Justice questioned: Tennessee execution reignites debate
Seventy-five-year-old Oscar Smith was executed for the murder of his wife and her sons. He had been on death row for 35 years, maintaining his innocence until the end. "I didn’t kill her. I’m not the first, and I’m not going to be the last," the condemned man said in his final moments.
Key information
- Oscar Smith was executed for the murder of his wife and sons in 1989.
- The execution took place in the state of Tennessee.
- The man was executed by lethal injection.
On Thursday, in Nashville, Tennessee, Oscar Smith was executed by injection. He was convicted for the brutal murder of his wife Judith Smith and her two sons, Jason and Chad Burnett, in 1989. Just a year later, the jury decided on the death penalty. At the time of the incident, Smith was separated from his wife. He had also taken out an insurance policy on all three victims.
Smith, despite the verdict, maintained his innocence until the end. His final speech lasted for three minutes. During the execution, he said: "I didn't kill her." His last words were also directed to the Governor of Tennessee, Bill Lee.
During the execution, a spiritual advisor was present, praying and singing "I'll Fly Away." Smith had two IV drips in his right arm. After his last words, poison was injected into his bloodstream. According to American media, witnesses didn't even notice when the procedure started.
In his final moments, Smith expressed frustration with the justice system, stating that it is broken and that he is neither the first nor the last to be affected, according to AP News.
For his last meal, Smith ordered hot dogs, potatoes, and apple pie with vanilla ice cream.
The family of the victims, including Judith's sister Terri Osborne and brother Mike Robirds, were present during the execution.
Both opponents and supporters of the death penalty gathered outside the prison. One of the protesters emphasised that the death penalty is not in accordance with religious teachings, reports AP News.
Executions in the USA
Executions in Tennessee were halted for five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and procedural issues. In 2022, Smith's execution was postponed due to untested drugs. The death penalty was then stopped a few minutes before it was to begin.
This week, it's the third execution in the USA. On Wednesday, Matthew Johnson was executed in Texas for a brutal murder, and on Tuesday in Indiana, Benjamin Ritchie was executed for the murder of a police officer in 2000. Smith's execution was the 19th this year, and 25 were carried out in 2024. Another five are scheduled for June.
