A Texas inmate named Jamaal Howard was executed on Wednesday evening using pentobarbital, a chemical that was involved in a botched death last week in Tennessee. Howard’s lawyers had claimed the Texas supply of the drug had weakened and that the state should pause the execution, but courts denied their requests and the Supreme Court concluded the case on Wednesday.
The execution took place at the state prison in Huntsville, where Howard was pronounced dead at 20:03 local time. He earned his sentence for a 2000 robbery‑murder that killed a convenience store clerk in Texas.
Governor Greg Abbott denied a 30‑day delay requested by Howard’s attorneys, who wanted more information about the drug’s integrity.
While in the witness room, Howard apologized to the victim’s family, offering forgiveness and a plea for future understanding.
The case brings renewed attention to capital punishment and the use of lethal injections across the United States.
