Execution carried out for Alabama death row inmate
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Death row inmate Casey McWhorter’s execution by lethal injection was carried out last Thursday, making him the second inmate to be put to death in the state this year.
Special to the News
The execution of Alabama death row inmate Casey A. McWhorter was carried out by lethal injection last Thursday, November 16, at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. He was pronounced deceased by a physician at 6:56 p.m.
On November 15, McWhorter had six visitors and seven phone calls. On November 16, he had three visitors, three phone calls, refused his breakfast and lunch, and had a final meal of Turtles candy.
“I would like to say I love my mother and family,” McWhorter said in his final words. “I would like to say to the victim’s family I’m sorry. I hope you find peace.”
McWhorter spent nearly 30 years on Alabama’s death row, making him among the longest-serving inmates of the state’s 165 death row inmates.
A brief press conference followed the execution at the Media Center with remarks from Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm.
McWhorter was executed for the 1993 capital murder of Edward Lee Williams, who was fatally shot during a robbery.
During the press conference, Commissioner Hamm read a letter written by April Williams, the daughter of Edward Lee Williams. In addition, Gilbert Williams, the victim’s brother, made a statement.
McWhorter’s remains will be released to the Escambia County Coroner and taken to the Mobile Lab of the Department of Forensic Sciences for a postmortem examination.
McWhorter was the second inmate put to death this year in Alabama after the state paused executions for many months to review procedures following a series of failed or problematic executions. James Barber, 64, was executed by lethal injection in July for the 2001 beating death of a woman.
In January Alabama plans to make the nation’s first attempt to put an inmate to death using nitrogen gas. Nitrogen hypoxia has been authorized as an execution method in Alabama, Oklahoma and Mississippi, but no state has used it.
