James Garrett Freeman

Allan B. Polunsky Unit houses the State of Texas death row for men.
Huntsville Unit, the location of the Texas state execution chamber.

James Garrett Freeman (November 12, 1980[1] – January 27, 2016[2]) was an American man who was convicted, sentenced to death, and executed for murder in Texas.

Freeman originated from Lissie, an unincorporated area in Wharton County, Texas. He was a welder, but was unemployed at the time he committed murder. He had no record of violence. On March 17, 2007 Freeman engaged in a high speed chase with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) officers. At the Lissie Cemetery, where the chase ended, he fired at TPWD staff with an AK-47 and a Glock pistol. Justin Hurst, a 34-year old TPWD game warden, was struck twice and killed.[3] Hurst had turned 34 that day. Freeman was shot four times and survived.[4]

Freeman, Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)#999539,[1] was convicted and sentenced to death. While on death row he was in Polunsky Unit.[5] He was executed at Huntsville Unit on January 27, 2016, nine years after the murder.[6]

The Justin Hurst Wildlife Management Area (WMA) of the TPWD, located in Brazoria County, Texas,[7] was renamed after the victim in 2007. It was formerly the Peach Point WMA.[8]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Freeman, James." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on February 4, 2016.
  2. "Last Statement Freeman, James." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on February 4, 2016.
  3. "Wharton jury sentences game warden's killer to death." Houston Chronicle. Friday, November 7, 2008. Updated Tuesday January 26, 2016. Retrieved on February 4, 2016.
  4. Edwards, Valerie. "No last minute reprieve for Texas inmate set to be executed today for shooting dead a game warden while illegally hunting." The Daily Mail. January 27, 2016. Retrieved on February 4, 2016.
  5. Barned-Smith, St. John. "Wharton County man executed in killing of game warden." Houston Chronicle. Thursday January 28, 2016. Retrieved on February 4, 2016.
  6. McLaughlin, Kelly and Valerie Edwards. "Death row inmate becomes second killer in as many weeks to be executed in Texas - nine years after he shot dead a game warden while poaching." Daily Mail. January 27, 2016. Updated January 28, 2016. Retrieved on February 4, 2016.
  7. "Justin Hurst (WMA)." Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved on March 31, 2016.
  8. "TPWD Dedicates Justin Hurst WMA in Honor of Fallen Warden." Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. October 15, 2007. Retrieved on March 31, 2016.

External links

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