Inmate who requested death executed in US

WASHINGTON DC, United States – An American inmate who had asked for execution over the murder of a prison guard was put to death late Monday, October 15 (Tuesday, October 16 in Manila), in the state of South Dakota’s first execution since 2007, a prison official said.

Governor Dennis Daugaard had earlier declined to pardon Eric Robert, citing the fact that the 50-year-old inmate had confessed to the murder, asked for the death penalty and warned he would kill again otherwise.

“This is a sad day for South Dakota. Executions are rare in our state, and they are warranted only with extreme forethought and certainty,” the governor said in a statement earlier Monday.

“In this case, Eric Robert admitted to his crime and requested that his punishment not be delayed.”

Robert, who had renounced all appeals in order to accelerate the process, was executed by lethal injection shortly after 10:00 pm (0300 GMT Tuesday).

Robert, who had been serving a long sentence for kidnapping, confessed on September 16, 2011 to killing warden Ronald Johnson during a failed escape attempt four months earlier. He was sentenced to death on October 27, 2011.

Robert was the 32nd person to be executed in the United States this year.

It was the first execution in the Midwestern state of South Dakota in five years and only the second in 65 years.

Donald Moeller, convicted of kidnapping, raping and murdering a nine-year-old girl, is scheduled to be executed in South Dakota the week of October 28. He has also requested the death penalty and renounced all appeals. – Agence France-Presse