Gray had ten years since his conviction to challenge the particulars of his future execution.  He failed to do so.   Rather, his attorneys stored the appeal like a squirrel putting away acorns for the winter, to be withdrawn at the eleventh hour to keep the litigation going on ad infinitum.  

Ricky Gray the child had a terrible childhood.   He did not have much choice in what happened to him.   Ricky Gray the man did have a choice and his decision to attack, bind and torture the Harvey family, complete strangers to him, is one which cannot be excused.   They were just four of eight homicides Gray committed.   

It was absolutely heinous what happened to that family.  The children had their throats slashed repeatedly and they were beaten over the head so badly with a hammer that brain content oozed from their ears.   Their parents suffered similarly.    And for what reward?  Gray stole a wedding ring, a laptop computer and holiday cookies.    Four lives sacrificed for such meager loot.