Texas kills
Texas tonight killed a repentant George Whitaker III:
A Houston-area man condemned for fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend’s sister during an attack that also seriously wounded the former girlfriend’s mother and another sister was executed Wednesday.
George Whitaker III expressed love to family members and asked for forgiveness.
“I apologize for your pain and suffering,” he said, mentioning the parents of his victim by name. None of her relatives were present.
Whitaker asked that the Lord give them strength, adding, “I pray Lord, please forgive me.”
He asked his stepfather, brother and a friend who watched through a window to take care of his two daughters.
“Continue to pray for me. I am fine. I’ve made peace with God. Please don’t ever forget me,” he said.
As the lethal drugs began flowing, Whitaker said, “Take care. I’m going on to sleep.” Eight minutes later at 6:15 p.m. CST, he was pronounced dead.
Whitaker had exhausted his appeals and also lost a clemency bid before the state parole board, clearing the way for him to become the 16th Texas prisoner executed this year. Another lethal injection was set for Thursday evening in the nation’s busiest capital punishment state.
Whitaker, 36, was convicted of gunning down 16-year-old Shakeitha Carrier in 1994 at her family’s home in Crosby, just east of Houston in Harris County.
