Texas carried out out its 11th execution of the year, last night in Huntsville. It was the state's 475th post-Furman execution since 1982. Texas has far and away the most active execution chamber in America accounting for more than 37% of the nation's executions.
The execution was the 236th conducted under the administration of Rick Perry. He became Governor of Texas upon the resignation of George W. Bush in December 2000. 152 men and women were executed in five years under Governor Bush's tenure.
The Huntsville Item reports on the execution of Lawrence Russell Brewer, "Brewer's execution draws crowd," by Brandon Scott.
More than 50 spectators gathered outside the Huntsville “Walls” Unit in observation. The spectators ranged from media to filmmakers, protesters and even celebrities.
Comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory sat in a lawn chair across from the prison facility in the midst of other protesters. Gregory had come from speaking at rallies in Jasper as well as Georgia, the site of the controversial potential execution of Troy Davis.
Gregory said he came to Huntsville for the same reason he fought for civil rights, to show opposition to government administration of the death penalty.
“I just don’t believe the state should have the right to kill people,” Gregory said. “If you put a man in jail for life, that’s punishment. When you start killing people, that’s revenge. It’s crazy and we let our government get by with it.
Later Wednesday night, Georgia executed Troy Davis; more on that in the next post. To date, there have been 35 executions in the nation this year; 1,269 post-Furman executions since 1977.
TDCJ notes that three additional Texas executions are scheduled for 2011. Two Texas executions are already set for 2012.
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