HARRIS, GEORGE B.
General Information
DOB: February 9, 1959
Race: African-American
Gender: Male
Crime and Trial
County of conviction: Jackson
Number of counts: One
Race of victim: African-American
Gender of victim: Male
Date of crime: March 11, 1989
Date of sentencing: July 31, 1990
Date of execution: September 13, 2000
Legal status:
Trial Counsel:Last counsel of record:
Mark A. Thornhill and Gardiner B. Davis
Spencer & Fane
1000 Walnut St., Suite 1400
Kansas City, MO 64106
816-474-8100
Last judicial decision:
--Petition for habeas corpus and application for stay of execution (filed under U.S. Supreme Court original jurisdiction) denied by In re Harris, 530 U.S. 1300 (2000).
Reported Opinions:
--Conviction, sentence, and denial of post-conviction relief affirmed by State v. Harris, 870 S.W.2d 798 (Mo. banc), cert. denied, 513 U.S. 953 (1994).
--Denial of habeas corpus affirmed by Harris v. Bowersox, 184 F.3d 744 (8th Cir. 1999), cert. denied, 528 U.S. 1097 (20000.
--Dismissal of section 1983 action (challenging constitutionality of Missouri clemency procedures) affirmed by Roll v. Carnahan, 225 F.3d 1016 (8th Cir. 2000).
--Petition for habeas corpus and application for stay of execution (filed under U.S. Supreme Court original jurisdiction) denied by In re Harris, 530 U.S. 1300 (2000).
Significant legal issues:
--vagueness of the "depravity of mind" aggravating circumstance
--trial court's erroneous admonition to the jury during voir dire that the Missouri death penalty statute "automatically" required consideration of the death penalty upon conviction of first degree murder
--trial court's refusal to allow defense counsel to cross-examine a state's witness regarding whether the witness was a drug dealer who sold guns from the house where the murder occurred, in light of Mr. Harris's claim of self-defense -- coupled with the prosecutor's chiding defense counsel for not producing the evidence described in his opening statement