ALABAMA LAST MEAL
GEORGE SIBLEY
August 4, 2005

...together again...

Last Meal: Sibley declined the traditional last meal and had not eaten since Tuesday.

The skinny: Sibley, 62, an anti-government extremist was executed for capital murder in the 1993 shooting death of an Opelika police officer.

Sibley's common-law wife, Lynda Lyon Block, 54, was executed in 2002 for her role in the death.

More skinny: The police officer was gunned down by both in a Wal-Mart parking lot when he approached their car after a passer-by said a child in the car had asked for help. Block's 9-year-old son was in the vehicle as she and Sibley emptied their guns into the officer and his patrol car. The pair claimed they shot the officer in self-defense after he touched his holster.

Legal machinations: Sibley and Block refused for years to file appeals. Before Block was put to death, she claimed through an attorney that Alabama never became a state again after the Civil War and she therefore did not recognize the state's court system. Both Block and Sibley had been active in fringe political groups and renounced their U.S. citizenship, claiming the courts were biased and without jurisdiction. They tried to cut their ties to the government by getting rid of their driver's license, car registrations and birth certificates.

In his petition Wednesday to the Supreme Court, Sibley wrote that his appeal had never been fully reviewed by the court in Washington, D.C., and it was "crucial in a case such as this." But state's attorneys filed a response brief saying Sibley was not entitled to a delay. "For no good reason, Sibley has waited until the eve of his execution to file this motion," the filing said.

Last words and such: Anti-government extremist George Sibley Jr. nodded to his relatives, stared at his victim's family and gave a final statement of defiance..."Everyone who is doing this to me is guilty of a murder. My sister and my niece, I want to express my love and gratitude ... and gratitude to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."

Sibley died at 6:26 p.m. The execution was carried out after the U.S. Supreme Court denied Sibley's request for a delay and Gov. Bob Riley turned down Sibley's request for a six-month postponement. "There is no new evidence that would justify such a delay," the governor said.

Sibley left all of his possessions to his sister and niece. The items left to his sister included a wedding ring, watch, pictures, a Book of Mormon, a Bible and $33.94.

Factoids: The officer's widow told reporters Wednesday she personally did not want the execution. Thursday, she said it was extremely difficult to watch but she felt justice was done.

Sibley was the...

33rd murderer executed in U.S. in 2005
977th murderer executed in U.S. since 1976
3rd murderer executed in Alabama in 2005
33rd murderer executed in Alabama since 1976