Carl Isaacs has finally been executed after being the longest serving man in history on death row on America. Six members of the Alday family were murdered by Isaacs and three accomplices 30 years ago. Justice came late for this family and this state. Most of the people involved in the original case did not live to see this outcome.
Isaacs was mayhem waiting to happen in 1973. He was a prison escapee with two others and they picked up his 15 year old brother to take him down the path of destruction. On the way to the Alday's, they killed another young man in Maryland. The Alday's were just getting back on their feet. Ned Alday had bought back his father's farm and hoped to make a go of it. He and 5 members of his family were murdered on May 14, 1973.
The case was solved quickly and the trial was completed in 1974. The other three accomplices were not the centerpiece of this crime. Carl Isaacs was the cold-blooded ring-leader of this event. In some ways, Seminole County will never recover. Isaacs was sentenced to death. There was never any question of his guilt, but there was always a lawyer willing to take his case to the next stage.
There is no "honor among thieves." Men like Carl Isaacs are cowards. They prey on the innocent and lack the character to take responsibility for their actions. They strut around and when they are confronted, they try to work the system to buy them more time. Time is one thing that they did not give their victims.
I believe in the Constitution and due process. I know that the Constitution protects the innocent and that sometimes in doing so, provides loopholes for someone with the face of evil, like Carl Isaacs. I know that we had to go through this process and that justice has been served although very late. But I still hate what Carl Isaacs did to the fabric of the legal system that was designed to protect the innocent.
During his incarceration, he tried to escape and was stabbed 32 times by other death row inmates that had fashioned knives out of melted plastic spoons. This man was so hated by his "peers" that they wanted him dead at their own hands. In 1985, the conviction of Carl Isaacs and two of his accomplices was overturned. Isaacs' brother, Billy, was not included in this retrial because he had cut a deal in the original trial and pled guilty and cooperated with the prosecution. He served his sentence in Georgia and then completed the Maryland murder sentence on the death of the young man killed on the way to the Aldays'.
In 1988, Carl Isaacs was convicted again and sentenced to death. One accomplice was convicted and due to a deadlocked jury, received life in prison. The other accomplice was ruled mentally incompetent. Billy Isaacs served out his term and now resides in Florida.
Even after Carl Isaacs' 1988 conviction, he was no model prisoner. He continued to try to escape. The estimates on costs to keep, care for and try this murderer are upwards of $2 million dollars from the pockets of the taxpayers of Georgia.
In a country where 70% of Americans support the death penalty, the average time served on death row is 15 years. Carl Isaacs served about 15 years each on his initial conviction and then after the retrial. How do we protect the victims and give them justice and protect the due process rights of the accused?
We need reform of the capital punishment system. First, in any case past, present or future where there is DNA evidence, it should be the responsibility of the state to do the tests that would either include or exclude the accused. The defendant's ability to pay should have no bearing on whether these tests are done.
Secondly, if an accused is convicted and sentenced to death, there should be an automatic appeal on technical issues. Venue issues, competency of counsel and any other technical issue should be brought up at that time. Finally, a second appeal on the facts of the case should follow.
A time limit for all appeals should be set at 5 years. No family of a victim or victim should ever have to wait more that 5 years for justice to be carried out. As trite as it may sound, it is a true statement that no one ever asked the victim if they wanted an appeal. The Aldays would have surely wanted 30 more years of life if they had been asked.
There are some crimes to which the only justice comes through the death penalty. Every step must be taken to be sure that the conviction is just and the sentence is carried out as quickly as possible in respect for the victims.
Carl Isaacs did not deserve 30 more years on this earth. The hell that he put the Aldays, his family, the people of Seminole County and the people of Georgia will be no comparison to the hell that he is suffering right now. Finally the souls of the Aldays can be at rest.
Martha Zoller hosts a daily political talk show on WDUN AM 550 in Gainesville, Georgia. She is a panelist on Fox 5 Atlanta's The Georgia Gang and is seen frequently on The Fox News Channel and CNN. You may email her with your comments at [email protected].
Tuesday
August 5th, 2025
10:12PM
