Governor Sets Execution Date For Convicted Murderer
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
Governor Huckabee today set a September 28th
execution date for a man convicted of killing a woman at a "hobo
camp" in Crawford County. Ricky Dale Newman was convicted in the
2001 stabbing of 46-year-old Marie Elaine Cholette. Police found
her body under a makeshift tent at the camp near Van Buren.
Newman had waived his appeals and told a judge that he wanted to
die. Attorney General Mike Beebe asked Huckabee last week to set an
execution date.
Newman attempted to plead guilty at his arraignment, but the
judge rejected the plea and ordered a trial. The state Supreme
Court upheld the conviction and sentence last year.
A police report said Newman told authorities he had multiple
personalities, but a state hospital report said Newman did not
suffer from any mental disease or defect.
