Alabama and Texas Execute Convicted Murderers: In the heart of the Deep South, in Alabama and Texas, justice was served with lethal injections on Thursday. Casey McWhorter, aged 49, met his end at an Atmore, Alabama prison, paying for the 1993 murder of Edward Williams during a robbery. McWhorter, just 18 at the time, left two underage accomplices, including the victim’s son, who escaped the death penalty due to their youth.
At 6:56 pm, McWhorter’s life was declared over, as stated by the Alabama Department of Corrections. Simultaneously, in the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville, David Renteria, 53, faced execution for the November 2001 murder of Alexandra Flores, a five-year-old girl abducted from an El Paso Walmart during Christmas shopping with her parents.
Found strangled the next day, Renteria insisted at trial that he was coerced by gang members to dispose of the girl’s body but denied the murder. In his final words on Thursday, Renteria sought forgiveness, acknowledging the pain he had caused. Seven executions have occurred in Texas this year, contributing to the total of 21 across the United States.
A recent Gallup Poll reveals that 53% of Americans support the death penalty for murder convictions, marking the lowest level since 1972. While 23 states have abolished capital punishment, California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania observe a moratorium. Executions in 2023 have transpired in Alabama, Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Though lethal injection has been the primary method, Alabama is set to execute Kenneth Smith, 58, next year using nitrogen gas. Governor Kay Ivey scheduled his execution for January 25, condemning Smith for a 1988 murder.
Our Reader’s Queries
Who was the man executed in Texas 2023?
Harris County saw two executions in 2023 after intense legal fights for death row inmates Robert Fratta and Arthur Brown. Their long-standing convictions led to the ultimate punishment in Texas, with Brown being executed in March and Fratta in January.
What is the new execution in Alabama?
Kenneth Eugene Smith is scheduled for the first nitrogen hypoxia execution on January 25. This method involves inhaling deadly amounts of nitrogen. United Nations experts are alarmed by the untested use of this capital punishment, fearing it could cause extreme pain and suffering.
When was the last execution in Alabama?
Alabama inmate Joe Nathan James, Jr. was executed on July 28, 2022, at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. The lethal injection was carried out, and he was pronounced dead by a physician at 9:27 p.m.
How many people were executed in Alabama from 1975 1988?
In the thirteen years following the implementation of Alabama’s updated death penalty law in 1975, only three executions took place in the state.