About: James Dupree Henry

James Dupree Henry (January 17, 1950 – September 20, 1984) was an American criminal who was executed in Florida for the murder of civil rights leader Zellie Riley. Henry slashed Riley's throat during a robbery in Orlando on March 23, 1974. He also shot and almost killed Orlando detective Ronald E. Ferguson during his arrest five days later. Notably, despite killing a civil rights leader, other civil rights leaders, namely Jesse Jackson and Coretta Scott King, attempted to stop Henry's execution. William Riley, Zellie Riley's son, also stated he did not want his father's killer to be executed. On September 20, 1984, Henry was executed via the electric chair.