ROME | Ex-death row inmate to speak at Berry | Events

ROME, Ga. -- A convicted murderer who came within seven hours of being executed before he was pardoned will speak at Berry College.

Billy Moore, who lives in Rome, is the only self-confessed and convicted murderer ever released from death row in the United States.

He confessed to killing 77-year-old Fred Stapleton in 1974 during a robbery.

Moore's execution was postponed 13 times before his sentence was commuted to life in prison rather than death. Mother Teresa and the Rev. Jesse Jackson were among those petitioning for his death sentence to be tossed out.

He was released from prison in 1991.

Moore will speak at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28 in Berry's Science Auditorium. The lecture is free and open to the public.