Texas Executes KIller Who Killed in Prison

The 21st Execution of 2011

Texas executed Lee Taylor for a 1999 murder. His second killing. Taylor used a shank, a home made weapon used in prison, to stab fellow inmate Donta Greene multiple times. The stabbing was described as a fight stemming from racial tension. Taylor, who is white, was a member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, according to the department. Greene was black.

According to Reuters, Taylor said shortly before he died that he was acting in self-defense. "I am sorry that I killed him but he would not have been in prison if he was a saint," Taylor said.

Taylor also talked about the death penalty itself, saying that not everyone on death row is "a monster." "I hope people understand the grave injustice by the state," said Taylor according to Reuters. "It's not right to kill anybody just because I killed your people. Everyone changes, right?"

At the time of the stabbing at the northeast Texas prison, Taylor was serving a life sentence for an aggravated robbery in which an elderly man died, according to the state attorney general's office.

Taylor was pronounced dead at 6:24 p.m. Thursday, June 16, 2011. His last meal included pizza, soft tacos, fried jalapeno sticks, french fries, fried okra and ice cream, reported Reuters. One of the last things Taylor said was: "I'm ready to teleport."

To read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/17/us-texas-execution-idUSTRE75G00V20110617