Death row inmate convicted of 1992 Gaston County killing loses final appeal

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A death row inmate in Gaston County lost his final court appeal to avoid his execution. A judge rejected George Buckner’s plea Friday to overturn his sentence for a 1992 shooting.

It’s been 31 years since Flip Dow’s brother, Eddie, was shot and killed at his home in Gaston County.

“I still get calls,” he told Channel 9′s Almiya White. “People call up and ask for Eddie and they still do it. It’s been a lot of years.”

Channel 9 was there in 1993 when George Buckner went on trial and was convicted and sentenced to death row in Dow’s death. Since then, he’s been fighting to get his sentence overturned.

On Friday, that fight came to an end. A judge dismissed the motion to overturn his sentence. It’s an outcome Dow’s brother was hoping for.

“To be in a cell seven days a week. That’s right where he needs to be,” Flip Dow said.

Flip said his brother was a well-known bail bondsman in Gastonia. He said Buckner and two of Eddie’s employees planned to rob Eddie, and Buckner was considered the mastermind.

Eddie’s car and $27,000 was stolen at the time.

Flip said because of what happened in 1992, he didn’t want to see Buckner in court on Friday.

“I’ve seen evidence what he done, what he left at his house and I don’t need to see him and let courts do what the courts do,” he said.

And because of what the courts did, Flip said he can move forward by focusing on who is still here.

“Just going on, looking after family, looking after Carol and finish what life we have left,” he said.

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