June 5, 2025 – Courtesy of Walker County District Attorney Bill Adair, Jr.
In 1988 Karen Lane was sexually abused and brutally murdered in her Cordova apartment. At that time I was a young prosecutor working in the District Attorney’s office. The sexual brutality of the murder was shocking to even the most seasoned investigators working the case. The crime scene and the state of Karen’s body still haunts the investigators that are still alive and myself. (More on that in a moment). However, the most execrable memory I have is the discussion I had with Shorty, Karen’s father while preparing for the trial. On describing seeing his daughter’s partially clothed body beaten with a blue broomstick between her legs he could only describe intermittently with words and sobs. It is heartbreaking any time a parent has to bury their child but the manner of Karen’s death for Shorty and Betty was horrific.
The final anatomical diagnoses for Karen Lane: 1) Multiple contusions, lacerations and abrasions 2) fractures of the facial bones, (head misshapen because of facial swelling) 3) fractures of the hyoid bone with soft tissue hemorrhage of the anterior neck, 4) rib fractures, bilateral (numerous contusions predominantly in the medial aspects of the breasts; right ribs 1 thru 7 fractured, multiple places on some, left rib 1 and 2 and 4, the left 5th through 10th ribs are fractured, some in multiple places, the sternum was fractured) 5) bone marrow embolism, 6) contusions of the brain 7) contusions of the lung, 8) laceration of the aorta 8) contusions of the heart, 9) lacerations of the liver, 10) lacerations of the tongue.
Through the years I usually see this degree of injuries on severe car crashes.
At the time the case was tried the capital murder conviction and death penalty verdict was historic. The first death penalty returned in Walker County in almost 50 years. When I prosecuted this case I was in my late 20’s, the investigators were all young men, the DA was young and the family of Karen Lane were young. However, now that is not the case. The case and the endless appeals have drug on and on and on. I spoke numerous times to Shorty and Betty and Karen’s sister Denise while waiting for justice. One by one the investigators, the DA, the family passed away while awaiting justice. I was DA myself when Shorty passed away and I was requested to speak at his funeral. Still one of the saddest days of my life but also was an honor to share my thoughts with the assembled friends and family. See, I had great respect for Shorty as I saw his dignity through not only the trial but these endless appeals. He and I spoke often about our shared pain and the frustration with the broken system. Just like my grandfather who grieved himself to death over the murder of my father and his eldest son, so did Betty and Shorty. Neither of them lived long enough to see justice served in the death of their daughter Karen.
Denise and I testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the need to reform the appeals and post conviction relief process. The same representatives that listened to Denise and I testify on the broken system that delays justice for victims, sided with the anti death penalty lobby and refused to change the system. By the way, have you ever thought about the tremendous amount of resources that the anti death penalty cult throws around? It has been reported that these groups have hundreds of millions of dollars in off shore bank accounts funding these activities. Attorneys from all over the world get involved with the litigation against victims. I wonder if it is really pro bono?? If these cult members wanted to do something beneficial to help the system then what about funding mental health counseling for family members of victims. Fund investigators on the front end of these cases to assist law enforcement if you are that concerned. They will not do that because that does not fit their narrative of tearing down the system and victims.
Here at the last hour of this 38 year ordeal, these same cult members are filing numerous appeals to stop the justice that Shorty and Betty and Denise should receive. There has been an appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court, the the United States Supreme Court and to our local Circuit Court. All three are being reviewed to give the murderer another day, another chance. Karen was not given another second by the murderer let alone 38 years. Shorty and Betty never got to see the finality of justice. Some investigators and the DA did not get to see the final justice. While we await whether the remaining family members and I should drive to Atmore for Tuesday’s execution, the worry intensifies awaiting judges decisions once again. None of these judges knew Karen nor Shorty nor Betty. What rights do Shorty and Betty and Karen have in the system???
By the way today would have been Karen’s birthday!!!!!!!!
