kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and KilleenActivist remembers James Byrd Jr.

A few dozen people gathered Tuesday night at the Jasper City Cemetery to lay a wreath on James Byrd Jr.'s grave.

Lawrence Russell Brewer will die by lethal injection for his part in the 1998 dragging death of Byrd.

As the time comes to an end for Lawrence Brewer, members of the Jasper community want to keep Byrd's memory alive.

With the help of nationally known civil rights activist Dick Gregory, they made sure it happened Tuesday night.

Gregory says this crime went beyond influencing just a nation.

"In one act, that goes against love and God, put Jasper on the map all over the world," he said.

Gregory says this community has triumphed over tragic.

"It's tragedies like this that bring out the goodness out of all of us, not the evil," but he believes this has changed the mindsets of those in jasper, but he says it hasn't shaken Jasper's core.

"You can kill this brother, but you can't kill Jasper."

Kayren Adams was one of the members at grave site.

She feels this was about remembering Byrd for the human being he was, but she says she doesn't believe in the execution of Brewer and feels he should spend the rest of his life in prison.

But Kayren and those who loved Byrd have been dealt with a life sentence of their own, life without James Byrd Jr.

Following the wreath ceremony, community members went to Faith Temple Church of God in Christ for a prayer vigil for Jasper police chief Rodney Pearson.

The community continues to struggle through racial tensions that many believe are at the heart of the controversy over the hiring of Pearson, the city's first black police chief.

12 News HD will have complete coverage of the execution of Lawrence Russell Brewer.

12 News HD anchor Jackie Simien will be live from the execution site in Huntsville, and 12 News HD reporter LaMar Holliday will be live in Jasper.

Be sure to join us for our live team coverage on KBMT & K-JAC, your NBC.