September 24th 2024.
In the United States, there is a controversial issue that has been making headlines in recent years - executions. This week, the country is set to see through the executions of five death row inmates in different states within a span of just seven days. This is the highest number of executions in a single week that the US has seen in the past decade. It is a sharp contrast to the decline in executions that we have seen in recent years.
According to Robin Maher, the executive director of the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center, this is an unusual occurrence. She stated, "Two executions on a single day is uncommon, and four in a week is even more so." The center also reported that if all five executions take place as planned, it will be the first time in 18 years that five executions have occurred within a span of just one week. When asked about the reason for this sudden increase, University of Nebraska law professor Eric Berger had no answers, stating that it was probably just a coincidence.
Let us take a closer look at the five inmates who are scheduled to be executed this week. The first inmate, Freddie Owens, was executed on Friday in South Carolina. He was 46 years old and received a lethal injection. This execution went ahead despite a friend's last-minute confession stating that he had lied during the trial to save his own life. Owens was convicted of being present at a convenience store when a clerk was killed, but his friend claimed that he was not there. However, the state Supreme Court refused to halt the execution, and the governor did not grant clemency. Just before the lethal injection was administered, Owens said "bye."
Up next is Travis Mullis, who is scheduled to be executed in Texas on Monday. He was convicted of stomping his 3-month-old son to death 16 years ago. In February, Mullis stated that he would not challenge his case and admitted to killing his son. He said that his punishment was fitting for the crime. He is set to receive a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. If the execution goes ahead, Mullis will be the fourth inmate to be executed in Texas this year, making it the state with the most executions in the country.
On Tuesday, Missouri is scheduled to execute Marcellus Williams, who was convicted of the 1998 murder of a former police reporter. Williams has maintained his innocence, stating that his DNA was not found at the crime scene. However, the state supreme court and the governor have both denied clemency. If the execution takes place, Williams will be the third inmate to be executed in Missouri this year.
Alan Miller is scheduled to be executed on Thursday in Alabama. Two years ago, he received a reprieve as officials were unable to find a vein to connect an intravenous line. Miller was convicted of shooting three people in a workplace rampage in 1999. He is set to die via a mask placed on his face at William C Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. This execution will be the first in the state to use nitrogen gas and the second in the US.
Finally, on Thursday, Oklahoma is set to execute Emmanuel Littlejohn, who was convicted of a 1992 shooting during a robbery that left a convenience store owner dead. Littlejohn has maintained his innocence, and the state's pardon and parole board has recommended clemency. However, the governor has not made a decision yet. If the execution goes ahead, Littlejohn will be the third inmate to be executed in Oklahoma this year.
In conclusion, the US will witness a rare occurrence this week - five executions in just seven days. This has not happened in the past decade and has raised many questions and debates about the use of the death penalty in the country. As these executions go ahead, the controversy surrounding this issue will continue to be in the spotlight.
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