Rallies Held Around State in Support of Pervis Payne - Articles

All Content

Rallies Held Around State in Support of Pervis Payne

Posted by: Kate Prince on Sep 8, 2021

Events were held today in Knoxville, Memphis, Murfreesboro and Nashville marking the one-year anniversary of weekly rallies calling for justice for Pervis Payne, Main Street Nashville reports. Payne has been on death row for more than 30 years for the 1987 murder of a Shelby County resident and her daughter. Gov. Bill Lee delayed Payne’s execution last year, but the reprieve expired in April. Payne’s attorney and federal public defender, Kelley Henry, says the state Supreme Court could reset Payne’s execution date at any time. She pointed out that a law signed by Lee earlier this year gives those with intellectual disabilities the chance to appeal their death sentences and said Payne was in the process of appealing. According to the Innocence Project, Payne has an IQ score between 68 and 72, and the reading and writing skills of a child. Henry said a hearing is set for Dec. 13.