecuniary gain—and two statutory mitigating factor
s -- Basden was dominated by Taylor and under the influence of a mental or emotional disturbance. The jury also found five nonstatutory mitigating factors—repentance and remorse, willing assumption of responsibility, religious belief and practice while incarcerated, stress at the time of the crime, confession and cooperation with law enforcement at an early stage of the investigation, and character and prior conduct inconsistent with the crime. In accord with the jury's recommendation, the judge sentenced Basden to death.
Basden appealed his convictions and sentence to the Supreme Court of North Carolina and after that court affirmed the verdict and sentence, the Supreme Court of the United States
denied certiorari
. Basden v. Lee, 290 F.3d 602 (2002).
He was executed by lethal injection
on June 12, 2002. http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=8&did=177 Declining a special last meal
, Basden ate the normal prison meal of breaded veal, brown gravy, mashed potatoes, three-bean salad, mixed vegetables, slices of loaf bread, an orange and fruit punch. http://deadmaneating.com/dme2002.html
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
at the Central Prison in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
.
The Supreme Court of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
on direct appeal described the facts of White's murder as follows:
The State's evidence tended to show Sylvia White wanted to kill her husband, Billy White, for at least a year. She unsuccessfully tried to poison him with wild berries and poisonous plants. She also enlisted the help of Linwood Taylor, Basden's nephew. Taylor then approached Basden and told him he needed a hit man and asked Basden if he wanted the job. Basden initially thought the idea was crazy and refused. Later, when Basden got into financial difficulty he asked Taylor if the offer still stood and agreed to kill White.
Taylor developed a scheme to lure White, who was an insurance salesman, to a location where he could be killed. Taylor pretended to be a wealthy businessman from out of town who had bought property in Jones County
Jones County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,381 people, 4,061 households, and 2,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile . There were 4,679 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
and wanted to buy insurance. Taylor arranged for White to meet him in a wooded rural area at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, January 20, 1992. On the day of the murder, Taylor and Basden drove to the designated spot and waited for White.
When White arrived, Taylor got out of his car and introduced himself to White as Tim Conners. Then Taylor said he needed to use the bathroom and stepped to the other side of the road. Basden got out of the car and picked up a twelve-gauge shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
he had placed on the ground beside the driver's side of the car. Basden pointed the gun at White and pulled the trigger. The shotgun did not fire because Basden had not cocked the hammer back. Basden then cocked the hammer and fired. White was knocked to the ground. Basden removed the spent shell casing and loaded another shell into the shotgun. Basden then approached White, who was lying faceup on the ground, and while standing over White, shot him again. At trial the pathologist testified that White bled to death from massive shotgun wounds to the right upper chest and left lower abdomen. Although his aorta
Aorta
The aorta is the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it branches off into two smaller arteries...
was nearly severed from his heart, White did not die instantly but would have remained conscious for some period of time and would have felt pain.
Basden and Taylor drove back to Taylor's house after the shooting. Taylor said he thought he left a map at the crime scene so they returned and went through White's pockets taking a blank check, wallet, and gold ring. They then returned to Taylor's house and burned all their clothing in the backyard. They also sawed the shotgun into three or four pieces with a hacksaw, put the pieces into a bucket of cement, and threw it over a bridge into the Neuse River
Neuse River
The Neuse River is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in North Carolina. The Trent River joins it at New Bern. Its drainage basin, measuring in area,...
. Taylor gave Basden $300.
Prior to Basden's arrest, police officers retrieved two metal base portions of spent shotgun shells which were found in ashes from the fire in Taylor's backyard. Forensic examination indicated they were consistent with twelve gauge shotgun shells and could have been fired from the same weapon. Officers also went to Basden's repair shop in Kinston
Kinston, North Carolina
Kinston is a city in Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 23,688 at the 2000 census. The population was estimated at 22,360 in 2008. It has been the county seat of Lenoir County since its formation in 1791 . Kinston is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks...
and retrieved a man's gold-tone ring with three diamond settings from Basden, who had it in his pocket.
Taylor and Sylvia White were arrested for murder on February 12, 1992. Basden went to the Jones County
Jones County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,381 people, 4,061 households, and 2,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile . There were 4,679 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
Sheriff's Department where Taylor told Basden that he had confessed. Taylor advised Basden to turn himself in and talk to SBI Agent Eric Smith. Basden was interviewed by Agent Smith and Detective Simms of the Lenoir County Sheriff's Department. After giving some preliminary background information, Basden told the officers that he shot White. The officers immediately read Basden his Miranda rights and Basden signed a written waiver of his rights. Basden then gave a detailed confession and stated that he killed White because he needed the money.
