US carries out first federal execution in 17 years
Updated | By AFP
A former white supremacist convicted of murdering a family of three in 1996 was put to death by lethal injection on Tuesday in the first federal execution in the United States in 17 years, the Justice Department said.
Daniel Lewis Lee, 47, was pronounced dead at 8:07 am (1207 GMT) at Terre Haute prison in Indiana, the department said in a statement.
Lee is the first of three federal inmates scheduled to be executed this week.
Lee, of Yukon, Oklahoma, and another man were convicted of murdering the Arkansas family during a robbery intended to help fund the founding of an "Aryan Peoples Republic."
Lee proclaimed his innocence in his final statement, according to a reporter from a local newspaper who witnessed the execution.
"You're killing an innocent man," the Indianapolis Star quoted Lee as saying.
ALSO READ:
Death certificate backlogs as funeral parlours brave influx
The association's CEO Monageng Legae says last year this time his funeral home buried 70 people in a month, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they have buried 70 people in just two weeks. Legae says the Department of Home Affairs is making the situation worse.
Lee's execution had been scheduled for Monday but was temporarily halted by a judge who wanted to allow for legal challenges to the drug that was to be used to put the federal inmates to death.
The Supreme Court lifted the lower court order overnight, however, and cleared the way for the executions.
Show's Stories
-
LISTEN: Actress Sophie Joans talks about her award-winning play
Two extraordinary stage talents, Sophie Joans and Rob van Vuuren, have t...
The Drive with Rob & Roz an hour ago -
LISTEN: The best road trip tips ahead of the Easter weekend
From traffic to packing, Rob Forbes and Rozanne McKenzie are sharing tip...
The Drive with Rob & Roz 4 hours ago