A man from Missouri was put to death on Tuesday night for the murder of his girlfriend and her three young children.
Raheem Taylor, 58, was the third inmate executed in Missouri since November, and the fifth in the United States this year, all by lethal injection.
Taylor attempted to claim he was innocent, stating he was in California at the time of the murders. However, his claims were denied by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell and declined by Governor Mike Parson.
He was later convicted for the killings of Angela Rowe and her three children in 2004.
Taylor received a lethal dose of pentobarbital. He was seen kicking his feet and taking five or six deep breaths before all of his movement ceased.
In his final statement, he spoke of having eternal life in the hearts of loved ones.
His case received support from various civil rights and religious groups, including the national NAACP and the Midwest Innocence Project.
However, not everyone agreed that his hands were clean. Taylor’s claims of innocence were denied by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. The attorney stated that the “facts are not there to support a credible case of innocence.” Therefore, Taylor was denied a hearing.
Governor Mike Parson rejected the opportunity to grant clemency to the suspect. The U.S. Supreme Court also declined to intervene.