Thread by @jaketapper

Seeing tweets about how Alabama executed a prisoner within 24 hours of its new abortion ban. I get why this is getting attention, but I'd just like to take a moment here to tell you about why Michael Brandon Samra was executed.

2/ In 1997, at age 19, Samra and his friend, Mark Duke, shot Duke’s father Randy, and the father’s girlfriend Dedra Mims Hunt. This was over a dispute they were having with Randy over a pickup truck.

3/ Out of bullets, Samra and Duke then slit the throats of Hunt's daughters Chelsea, 7, and Chelisa, 6, below, to hide their crimes.

That's Chelisa and Debra Hunt below, then a photo of Chelsea.

4/ Duke was 16 at the time so the death penalty was off the table. Samra appealed his conviction, asserting his rights had been violated. Here's the ruling:

caselaw.findlaw.com/al-court-of-cr…

5/ Regardless of your feelings about the death penalty or abortion, or Alabama, I thought some facts about the case and a moment for the victims was worth 5 tweets.

Here's more from AL.com. Peace.

al.com/news/birmingha…