Killer escapes execution again 11 years after widow's murder
Dublin Core
Title
Killer escapes execution again 11 years after widow's murder
Subject
Executions (Administrative law)
Description
The 90-pound, 94 year old widow was raped, beaten and stabbed to death in minutes. Nearly eleven years later, her convicted assailant’s battle for life continues as his lawyers keep winning delays in court.
Creator
The Associated Press
Source
The Palm Beach Post
Publisher
HIST 298, University of Mary Washington
Date
1988-09-19
Rights
The materials in this online collection are held by Special Collections, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington and are available for educational use. For this purpose only, you may reproduce materials without prior permission on the condition that you provide attribution of the source.
Format
1 jpg
Language
English
Coverage
Palm Beach, FL
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
GAINESVILLE- the 90-pound, 94 year old widow was raped, beaten and stabbed to death in minutes. Nearly eleven years later, her convicted assailant’s battle for life continues as his lawyers keep winning delays in court.
Stephen Todd Booker, now 35, appears likely to survive his fourth death warrant in the case. U.S. District Judge Maurice Paul on Friday stayed Booker's scheduled Tuesday execution. The state is appealing Paul's stay.
On Nov. 9, 1977 Booker raped, beat and stabbed Lorine Demoss Harmon of Gainesville. Booker, a drifter, had broken into Harman's apartment and was ransacking it when she returned home.
Booker left two knives embedded in her body, one in her neck and one in her chest. Booker's attorney said his sentence was unconstitutional because the jury wasn't allowed to consider some mitigating evidence such as Booker's history of psychological problems.
For Assistant State Attorney Ken Herbert, who prosecuted the case, the 10 years of appeals represent an abuse of the system.
"If the death penalty is a detergent, then most people would argue it's got to follow soon after the crime," Herbert said.
"The system is working precisely the way it should," said Michael Mello, one of Booker's attorneys.
Stephen Todd Booker, now 35, appears likely to survive his fourth death warrant in the case. U.S. District Judge Maurice Paul on Friday stayed Booker's scheduled Tuesday execution. The state is appealing Paul's stay.
On Nov. 9, 1977 Booker raped, beat and stabbed Lorine Demoss Harmon of Gainesville. Booker, a drifter, had broken into Harman's apartment and was ransacking it when she returned home.
Booker left two knives embedded in her body, one in her neck and one in her chest. Booker's attorney said his sentence was unconstitutional because the jury wasn't allowed to consider some mitigating evidence such as Booker's history of psychological problems.
For Assistant State Attorney Ken Herbert, who prosecuted the case, the 10 years of appeals represent an abuse of the system.
"If the death penalty is a detergent, then most people would argue it's got to follow soon after the crime," Herbert said.
"The system is working precisely the way it should," said Michael Mello, one of Booker's attorneys.
Original Format
Newspaper
Student Editor of the Digital Item
Williams, Megan
Files
Citation
The Associated Press , “Killer escapes execution again 11 years after widow's murder,” HIST299, accessed March 12, 2026, https://hist299.umwhistory.org/items/show/122.