The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld the capital sentence of Karu Gene White, Kentucky’s longest-held death row inmate, who was convicted more than 40 years ago for the brutal triple homicide of three elderly Kentuckians. The decision, announced on Friday, rejected White’s most recent appeal in a 2-1 ruling.
White, who has been on death row since 1980, was convicted for his role in the 1979 murders of Charlie Gross, 75, his wife Lula Gross, 74, and Lula’s brother, Sam Chaney, 79, in Breathitt County, Kentucky. White and two juvenile accomplices used a crowbar to beat the victims to death during a robbery at the small general store the victims operated. The violence of the crime was described by the coroner, Kentucky State Trooper, and detective as the most brutal they had ever encountered. The coroner even referred to the scene as a “slaughterhouse.”
“This violent criminal committed these horrific murders more than 40 years ago, and he’s spent the decades since attempting to dodge the justice lawfully delivered by a jury. This ruling upholds the jury’s verdict, gives relief to the victims’ families and clears the way for long-overdue justice,” said Attorney General Russell Coleman, who announced the decision.
The Grosses’ granddaughter, Mary Lou Herald, expressed the long-awaited relief felt by the victims’ family. “This brutal killer stole my grandparents. Then he took 40 years of my life as he tried to escape justice. After all this time, we are hopeful the sentence will be carried out and justice will finally be done,” she said. “I’m grateful to the Office of the Attorney General and every person that worked over the years to ensure my grandparents and family were never forgotten.”
White’s conviction and death sentence have been upheld after numerous appeals in both state and federal courts. In March 2024, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman filed a motion with the Franklin Circuit Court to lift a nearly 15-year ban on the lawful imposition of the death penalty in Kentucky. This motion followed updated regulations from Governor Andy Beshear’s administration that aligned the state with a 2010 ruling.
Assistant Solicitor General Elizabeth Hedges argued the case before the Sixth Circuit on behalf of the Warden, while Erica Paske from the Attorney General’s Office of Victims Advocacy provided support to the families of the victims.
