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Death row inmate makes final appeal

Posted: Dec 3, 2012 5:11 PM by Lupita Murillo
Updated: Dec 3, 2012 5:35 PM


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TUCSON - An Arizona death row inmate is scheduled to die this week for the 1991 murders of two 13-year-old girls from Cochise County. However, Richard Stokley's attorneys are doing all they can to stop it from happening.

Mandy Meyers and Mary Snyder were raped and killed after they left a July 4th holiday weekend campout. Stokley's attorneys are arguing before the Supreme Court that he was unfairly punished in comparison with another man convicted of the same crime.

On Friday, another appeal was filed. Stokley's execution is scheduled for Wednesday.

News 4 Tucson's Lupita Murillo will be among those witnessing the execution if it takes place.

She spoke with the parents of one of the girls who was brutally murdered. Patty Hancock says "I don't think any of them baby murderers should even get an appeal."

Her daughter Mandy Meyers was just 13 but still played with Barbie dolls.

She and her friend Mary Snyder were brutally murdered. Police reports say they were raped, beaten, strangled, stabbed and stomped before being dumped in a mine shaft.

The girls were taking part in a community campout in Elfrida.

It's been an emotional roller coaster for Mandy's family. Hancock says, "They were supposed to execute him on August 12 of 1998. At least that time they gave me two weeks' notice they weren't going to do it, that he got his stay. Now they got me down to less than 48 hours and I still don't know nothing."

Dennis Hancock is Mandy's stepfather, he says, "They're just wasting taxpayers' money on something that shouldn't be happening."

Even more frustrating for the Hancock's, is that Richard Stokley confessed to the murders and even showed authorities where the bodies were hidden. "He stated in his confession that just give me the needle I'm guilty."

Randy Brazeal, was with Richard Stokley the night the girls were kidnapped and murdered. He took a plea deal and served 20 years. He was released from prison last year. He is reportedly married and living in Arkansas.

If Stokley's appeal is denied, he will be the sixth person executed this year.

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