Buchanan believes that he deserved a second-degree murder instruction read to 
the jury because he claims that the murders were carried out in a rage.  He contends that 
immediately preceding the murder of his father, they had a disagreement over 
Buchanan’s deceased mother’s alleged infidelities.   When asked about the murders 
Buchanan answered, “`They never treated me like a son--they treated me like an outsider 
all the time.  I mean--I don't think they cared.’ Again Buchanan was asked whether it was 
any particular thing that `set it off at this particular time.’  He replied:  `there was no one 
thing that they could of done that--would have done that, it's just that I mean, they never 
talked to me when I was living there.’”  While under oath Buchanan stated as he and his 
father were talking, he “` was getting mad.  I was sweating.  I was getting real hot and I 
was shaking."  When Buchanan tried to defend his natural mother, his father broke off the 
conversation saying "that's it, let's go out and look at this car I bought for J.J.’”  It was at 
that point that Buchanan stated he shot his father. 

Buchanan was granted a stay of execution from the United States Supreme Court 
on April 8, 1997, pending that Court’s disposition of his writ of certiorari.  His September 
19, 1997 motion by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers for a leave to 
file a brief as amicus curial was also granted by the United States Supreme Court. 

Buchanan entered death row on August 22, 1988 and was executed on March 18, 1998. 

See also Winter 98 newsletter