July 26, 1983

The capital murder trial of Barry Lee Fairchild began in Lonoke County Circuit Court, with Circuit Judge Cecil A. Tedder presiding. The case was prosecuted by Chris Raff, while a young attorney named Joe O’Bryan was the defense attorney. During his capital murder trial, Fairchild recanted his confession, testifying that when he denied any knowledge of the crime, Sheriff Tommy Robinson and Major Larry Dill beat him and threatened to kill him if he did not confess. Fairchild testified that he was carefully rehearsed by his interrogators before giving his second videotaped confession. Fairchild was executed for the murder of Marjorie “Greta” Mason on August 31, 1995, despite controversy.