Ringleader in Texas dragging death of black man to be executed

[brooklynite]

Source: NBC News

HUNTSVILLE, Texas — A man who orchestrated one of the most gruesome hate crimes in U.S. history was set to be executed Wednesday for the dragging death of James Byrd Jr. nearly 21 years ago.

John William King, who is white and an avowed racist, was put on death row for chaining Byrd to the back of a truck and dragging his body for nearly 3 miles along a secluded road in the piney woods outside Jasper, Texas. The 49-year-old Byrd, who was black, was alive for at least 2 miles before his body was ripped to pieces in the early morning hours of June 7, 1998.

Prosecutors said he was targeted because he was black.

Authorities say the 44-year-old King is openly racist and has offensive tattoos on his body, including one of a black man with a noose around his neck hanging from a tree.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ringleader-texas-dragging-death-black-man-be-executed-n997966?cid=sm_npd_ms_tw_ma

[Bengus81]

1. Be sure and buckle up on that table John--it's the LAW!

Quick Trump,maybe you can get a stay for this fucker.

[rurallib]

2. I gotta say, I am opposed to the death penalty

but this one is really straining my opposition.
Can't say I am sorry to see this clown die.

[cab67]

4. Opposition to the death penalty need not require sympathy for a murderer.

I oppose the death penalty for two reasons - it's barbaric, and I cannot accept the possibility, however remote, that an innocent person might be wrongly executed.

That doesn't mean I mourn when someone guilty of a crime like this dies - especially if he dies unrepentant.

[marble falls]

8. Every time I that I have that impulse, I know why the death penalty will never be meted out equally.

[rurallib]

13. so very true - thanks for the reminder.

[Aristus]

3. I'd like to ask him if it was worth it.

Is he happy about the way his life turned out?

Did he think it was still 1955? Did he think he was going to get a medal and a parade?

I'm opposed to the death penalty, but for right now, I'll save my bleeding heart for Mr. Byrd's still-grieving family...

[catbyte]

5. Wow, that was 21 years ago? I remember it vividly. I won't be crying any tears for him.

[marble falls]

6. The death penalty needs to be ended. Murdering this racist PoS will only be used to counter ...

the fact that the death penalty is unequally visited on people of color.

[PBC_Democrat]

7. Good Riddance to a piece of degenerate human rubbish

There was absolutely no way to rehabilitate someone like this.

I can hope that his death serves as a warning to other morons.

I view this as society expressing in the strongest way possible that, even if can't control what someone thinks, we can certainly respond to their actions.

[displacedtexan]

9. I'd rather see King's cell covered in photos of Byrd for him to look at...

...for many decades until he dies with that image burned into his brain.

[Honeycombe8]

11. That would be like porn to him. nt

[displacedtexan]

12. Really? I never thought of it that way.

I figured he'd regret wasting his life & be reminded of that every waking moment.

[still_one]

10. Good

[Judi Lynn]

14. Texas executes avowed racist in black man's dragging death

Texas executes avowed racist in black man's dragging death
Juan A. Lozano and Michael Graczyk, Associated Press Updated 7:35 pm CDT, Wednesday, April 24, 2019

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — An avowed racist who orchestrated one of the most gruesome hate crimes in U.S. history was executed Wednesday in Texas for the dragging death of a black man.

John William King, who was white, received lethal injection for the slaying nearly 21 years ago of James Byrd Jr., who was chained to the back of a truck and dragged for nearly 3 miles (5 kilometers) along a secluded road in the piney woods outside Jasper, Texas. The 49-year-old Byrd was alive for at least 2 miles (3 kilometers) before his body was ripped to pieces in the early morning hours of June 7, 1998.

Prosecutors said Byrd was targeted because he was black. King was openly racist and had offensive tattoos on his body, including one of a black man with a noose around his neck hanging from a tree, according to authorities.

King, 44, was put to death at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas. He was the fourth inmate executed this year in the U.S. and the third in Texas, the nation's busiest capital punishment state.

More:
https://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Convicted-ringleader-in-Texas-dragging-death-to-13790433.php#photo-17273747

You might want to scan the photos included in the article, which will cover the entire length of the trial, and the people involved, after James Byrd, Jr. was tormented, tortured, ripped apart, and murdered.

~ ~ ~



Texas' guest of honor at today's execution.



The sisters of James Byrd, Jr.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

15. Bubye

Hope it's not too hot in hell