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Alabama inmate fights to halt execution, ‘won’t give up’

This undated photo released by the Alabama Department of Corrections shows death row inmate Tommy Arthur, who was convicted in the 1982 murder of Troy Wicker. Arthur, nicknamed the Houdini of death row after having seventh executions postponed is facing an eighth date with the death chamber on Thursday, May 25, 2017, and a diminishing chance of winning another reprieve. (Alabama Department of Corrections via AP) This undated photo released by the Alabama Department of Corrections shows death row inmate Tommy Arthur, who was convicted in the 1982 murder of Troy Wicker. Arthur, nicknamed the Houdini of death row after having seventh executions postponed is facing an eighth date with the death chamber on Thursday, May 25, 2017, and a diminishing chance of winning another reprieve. (Alabama Department of Corrections via AP)

By Associated Press May 24, 2017 1 min read

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – An Alabama inmate who has had seven executions postponed is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection Thursday.

Tommy Arthur maintains innocence, but concedes in a phone interview from prison his hopes of winning another reprieve are diminishing. Still, the 75-year-old Arthur says he “won’t give up.”

Arthur was convicted in the 1982 murder-for-hire of Troy Wicker. Judy Wicker initially testified that a black man broke into the house, raped her and killed her husband. After her conviction, she testified that Arthur killed her husband while wearing a wig and makeup and that she paid him $10,000.

Arthur’s legal team has challenged lethal injection procedures.

A victims’ advocacy group director refers to Arthur as the “Houdini” of death row for the number of execution stays he has won.