Napoleon Beazley was born on August 5, 1976, in Grapeland, Texas. 

Napoleon Beazley committed murder on April 19, 1994. He was only 17 years old when he shot John Luttig in the head twice in his garage. Beazley aimed to steal Luttig's Mercedes-Benz. During the incident, he also fired at Luttig's wife but missed. She survived by playing dead. Beazley was not alone; he had two accomplices, Cedrick and Donald Coleman. They were later sentenced to 40 years in prison after they testified against him.

The crime deeply affected Luttig's family. John Luttig was the father of federal judge J. Michael Luttig. Following his arrest, Beazley went through many legal processes. He filed for habeas corpus multiple times, seeking relief from the conviction. His appeals reached high courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. However, the court consistently denied his requests.

In the years after his conviction, Beazley's case raised questions about the death penalty, especially for juveniles. His execution date was set and delayed several times due to various legal petitions. Beazley was executed by lethal injection on May 28, 2002. His last words expressed his feelings about the crime and the justice system. He highlighted that the act he committed was both senseless and wrong. Beazley's case was significant as it contributed to debates about executing juvenile offenders in the United States. In 2005, the Supreme Court ruled that executing those under 18 is unconstitutional, marking a change in how such cases are handled.