{
  "id": 1960553,
  "title": "US prisoner who survived eight execution dates dies at 101",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/us-prisoner-who-survived-eight-execution-dates-dies-at-101",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-19T15:34:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/us-prisoner-who-survived-eight-execution-dates-dies-at-101/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Francis Clifford Smith, a US prisoner who survived eight execution dates and spent more than 70 years behind bars, has died at the age of 101, according to the BBC. Convicted of first-degree murder in Connecticut in 1950 for the killing of Grover Hart, Smith maintained his innocence throughout his imprisonment, despite doubts emerging over the years. Smith was scheduled for execution eight times and was granted supervised parole in 2020, moving to a care facility for elderly people. Researchers note that Smith's case highlights the challenges faced by prison systems in caring for an aging population.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "US prisoner who survived eight execution dates dies at 101",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/us-prisoner-who-survived-eight-execution-dates-dies-at-101-1960807",
        "published": "2026-08-19T15:34:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}