JACKSON, Dec 7:With the execution of a man convicted of killing his father-in-law, Georgia has put to death nine inmates this year more than any other state.
William Sallie’s time of death was 10:05 p.M., after an injection of compounded barbiturate pentobarbital at the state prison in Jackson, Warden Eric Sellers told witnesses.
Sallie, 50, was convicted of murder in the March 1990 shooting death of John Lee Moore in rural south Georgia.
When asked if he wanted to make a final statement, Sallie lifted his head to face the witnesses.
“I just want to say I’m very, very sorry for my crimes. I really am sorry,” he said, adding that he had prayed about it many times. “I’m just very sorry for everything. I do ask for forgiveness.”
He accepted the offer of a prayer.
Records from past executions show that the lethal drug generally starts flowing within a couple of minutes of the warden exiting the execution chamber.
About a minute after the warden left, Sallie lifted his head and looked out at the witnesses before putting his head back down, yawning and then closing his eyes and breathing deeply several times.
About two minutes after the warden left, Sallie’s body twitched five or six times, his shoulders lifting slightly off the gurney, but his eyes remained closed. Within another minute, he became still.
In addition to the nine executions in Georgia this year, habitual leader Texas executed seven inmates, and Alabama, Florida and Missouri have carried out one execution apiece, for a total of 19 executions this year. Alabama has one more scheduled Thursday.
This year’s tally also marks the most executions Georgia has carried out in a calendar year since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The state executed five inmates last year and five in 1987.
Sallie had abused his wife during their marriage and she was living with her parents in rural Bacon County after having filed for divorce, according to a Georgia Supreme Court summary of the case. The two had fought bitterly over custody of their young son. (AGENCIES)
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