A man,
Orlando Hall has been executed for his role in the 1994 abduction, rape and
gruesome killing of Lesa Rene, 16, in Texas, the US.
His killing by lethal injection comes after a judge's bid to stop it amid claims of racism was quickly overruled.
Orlando Hall
was put to death by lethal injection at 11.47pm local time, Friday, November
20, after being convicted for his role in the horrific 1994 killing of Lesa
Rene.
Hall, 49, was
among five men who abducted the sister of two drug dealers he suspected had
stolen money from him in Texas.
The gang of
cannabis traffickers had gone there to confront her brothers but took her at
gunpoint to Arkansas where she was raped, beaten with a shovel and buried
alive.
Hall has been
in prison since he was arrested.
Hall was put
to death at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, becoming the eighth
inmate to be executed this year.
The US
District Judge Tanya Chutkan's request for the execution to be halted following
claims that Hall, who is African American, was racially discriminated against
by an all-white jury was quickly overturned by the Supreme court who ordered
the killing to go ahead.
In a ruling
hours before the federal execution was scheduled to go ahead, she wrote: “The
court is deeply concerned that the government intends to proceed with a method
of execution that this court and the Court of Appeals have found violates
federal law."
A statement
on behalf of Lisa's family was issued following the execution.
Pearl Rene
said: “Today marks the end of a very long and painful chapter in our lives.
"My
family and I are very relieved that this is over.”
Three of the
men involved in the horrific crimes had agreed a plea deal to testify against
Hall and a fifth man, and have all been released since.
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