Verurteilter Mörder und Vergewaltiger in Texas hingerichtet

Ein wegen Mordes und Vergewaltigung verurteilter Mann ist im US-Bundesstaat Texas hingerichtet worden.

Der 48-Jährige sei am Mittwochabend mit einer Giftspritze getötet worden, teilten die Justizbehörden mit.

Das Oberste Gericht hatte einen Einspruch seiner Anwälte zuvor zurückgewiesen.

Die Hinrichtung war in der Vergangenheit fünf Mal aufgeschoben worden.

Larry Swearingen war im Jahr 2000 schuldig gesprochen worden, zwei Jahre zuvor eine 19-jährige Studentin vergewaltigt und erdrosselt zu haben.

Er beteuerte bis zuletzt seine Unschuld.

Seine Anwälte argumentierten, es gebe keine DNA-Spuren, die ihren Mandanten belasteten.

RELATED | Texas executes Larry Swearingen

Nach Angaben des Death Penalty Information Center handelte es sich um die zwölfte Hinrichtung in den USA seit Jahresbeginn.

Source: vn.at, Staff, August 22, 2019

Eine Hinrichtung und viele Fragen

Fast 20 Jahre lang saß Larry Swearingen im Todestrakt eines texanischen Gefängnisses. 1998 soll er eine Studentin vergewaltigt und ermordet haben. Swearingen hat stets seine Unschuld beteuert. Nun wurde er hingerichtet.

Larry Swaeringen sei am Mittwochabend per Giftspritze exekutiert worden, teilte ein Sprecher der Strafjustizbehörde des US-Bundesstaates Texas mit. "Herr, vergib ihnen. Sie wissen nicht, was sie tun", waren demnach die letzten Worte des 48-Jährigen.

Der Fall hatte über Jahre Aufmerksamkeit erregt und Bürgerrechtsaktivisten auf den Plan gerufen: Swearingen, der seit dem Jahr 2000 für die Entführung, Vergewaltigung und Ermordung der damals 19-Jährigen Melissa Trotter im Dezember 1998 einsaß, hatte stets seine Unschuld beteuert und bis zum Schluss vor Gericht für die Aufhebung des Urteils gekämpft.

"Falsche und irreführende Zeugenaussagen"

Der Staatsanwaltschaft warf er Verfahrensfehler vor, unter anderem wegen "falscher und irreführender Zeugenaussagen". Zudem wiesen Swearingens Anwälte immer wieder auf DNA-Spuren eines anderen Mannes hin, die unter den Fingernägeln des Opfers gefunden wurden.

Die Staatsanwaltschaft wiederum gab an, man stehe zu dem "Berg an Beweisen", und bezeichnete Swearingen als Soziopathen, der in der Vergangenheit mehrfach durch Gewalt gegen Frauen aufgefallen sei.

Kurz vor seiner Hinrichtung war Swearingen mit einer Berufung vor dem US Supreme Court - dem Obersten Gerichtshof der USA - gescheitert. Während seiner Haft war der Exekutionstermin fünfmal verschoben worden.

In Texas werden so viele Häftlinge hingerichtet wie sonst nirgendwo in den USA.

Source: dw.com, Staff, August 22, 2019

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