The 25th Execution of 2024
Oklahoma carried out
its fourth execution of 2024 on December 19, 2024 with the death of Kevin Ray Underwood
on his 45th birthday. Underwood will be last person executed in 2024 in the United States, according to The Frontier.
With a long sigh,
Underwood used his final words to apologize to the victim Jamie Rose Bolin’s
family, according to media witnesses.
“I would like to
apologize again for all the terrible things I’ve done. I hate that I did those
terrible things and I wish I could take them back,” Underwood said.
Underwood said it was
cruel for him to be executed by lethal injection on his birthday and six days
before Christmas.
Underwood admitted to
luring Bolin,10, to his apartment and killing her because of his cannibalistic
fantasy. He bought meat tenderizer, tarp and bbq sauce, to prepare for the
murder, according to testimony at his clemency hearing.
He requested chicken
fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, pinto beans and a hot roll for his last
meal. He also requested a cheeseburger with fries and ketchup.
Underwood also received
two doses of Xanax —one the night before the execution and another Thursday
morning, said Steven Harpe, the Director of the Oklahoma Department of
Corrections.
Underwood was declared
dead at 10:14 a.m., about 10 minutes after the execution began.
After the execution,
Lori Pate, Bolin’s sister, delivered a statement and thanked everyone who
helped bring justice for their family.
“This doesn’t bring our
Jamie back, but it does allow the space in our hearts to focus on her and allow
the healing process to begin,” Pate said.
Greg Mashburn, the
Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office, stated Bolin’s family now has
justice. He stated that Bolin’s murder qualified for the death penalty, which
is reserved for the worst crimes.
The United States
Supreme Court denied Underwood’s request to delay the execution approximately
45 minutes before his scheduled execution.
Underwood’s attorneys
argued two recent resignations from the Pardon and Parole Board violated his
constitutional rights to a fair hearing. The board unanimously denied a
clemency recommendation on Friday after Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed one new member.
Underwood’s legal team
had argued he deserved clemency because he had autism and a severe addiction to
pornography. State prosecutors urged the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole to vote
against clemency because Underwood was a danger to others and hadn’t shown
remorse for killing Bolin.
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