FLORENCE, Ariz. — An Arizona man convicted of homicide within the 1984 killing of an 8-year-old lady was put to loss of life Wednesday within the state’s second execution since officers resumed finishing up the loss of life penalty in Might following a virtually eight-year hiatus.
Frank Atwood, 66, died by deadly injection on the state jail in Florence for his homicide conviction within the killing of Vicki Lynne Hoskinson, whose physique was discovered within the desert, Arizona Lawyer Common Mark Brnovich stated in an announcement.
Vicki Lynne went lacking months earlier after leaving her house in Tucson to drop a birthday card in a close-by mailbox.
The U.S. Supreme Court docket cleared the best way for Atwood’s execution Wednesday morning after rejecting a last enchantment by his attorneys. He died at 10:16 a.m., Brnovich stated.
Atwood was the second Arizona prisoner to be put to loss of life in lower than a month. The execution of Clarence Dixon final month ended Arizona’s halt to executions that was blamed on the issue of acquiring deadly injection medicine and criticism {that a} 2014 execution within the state was botched.
Loss of life penalty opponents fear that Arizona will now begin executing a gradual stream of prisoners who’ve languished on loss of life row, however state officers didn’t instantly reply to requests for touch upon their future execution plans. No different executions have been scheduled up to now in Arizona, which now had 111 prisoners on loss of life row.
Atwood was accompanied by the method of being ready for the deadly injection by a priest, witnesses to the execution stated at a information convention. He had claimed innocence, however didn’t handle the killing together with his final phrases.
The witnesses stated he thanked the priest “for coming at the moment and shepherding me into the religion” and added: “I pray the Lord can have mercy on all of us and that the Lord can have mercy on me.”
Witnesses additionally stated the method of establishing IVs into Atwood for the injection went easily, although medical personnel couldn’t find a vein for his proper arm and put the IV in his proper hand, at Atwood’s suggestion.
The lady’s mom, Debbie Carlson, was additionally a witness to the execution and informed reporters after Atwood died that “Vicki was a vibrant little lady with an infectious snicker and a smile that might soften your coronary heart.”
Carlson added: “Her royal blue eyes mirrored an outdated soul of knowledge, and her freckled nostril was distinctive and we’re blessed to see it in our grandchildren at the moment. Vicki was a feisty little one which at all times stored you in your toes and can eternally be often known as dennis the menace, guffawing all the best way”
Judges in latest weeks had rebuffed makes an attempt by Atwood’s attorneys to have the execution delayed.
Atwood’s attorneys informed the Supreme Court docket in court docket filings that the irritating issue that made his crime eligible for the loss of life penalty was invalidly utilized. He was convicted in 1975 in California for lewd and lascivious conduct with a baby below 14 and was convicted of Vicki Lynne’s killing in 1987. Judges have rejected that authorized argument previously.
Additionally they stated Atwood would endure excruciating struggling strapped to the gurney whereas mendacity on his again as a result of he has a degenerative spinal situation.
Prosecutors claimed that Atwood was attempting to indefinitely postpone his execution by authorized maneuvers, saying his ache could be be alleviated by propping him with a pillow on the gurney, which has a tilting perform.
Atwood didn’t complain about again ache in the course of the course of to organize him for the deadly injection, stated Henry Brean, a reporter for the Arizona Day by day Star who was one of many execution witnesses.
Authorities have stated Atwood kidnapped Vicki, whose stays have been found within the desert northwest of Tucson practically seven months after her disappearance. Specialists couldn’t decide the reason for loss of life from the stays, based on court docket data.
Dixon was executed on Might 11 for his homicide conviction within the 1978 killing of Deana Bowdoin, a 21-year-old Arizona State College scholar.
His execution was criticized by loss of life penalty consultants as a result of it took officers about half-hour to insert an IV into his physique to ship the deadly drug and 10 minutes after that to die.
They stated executions ought to take seven to 10 minutes from the start of the IV insertion course of till the second the prisoner is asserted useless.
The execution workforce first tried and did not insert an IV into Dixon’s left arm earlier than they have been in a position to join it in his proper arm. They then made an incision in his groin space for an additional IV line.
Dixon’s execution was the primary to be carried out within the state for the reason that July 2014 execution of Joseph Wooden, who was given 15 doses of a two-drug mixture over practically two hours.
Wooden snorted repeatedly and gasped earlier than he died. His lawyer stated the execution had been botched. ———
This story corrects that the execution witness who stated Atwood did not complain about again ache was Arizona Day by day Star reporter Henry Brean, not KVOA-TV reporter Lupita Murillo. ———
Billeaud reported from Phoenix.
