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September 10, 2014

Missouri Executes Death Row Prisoner; Texas Next 
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Missouri has executed an African-American prisoner despite concerns over
his conviction and sentencing by an all-white jury. Earl Ringo Jr. was
convicted of killing two people during a robbery in 1998. His attorneys
also expressed concern about the sedative midazolam, a drug used in
prolonged executions in other states, including one in Arizona where a
prisoner gasped for air, choked and snorted during a two-hour-long
ordeal. A report by St. Louis Public Radio found Missouri had used the
sedative in all nine executions since last November, despite public
claims by officials that it would not be used. Missouri officials said
Ringo declined to take midazolam, or any sedative, before his execution
today. Texas, meanwhile, is set to execute its first prisoner since
state Attorney General (and Republican gubernatorial candidate) Greg
Abbott said the state can keep the source of its execution drugs secret.
Convicted murderer Willie Trottie is scheduled to be put to death this
evening, despite claims by his attorney the execution drugs may have
expired. Texas, Missouri and Florida have accounted for more than
three-quarters of the 28 executions carried out in the United States
this year.

 

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