Overview
- Charles Ray Crawford, 59, was put to death by lethal injection in Mississippi more than three decades after his conviction for the abduction, rape, and murder of a 20-year-old student.
- The U.S. Supreme Court declined to halt Crawford’s execution, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissenting and Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson joining her.
- Two executions on Tuesday proceeded by lethal injection: Samuel Lee Smithers in Florida and Lance Shockley in Missouri, with Shockley maintaining his innocence and seeking modern DNA testing.
- An Associated Press witness reported labored breathing and convulsions during Smithers’ execution, adding to concerns about lethal-injection protocols.
- Arizona has scheduled the execution of Richard Djerf for Friday, as reports note most executions this year used lethal injection and nitrogen inhalation has drawn criticism from UN experts.