Basden presented evidence that he suffered from depression, arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
, kidney problems, pancreatitis
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. It occurs when pancreatic enzymes that digest food are activated in the pancreas instead of the small intestine. It may be acute – beginning suddenly and lasting a few days, or chronic – occurring over many years...
, and drug and alcohol abuse. He is the youngest of ten children (and thus actually a few months younger than Taylor, his much older sister's son). He was extremely close to his mother, who was killed in a car accident when he was 14 years old, and he never really recovered from her death. Basden had been married once for about five years and was a good father to his stepchildren. Basden was considered by friends and family to be a loner.
Dr. J. Don Everhart, a clinical psychologist, testified that Basden has a dependent personality disorder; he is lacking in self-confidence and clings to stronger people, performing unpleasant tasks for them to retain their support. Dr. Everhart further testified that Basden has an avoidance personality disorder; he is shy and uncomfortable in social settings and is easily isolated. Finally, Basden has a schizotypal personality disorder
Schizotypal personality disorder
Schizotypal personality disorder, or simply schizotypal disorder, is a personality disorder that is characterized by a need for social isolation, anxiety in social situations, odd behavior and thinking, and often unconventional beliefs.-Genetic:...
, with feelings of being disembodied and disassociated from life events. State v. Basden, 339 N.C. 288, 451 S.E.2d 238, 241-42 (N.C. 1994).
The State tried Basden for capital murder, and the jury convicted him, less than fourteen months after he shot and killed Billy White. At Basden's trial, the State established the details of the crime that are outlined above, through the testimony of police officers and cross examination of Basden himself. Two officers testified to the contents of several detailed confessions, from both Basden and his coconspirator, Taylor. Moreover, Basden himself took the stand and admitted in cross examination that he was "the one who actually shot Mr. White, "that he agreed to do it the Friday before the Monday murder, and that he "did it for the money."
The jury deliberated for an hour and fifteen minutes before convicting Basden, and for nearly nine hours before issuing its sentencing recommendation. The jury found one statutory aggravating factor—the crime was committed for pecuniary gain—and two statutory mitigating factor
Mitigating factor
A mitigating factor, in law, is any information or evidence presented to the court regarding the defendant or the circumstances of the crime that might result in reduced charges or a lesser sentence.-Death penalty in the United States:...
s -- Basden was dominated by Taylor and under the influence of a mental or emotional disturbance. The jury also found five nonstatutory mitigating factors—repentance and remorse, willing assumption of responsibility, religious belief and practice while incarcerated, stress at the time of the crime, confession and cooperation with law enforcement at an early stage of the investigation, and character and prior conduct inconsistent with the crime. In accord with the jury's recommendation, the judge sentenced Basden to death.
Basden appealed his convictions and sentence to the Supreme Court of North Carolina and after that court affirmed the verdict and sentence, the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
denied certiorari
Certiorari
Certiorari is a type of writ seeking judicial review, recognized in U.S., Roman, English, Philippine, and other law. Certiorari is the present passive infinitive of the Latin certiorare...
. Basden v. Lee, 290 F.3d 602 (2002).
He was executed by lethal injection
Lethal injection
Lethal injection is the practice of injecting a person with a fatal dose of drugs for the express purpose of causing the immediate death of the subject. The main application for this procedure is capital punishment, but the term may also be applied in a broad sense to euthanasia and suicide...
on June 12, 2002. http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=8&did=177 Declining a special last meal
Last meal
The last meal is a customary part of a condemned prisoner's last day. Often, the day of, or before, the appointed time of execution, the prisoner receives a last meal, as well as religious rites, if they desire. In the United States, inmates generally may not ask for an alcoholic drink...
, Basden ate the normal prison meal of breaded veal, brown gravy, mashed potatoes, three-bean salad, mixed vegetables, slices of loaf bread, an orange and fruit punch. http://deadmaneating.com/dme2002.html
Sources
- Details
- State v. Basden, 339 N.C. 288, 451 S.E.2d 238, 241-42 (N.C. 1994).
- Basden v. Lee, 290 F.3d 602 (2002)