He was pronounced dead at 6:31 p.m. – 15 minutes after the lethal dose began.
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Attorneys representing Lopez refused to accept his intentions, questioning federal court findings that Lopez was mentally competent to volunteer for execution.
“I hope this execution helps my family and also the victim’s family”, said Lopez, who spoke quietly and quickly.
The 27-year-old was convicted six years ago of striking and killing a police officer during a high-speed chase.
Lopez’s lawyer David Dow said at a Supreme Court hearing that Lopez had “obvious and severe mental illness” and “well-documented history of irrational behaviour and suicidal tendencies”. The 20-year veteran was laying out spike strips on a freeway exit ramp in an attempt to stop Alexander, who was fleeing from police in an SUV. I am sorry. I love you. “It was always about Daniel Lopez, and it’s still about Daniel Lopez”, Skurka said Tuesday.
Witnesses sang incredible Grace as his breathing slowed, then eventually stopped.
“I’ve sat here for five years thinking of all the mistakes I’ve done and how I could do my part and give back to others”, Lopez wrote in a letter to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times last week.”I’ve accidentally taken a man’s life and have thought on many occasions on how great it would be to give one or more back”.
When finally cornered by patrol cars, Lopez used his SUV as a battering ram trying to escape and wasn’t brought under control until he was shot, officers testified.
She said as a nurse of 25 years, it was “totally against my grain to see something like this”.
Records show Lopez was on probation at the time.
“He’s a bad, bad guy”. Records also show he told the mother of one of his former girlfriends that he wanted the death penalty because he believed after his execution his children all would be eligible for Social Security benefits until they turned 18. He had other arrests for assault.
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The execution would be the 10th so far this year in Texas.
