Texas and Virginia both carried out executions tonight. Shortly after 6:00 pm in Huntsville, Texas executed Yosvanis Valle. It was the state's 21st execution of 2009; Texas' 444th execution since 1982. Texas has far and away the most active death chamber in America, accounting for more than 37% of the nation's post-Furman executions.
Allan Turner posts, "Gang leader executed for '99 Houston killing," at the Houston Chronicle.
Valle, 34, was the 21st Texas killer executed this year and the first of three men condemned by Harris County juries set to die by the end of next week.
Tonight's execution was the 111th ordered from Harris County, far more than any other Texas county. No other state has been responsible for as many executions as Harris County.
Shortly after 9:00 pm (EST), Virginia executed John Allen Muhammad. The Washington Post reports, "Muhammad executed for sniper killing." It's written by Josh White and Maria Glod.
Federal authorities, who could have allowed Muhammad to be tried in any of the jurisdictions that saw a sniper slaying, chose the Meyers case because Prince William Commonwealth's Attorney Paul B. Ebert had a stellar record in capital cases -- he had sent a dozen people to Virginia's death row -- and Virginia was known for its speedy appeals process.
The decision paid off. Just six years after Muhammad's conviction, he was put to death, having exhausted every legal option. The Supreme Court denied his final request for a stay on Monday, and Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) rejected his clemency request Tuesday.
Muhammad's appellate attorneys have long argued that their client is mentally ill and that he was incompetent to represent himself and perhaps even to stand trial. They decried Virginia's haste in executing him.
Virginia has now executed 104, less than the number of executions ordered from Harris County, Texas. Oklahoma has carried out 91.
To date, there have been 45 executions in the nation this year; 1,181 since 1977.
According to TDCJ, four additional executions are scheduled in Texas during 2009, including three on consecutive nights next week. Four execution dates have already been set for 2010 in Texas.
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