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Greenville native to face death penalty

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A former Greenville resident, twice convicted of the murder and robbery of a Dallas County woman, is again facing the death penalty this week.

A state district judge reset the April 3 scheduled execution of Kimberly Lagayle McCarthy to Wednesday. McCarthy was born in Greenville in 1961, but was living in Dallas County at the time of the murder. McCarthy was twice convicted of the July 1997 murder of her neighbor, Dorothy Booth, 71.

McCarthy’s attorney, Maurie Levin, contends the jury in her case unfairly was 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. 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.