Interview with Judge R. Black, May 17, 1966 Page: 9
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Don Wilson: Well, let's just take it back a little farther. Let me be more specific. Judge,
have you ever, as a district attorney, asked for and received, as a jury verdict, the death
penalty in a case?
Judge Black: I have several times.
Don Wilson: And have any of those death penalties actually ever been carried out and the
defendant executed.
Judge Black: Two were executed.
Don Wilson: Do you remember, can you tell us anything about those?
Judge Black: Well, one was a case transferred from Stephens County to Baird, Callahan
County, Joe Arnold, for killing his wife. And he received the death penalty in Callahan
County and was executed, was electrocuted.
Don Wilson: And do you remember about what year that was?
Judge Black: No sir, I do not. I forget. It's along in the middle thirties, somewhere in
the early thirties. Your present U.S. Judge, Joe Brewster, had an interesting case some
[unclear]. He was a young attorney and he came out there to be with me and assist with
in the prosecution of that case.
Don Wilson: The United States District Judge, here now, assisted you in the prosecution
of that case. Is that correct?
Judge Black: That's correct.
Don Wilson: Well, that's very interesting. What was the other case, Judge that you
said...?
Judge Black: The other case was a, as I recall, I don't recall his name right now. He
killed Wade Willis, deputy sheriff in the jail, and they transferred it to Fisher County, and
Judge Walters was district attorney of that county. And he assisted in the prosecution
over there, or I assisted him, either way you put it.
Don Wilson: This was Judge Walter, you're speaking of, is Judge Eskell Walter of the
Eastland Court of Civil Appeals, is that right?
Judge Black: That's right.
Don Wilson And he, at that time, was district attorney in the 104th District Court.
Judge Black: That's correct.9
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Wilson, Don & Black, R. Interview with Judge R. Black, May 17, 1966, text, May 17, 1966; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth865942/m1/9/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Public Library.