Richard Moore was pronounced dead at 6:24pm local time on Friday (Credits: AP)
A death row inmate’s final words have been revealed shortly after he was executed by lethal injection.
Richard Moore apologised to the family of his victim – convenience store clerk James Mahoney – and told his children and granddaughters ‘I love you and am so proud of you’.
The 59-year South Carolina inmate was pronounced dead at 6:24pm local time on Friday for the 1999 murder of Mr Mahoney.
His final meal was steak cooked medium, fried catfish and shrimp, scalloped potatoes, green peas, broccoli with cheese, sweet potato pie, German chocolate cake and grape juice.
Following the execution, prison spokeswoman Chrysti Shain read his last words at a news conference.
‘To the family of Mr James Mahoney, I am deeply sorry for the pain and sorrow I caused you all,’ he said.
‘To my children and granddaughters, I love you and am so proud of you. Thank you for the joy you have brought to my life.
‘To all of my family and friends, new and old, thank you for your love and support.’
Richard Moore with his daughter Alexandria as a baby (Credits: AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
Protestors look on prior to the scheduled execution of Richard Moore (Credits: AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
Director of communications for the South Carolina Department of Corrections Chrysti Shain addressed the media shortly after after the execution (Credits: AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
A vigil was held outside the prison ahead of the execution and it came amid broad appeals for mercy by parties that included three jurors and the judge from his trial, a former prison director, pastors and members of his family.
Moore – who had sat on death row since being convicted of murder in 2001 – went into the store unarmed, took a gun from Mr Mahoney when it was pointed at him and fatally shot him in the chest as the victim shot him with a second gun in the arm.
Moore´s lawyers had asked Republican governor Henry McMaster to reduce his sentence to life without parole because of his spotless prison record and willingness to mentor other inmates.
They also said it would be unjust to execute someone for what could be considered self-defense and unfair that Moore, who was Black, was the only inmate on the state’s death row convicted by a jury without any African Americans.
A protestor looks on prior to the scheduled execution (Credits: AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
But Mr McMaster refused. In a letter, he did not say why but said he reviewed everything submitted by Moore´s lawyers and spoke to the victim’s family.
Unlike in previous executions, the curtain to the death chamber was open when media witnesses arrived.
Moore had his eyes closed, and his head was pointed toward the ceiling. A prison employee announced the execution could begin at 6:01pm.
He took several deep breaths that sounded like snores over the next minute.
Then he took some shallow breaths until about 6:04pm, when his breathing stopped. Moore showed no obvious signs of discomfort.
Lindsey Vann, his lawyer of 10 …read more
Source:: Metro
