On Wednesday evening, Texas executed death row inmate Jamaal Howard by lethal injection, marking the first execution in the United States since a botched attempt to execute Christa Pike the previous week. Howard, 46, was pronounced dead at 20:03 local time after receiving a lethal dose of pentobarbital at the state prison in Huntsville.
Howard's legal team had requested a stay of execution, citing concerns over the drug's efficacy due to the issues experienced in Pike's execution. They argued that Texas' supply of pentobarbital had become degraded, similar to claims made by Pike's attorneys. However, both state courts and the US Supreme Court denied their appeals.
Howard was convicted for the 2000 murder of Vickie Swartout, a convenience store clerk, during a robbery in which he stole cigarettes and cash. Before his execution, he expressed remorse to Swartout's family, stating, "I wish that you accept my apology, and I wish for your forgiveness. I'm sorry for what happened. I wish you can learn to forgive me one of these days."
Texas Governor Greg Abbott did not grant a request from Howard's attorneys to delay the execution by 30 days to gather more information about the drug used.
This execution follows a series of legal and procedural challenges surrounding lethal injections in the United States, particularly in light of recent controversies regarding the drugs used in these procedures.