Florida man executed for 1994 homicide of spouse and a couple of younger kids

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A Florida man convicted of the 1994 killings of his spouse and their two kids was put to demise on Thursday, marking the ninth execution within the Sunshine State this 12 months and a state file for a single-year whole because the demise penalty was reinstated within the U.S. almost 50 years in the past.

Edward Zakrzewski, 60, was pronounced lifeless at 6:12 p.m. at Florida State Jail close to Starke after a three-drug injection, which consists of a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the guts, in keeping with the state Division of Corrections.

"I need to thank the nice folks of the Sunshine State for killing me in essentially the most chilly, calculated, clear, humane, environment friendly manner doable. I've no criticism," Zakrzewski mentioned after the curtain to the demise chamber went up shortly after 6 p.m.

Zakrzewski was mendacity on a gurney lined with a white sheet when the medication had been administered. Earlier than the medication started flowing, he additionally quoted from a poem as 14 witnesses, in addition to reporters and jail employees, regarded on.

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Edward Zakrzewski, 60, was pronounced lifeless at 6:12 p.m. at Florida State Jail. (Florida Division of Corrections)

As soon as the medication had been administered, Zakrzewski started respiratory deeply, surrounded by three jail staffers in darkish fits. One in every of them shook Zakrzewski by his shoulders and shouted his identify, however there was no response after which he grew to become nonetheless.

On Thursday morning, Zakrzewski woke at 5:15 a.m. and later within the day had a meal that included fried pork chops, root beer and ice cream, in keeping with state Division of Corrections spokesman Paul Walker, who mentioned Zakrzewski had one customer and "remained compliant" as his execution time neared.

Zakrzewski was sentenced to death for the June 9, 1994, killings of his spouse Sylvia, 34, and their kids Edward, 7, and Anna, 5. Trial testimony confirmed he killed his household at their Okaloosa County residence after his spouse requested for a divorce. He had informed others he would kill his household as an alternative of permitting the divorce to occur.

He first attacked his spouse with a crowbar and strangled her with a rope, courtroom testimony confirmed. The 2 kids had been killed with a machete, and Sylvia was additionally struck with the blade when Zakrzewski believed she had survived the earlier assault, in keeping with courtroom data.

Edward Zakrzewski was sentenced to demise for the June 9, 1994, killings of his spouse Sylvia, 34, and their kids Edward, 7, and Anna, 5. (AP)

Zakrzewski's legal professionals filed a number of unsuccessful appeals through the years, together with a remaining plea for a keep of execution, which the U.S. Supreme Court denied on Wednesday.

Earlier than he was put to demise, opponents of Zakrzewski’s execution pointed to his navy service as an Air Pressure veteran and the truth that a jury narrowly voted 7-5 to advocate his execution. They emphasised that below present state legislation, he couldn't have obtained the demise penalty with a cut up jury vote.

After the Supreme Courtroom restored the U.S. demise penalty in 1976, Florida's earlier file for whole executions in a 12 months was eight in 2014, which was exceeded on Thursday. A tenth execution is scheduled within the state on Aug. 19 and an eleventh on Aug. 28.

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Zakrzewski was mendacity on a gurney lined with a white sheet when the medication had been administered. (AP Picture/Sue Ogrocki, File)

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Florida has additionally carried out extra executions this 12 months than every other state, with Texas and South Carolina tied for second with 4 every.

Throughout the U.S., 27 males have been put to demise to this point this 12 months, whereas 9 different persons are scheduled for execution in seven states for the remainder of the 12 months. Florida was additionally the final state to execute somebody, with Michael Bernard Bell killed on July 15.