Winston Moton of Greenville knows today is going to be especially difficult.
His daughter, Kimberly McCarthy, is scheduled to be executed, after having twice been found guilty of the murder of her neighbor.
“It is definitely going to be hard,” Moton said Tuesday.
McCarthy’s execution is drawing widespread media coverage, primarily because it would be the 500th in Texas since the state resumed carrying out the death penalty in 1982. McCarthy is believed to be among the first Hunt County natives to face the death penalty. McCarthy would also be only the fifth woman, and the third black woman, to be executed in Texas since 1854.
“She was born here in Greenville, in Doctor’s Hospital,” Moton said. “I was never around when she grew up.”
McCarthy, born in 1961, was living in Dallas County at the time of the murder.
Moton said he divorced McCarthy’s mother and moved to California when McCarthy was 5.
“The next time I saw her was in 1982,” Moton said. He moved back to Greenville full time in 2011.
Moton said he visited with McCarthy on death row Monday.
“I’ve been going for years,” Moton said. “I started in 2004.”
They never talk about the murder.
“She always seems to be in a good mood and I don’t want to do anything to ruin that,’ he said. “She never mentions it to me at all.”
Moton does not intend to be on hand for the execution, if it occurs.
“I couldn’t handle that,” he said. “I’ve already had one son who was murdered.”
Winston Moton III was killed in Portland, Ore. in 2004.
“It is going to be hard, losing two of my children like that,” Moton said.
McCarthy was twice convicted of the July 1997 murder of her neighbor, Dorothy Booth, 71.
“Her lawyer doesn’t feel like she got a fair trial, really,” Moton said. “There were no black people on the jury.”
McCarthy’s attorney, Maurie Levin, contends the jury in her case was unfairly selected on the basis of race.
McCarthy’s original 1998 conviction on a charge of capital murder was overturned on appeal. McCarthy was convicted of capital murder again in October 2002.
According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, McCarthy had worked as an occupational therapist, waitress, home health care worker and laborer and had previously been convicted and sentenced to prison on a charge of forgery, but was released on parole in December 1991.
According to trial transcripts, on July 21, 1997 McCarthy entered Booth’s home under the pretense of borrowing some sugar and then stabbed Booth five times, hit her in the face with a candelabrum and cut off her left ring finger in order to take her diamond ring. McCarthy then took the victim’s purse and its contents, along with her wedding ring, and fled in Booth’s car.
Later, McCarthy bought drugs with the stolen money, used the stolen credit cards, and pawned the stolen wedding ring.
“I couldn’t hardly believe it,” Moton said when he heard about the crime. “I wasn’t around, but I know she wasn’t raised like that. I really don’t think, whatever was done, she didn’t do it by herself. That just doesn’t seem like her.”
Last minute appeal efforts were underway Tuesday evening.
“Praying is all I can do,” Moton said. “Put it in God’s hands, that’s all I can do.”