Execution Date Set for Murray County Murderer

Execution Date Set for Murray County Murderer
J.W. Ledford, Jr. to be executed on May 16

FORSYTH, Ga. – The Murray County Superior Court has ordered the execution of convicted murderer J.W. Ledford, Jr. The court ordered the Georgia Department of Corrections to carry out the execution on a date between May 16 and May 23, 2017. Commissioner Gregory C. Dozier has set the date for Tuesday, May 16, at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson at 7 p.m.

Ledford was convicted in 1992 for the murder of Dr. Harry Buchanan Johnston, Jr.  If executed, Ledford will be the 47th inmate put to death by lethal injection.

Media interested in a photograph of Ledford and a listing of his crimes may visit the GDC website (www.gdc.ga.gov).

The GDC has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners.  It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees.

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