According to court documents, in July 1993, Boyd and with three other men kidnapped Huguley because Huguley owed them $200 for cocaine he bought from them and never paid for.
Yes, there was burning. We are talking about an extra level of cruelty. One person testified and was released in 2009. Another received life without parole. Two were sentenced to death.
Thirty-plus years is too long (Breyer, dissenting).
His lawyers raise various claims, including arguing that the sentence is disproportionate (there is not enough evidence to justify the death penalty) and even an innocence claim. The jury decided 10-2 for death.
[A few more links that show there is some concern that the prosecution was not fair.]
Boyd was executed via nitrogen gas. Another person was executed for involvement in a horrible crime via a very flawed process. Particularly, a lag time of decades that taints the whole process.
(After not saying anything regularly, we have another dissent this month, joined by all the liberals.
Sotomayor argues that nitrogen gas is cruel and unusual. Boyd should have been executed by firing squad. Some people, including Prof. Lain, argue the firing squad is the best method, relatively speaking.)
If he were fully guilty, thirty years in prison was quite a serious penalty. The death penalty is gratuitous.
ETA: The Supreme Court, without comment, rejected another final appeal. Another form of this piece, focusing on the firing squad issue, can be found here. Boyd's execution fits Sotomayor's description.
A separate order announced times for oral argument in the upcoming Trump tariffs case.