The inmate, Brandon Bernard, was executed as the ninth federal inmate facing the death sentence. Last-minute attempts were made to stop the execution; he was 40 years old.
Last Thursday, Bernard was executed by the Justice Department for his part in the 1999 murders of Todd and Stacie Bagley. There were pleas for pardons to stop the execution by jurors, advocates, and celebrities but to no avail. He is one of many executed this year after the reinstituted by the Trump administration.
Before putting to death, his last words were words of apology for the Bagley family and their loss, said a reporter who was present at his final minutes. He said that he regretted all that he did, and sorry can explain the regret for his actions, reported CBS News.
The inmate in his final moments
Executions are serene, especially for those facing them. One reporter said that the sentence man was neither afraid nor feeling distressed before he died. Once the injections were begun, his eyes were closing, and the breath came in shallow gasps.
He was still while the chemical worked his way into his system; others twitched and heaved, about 20 minutes later, his skin blotched white. He passed away at 9:27 p.m. and died a quiet and resigned man till he stopped breathing.
The mother of the murdered Todd Bagley
Todd's mother faced the reporters after Bernard died. She was saying thanks to Donald Trump, Attorney General William Barr, and others at the Justice Department for closure about son's death. She mentions how both men giving their apologies made her forgive them for their crime.
Also read: Federal Execution: Drug Dealer Gets the Death Penalty for Burying Teen Alive
Bernard's accomplice was executed in September. Adding that she felt their apology and remorse for what they did, and it helps her heal her heart, mentioned The Sun.
The defense of Brandon Bernard tried to stop the federal execution by stopping with an emergency stay done by school professor Alan Dershowitz and former independent counsel Ken Starr to the defense team. It was denied on that night, and the sentence was continued as planned.
In a statement before his execution, Bernard's lawyer said it was a stain on the American criminal justice system.
He said that even after death, Bernard would continue helping until there will be no more young black men killed and are no threat to anybody. He asked prosecutors to have the highest standards in every case, with leaders giving moral authority where it should be given. Saying that Brandon was their client and friend, he will be missed, they added.
One of Bernard's family told of his last moments with him. According to the family member, the death row inmate was square with everything, even paying with his life, and it lessens the Bagley's pain. He was at peace and said the executioners should not have guilt.
The man was convicted of the Bagley murder and given a death sentence in 2000. It was never carried out due to case developments and his conviction.
Brandon Bernard and Christopher Vialva, his accomplice, killed Todd and Stacie Bagley on a Texas military reservation. Both of the murder victims were locked in the car trunk.
Related article: Prisoners to Be Executed According to a New Rule: Either Through Gas or Firing Squad
