Shadow of a doubt: The James beathard Story
In 1984, Rusk man James Lee Beathard was convicted and later executed on fully recanted evidence. Now, 25 years after Beathard’s death, a documentary team aims to shed light on the injustices that led to his wrongful execution and exonerate him from the grave.
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Innocence beyond a shadow of a doubt
a 2014 study indicated that over 4% of those sentenced to death are innocent
(Death Penalty Information Center)
In 1984, Texas man James Lee Beathard was convicted and later executed despite testimony against him being fully recanted and no physical evidence ever connecting him to the crime.
Beathard’s case has been identified by several human rights organizations to be a clear-cut example of death row innocence and prosecutorial misconduct.
25 years after the execution, a group of filmmakers hope to exonerate him from the grave.
THE STORY
the year was 1984.
In the small, conservative town of Rusk, Texas, James Lee Beathard was strong in his opposing beliefs. Described by most as a “hippie,” his pacifist ideals inspired him to call for immense change in the world around him. To family and strangers alike, he signed every letter the same way - “Love & Peace.”
James was a psychiatric technician.
James, along with several of his family members, worked at the nearby Rusk State Hospital. James took classes at a local university with dreams of ultimately becoming a state archaeologist. At the hospital, James worked as a psychiatric technician caring for patients deemed mentally unstable.
James, in a custody battle for his children, was seeking money for the best lawyer he could find. Knowing James needed money, Gene came to James with a proposal - to ride with him on a quick delivery of marijuana and the money would be his. James accepted the offer on the assumption it was a one-time event. The two men pull up to a rural trailer in Trinity County and their lives would be changed forever.
JAMES Ran WHEN HE HEARd GUNFIRE.
GENE THREATENed JAMES TO STAY SILENT.
Gene later threatened James and his family multiple times. In one instance, Gene broke into James’ bedroom one night while he slept, threatening to harm his children if he spoke to police. James at this point was still unaware that those murdered included three members of Gene’s own family. The threats against his children caused James to initially deny any knowledge of the crime before ultimately confessing to being in the truck while it occurred.
Both men were charged with the murders, and James was first to stand trial. James’ defense attorney had never tried a case of this magnitude, and was up against a District Attorney with a reputation for achieving death sentences. Gene testified that James had been the true mastermind behind the murders. However, no physical evidence ever connected James to the crime scene and he had a strong anti-gun stance. The District Attorney later told a jury that if Gene’s claim was true, “I’m a one-eyed hunting dog.”
GENE recanted all testimony.
After the trial, Gene recanted all testimony, admitting that James was truthful about being unaware of the crimes. There was no longer any piece of evidence ever tying James to the crimes. However, due to a Texas post-trial evidentiary admission rule, no retrial was ever granted. Multiple appeals took place but were unsuccessful. While on death row, Gene continued to confess to inmates and journalists alike that James was innocent. One such person aware of Gene’s confession was his former cellmate Kerry Max Cook, who was fully exonerated himself in June 2024.
JAMES SPENT 15 YEARS ON DEATH ROW DESPITE NO EVIDENCE CONNECTING HIM TO THE CRIME.
James spent 15 years on death row where he became a media darling and favorite among death row employees. He routinely wrote columns about life on death row and eulogies for executed inmates - continuing to see the best in those deemed the worst of society. He appeared in numerous tv specials, though none highlighted the likelihood of his innocence. Even while incarcerated, he continued calling for social change - once recommending to famous photojournalist Lou Jones that the state should go ahead and execute him and allow the money that would be spent on him to go to women and children in need.
James was executed in 1999.
BUT THE STORY CONTINUES.
Beathard’s story became that of local legend and his innocence became an open secret. Songs would be sung about his ordeal. His experiences at trial and on death row would inspire plays and short stories.
And now we hope to bring his story to a much wider audience through a feature documentary titled “Shadow of a Doubt: The James Beathard Story.”
James befriended gene hathorn.
James’ insistence on seeing the best in everyone would lead to his downfall, when he began to befriend Gene Hathorn, a coworker from Rusk State Hospital with a reputation for law breaking. Unbeknownst to James, Gene and his father had established an elaborate drug trafficking operation in Cherokee County. Gene saw James’ stellar reputation at the hospital as something to take advantage of.
GENE CONVINCEd JAMES TO TAKE A RIDE.
James sat in the truck as he waited for Gene to conduct whatever business he had planned, unaware that the trailer was the home of Gene’s family. Gene returns visibly upset and grabs a gun from the truck. Upon hearing gunfire, James gets out of the truck and flees the scene, running deep into the woods. Three members of the Hathorn family were murdered inside of the trailer that day.
james was convicted on gene’s testimony.
As Texas governor George Bush was running for president, his state’s execution statistics were one of his biggest selling points to his voters. At the time of James’ execution, Texas was approving executions in record numbers. James would be executed in December 1999, the District Attorney watching the execution alongside the family and bragging to them that he had “finished the job.” In a lengthy final statement, James used his time to criticize American involvement in foreign affairs and pleaded for someone to one day revisit his case. But even up until his execution, he never lost his love for learning and never forgot his iconic signature.
“YEARS AGO, A PRISONER LOOKED ME IN THE EYE AND TOLD ME HE’D KILLED THE THREE PEOPLE BEATHARD WAS ACCUSED OF KILLING. tHAT PRISONER WAS GENE HATHORN.”
— Heber Taylor, former editor of Galveston Daily News