Bio

Jack Harry Smith was born on December 23, 1937. He grew up in the United States. As a young man, he faced many challenges. He completed only six years of school, which limited his education.

As a teenager, Smith began to get into trouble with the law. He had a robbery-assault conviction in 1955. This was followed by another robbery-assault conviction in 1959. Because of this second conviction, he was sentenced to life in prison. During his time in prison, Smith attempted to escape in 1963.

After spending 17 years in prison, Smith was paroled on January 8, 1977. He was released from his life sentence but only had a short time of freedom before he was arrested again. One year later, on January 7, 1978, he was involved in a deadly incident during a robbery at a convenience store in Houston, Texas. This event would lead to serious consequences for him. Smith's accomplice in the robbery also had a criminal history and later testified against him.

Murder Story

On January 7, 1978, a convenience store in Harris County, Texas, was the scene of a tragic event. Jack Harry Smith and an accomplice were involved in a robbery at Corky's Corner. During this robbery, a man named Roy A. Deputter attempted to intervene. He tried to stop the holdup and pulled out his own gun. In the ensuing confrontation, Deputter was shot twice: once in the heart and once in the head.

After this incident, Smith and his accomplice were arrested the same day. A witness identified Smith as one of the two gunmen involved in the robbery. Deputter’s actions in trying to prevent the robbery led to his death, which shocked the community.

Later, Smith was tried for the murder and received a death sentence. His trial included testimonies from his accomplice, Jerome Lee Hamilton, and a cashier who witnessed the event. Smith maintained that he was innocent. He claimed he was at a different location during the robbery, stating he was at a beer joint.

On October 9, 1978, Smith was officially placed on death row. He appealed his conviction multiple times, but these appeals were denied. Over the years, he faced health issues while imprisoned, including cancer. Smith's case became a notable example of the complexities surrounding death row cases in Texas.