Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Cop Killer Hoping For Clemency

A convicted cop-killer is seeking executive clemency from Gov. Mike Huckabee.

According to a release from the Arkansas Department of Corrections, Earl Atkinson has filed for executive clemency, asking the governor to commute his sentence of life without parole.

Court records show Atkinson killed Nevada County Sheriff's Deputy R.D. Purifoy on Nov. 12, 1992, by beating him to death with an iron.

The records show Purifoy responded to a domestic dispute at the Atkinson home around 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 12, '92. At about 6 o'clock, the NCSO received a call about an officer being down.

Then-Sheriff Abb Morman responded, arriving at the scene about 6:30 p.m. and finding Purifoy's body.

Morman told Atkinson to come out of the house. When the suspect did, he showed Morman a weapon, turned and went back inside.

Morman fired three times at Atkinson, with Atkinson returning fire five times. However, Atkinson was hit and eventually was talked into surrendering. He was taken to the Nevada County Hospital for treatment and placed under arrest, being charged with capital felony murder.

Atkinson, after being placed in jail, apparently told his mother about killing the deputy and bragging to others about this deed.

But, while in custody, he said he never meant to hurt Purifoy, though he had threatened to kill the deputy if he came onto his land. Atkinson claimed the officer was trespassing and therefore he, Atkinson, had the right to kill him.

A psychiatric evaluation showed Atkinson with a verbal IQ of 72, a performance IQ of 66 and an overall IQ of 68.

The report also showed him to have an explosive temperament and delusions about his background. However, it did not show Atkinson to be hallucinatory, though the evaluation said he could be considered paranoid-schizophrenic.

It also stated he understood the workings of the legal system and could assist in his own defense.

Atkinson's counsel, Gene Hale, used mental illness and mental defect as the defense, but he was sentenced to life without parole.

The ADC's Post Prison Transfer Board will review Atkinson's application sometime around July 14 and make its recommendation to the governor.

Anyone wanting to comment or express opinions on Atkinson's application for clemency may do so by writing to the Parole Administrator, ADC P.O. Box 8707, Pine Bluff, Ark. 71611.

To be fully considered, these responses must be received before July 14.