Byron Black, a 69-year-old man convicted of killing his girlfriend and her two daughters, was executed on Tuesday, August 5. Reportedly, Black, who had a heart device, cried out in pain after receiving the lethal injection, saying, “It’s hurting so bad.
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As reported by The Associated Press, Black died at 10.43 a.m. However, 10 minutes after the execution started, Black pointed out that he was feeling pain.
“Oh, it’s hurting so bad,” the man said during his execution.
A spiritual adviser, who had been singing over Black, told the death row inmate, “I’m so sorry. Just listen to my voice.”
Reportedly, before his execution, Black’s attorneys and officials deliberated whether the convicted murderer’s heart device should be turned off.
Back in mid-July, a trial court judge agreed with Black’s attorneys. It was agreed that his implantable cardioverter-defibrillator would be turned off. This was to be done to prevent unnecessary pain during his execution.
However, on Thursday, July 31, the Tennessee Supreme Court overruled the judge’s decision, citing a lack of authority.
Execution To Be Reviewed
Black’s attorneys will review their client’s autopsy results to find out what exactly transpired during his execution.
Attorney Kelley Henry expressed concern over the fact that Black was able to complain by moving his head. Reportedly, the lethal injection is supposed to leave death row inmates unconscious relatively quickly.
“Today, the state of Tennessee killed a gentle, kind, fragile, intellectually disabled man in a violation of the laws of our country simply because they could,” Henry said. “The fact that he was able to raise his head several times and express pain tells you that the pentobarbital was not acting the way the state’s experts claim it acts.”
Back in 1988, Byron Black fatally shot his 29-year-old girlfriend, Angela Clay, and her two daughters, Latoya Clay, 9, and Lakeusha Clay, 6.
“His family is now going through the same thing we went through 37 years ago,” Angela’s sister, Linette Bell, said. “I can’t say I’m sorry because we never got an apology.”