By Eli Rosenberg and Eli Rosenberg General assignment reporter covering national and breaking news Email Bio Follow Lindsey Bever Lindsey Bever General assignment reporter covering national and breaking news Email Bio Follow April 24 at 10:04 PM Two decades after his conviction, John William King was executed Wednesday night in Texas for the murder of the James Byrd Jr., a crime that horrified the nation and prompted a national discussion about hate-crime legislation.
The execution of 44-year-old King is “justice being served,” said Louvon Byrd Harris, one of Byrd’s sisters. The cigarette butts were also tested for DNA, and one came up with a hit for King, who had previously served a prison sentence for burglary. They also drew attention to his tattoos, which included a Confederate flag, Nazi “SS” lightning bolts, a cartoon in a Ku Klux Klan robe, “KKK,” a swastika, “Aryan Pride” and a depiction of a black man hanging from a tree by a noose.
His current lawyer, Richard Ellis, submitted a last-minute petition Tuesday to the nation’s highest court that said that his client had “maintained his absolute innocence” and argued his initial lawyer had conceded his guilt against King’s wishes during the trial 20 years ago.
Hideous crime...it was about time! 20 years on my dime...too long!
All murderers should be executed no matter who they are.
All this talk about white supremacists when I see interracial everywhere, whites clamoring for minorities more then anyone, minorities exonerated and taught about in our schools yet nothing mentioned on any of the European immigrants that came here
Always about minorities and women these days due to what is taught in our schools and from the media and harping on past injustices while they have more rights and opportunities today in this country then ever before and have it better off then they ever did
The law works for us sometimes, and this is one of those times.
Now if we can just convince everyone that all Trump supporters are white supremicists, we can put this sort of crime right in his lap. I do not think it is working.
If Bernie has his way, this guy would’ve voted
Good.
Now is time (way past time) to carry-out the DeathPenalty Execution of Boston Marathon Bomber Murderer Terrorist Tsarnaev. 6 years ago the foreign radical planted 2 bombs in Boston, killed 4 & injured hundreds.
I suppose the US is the last western country where celebrating the killing of another person is not only morally accepted, but actually expected. I come from a country that proudly judged and incarcerated dozens of genocides for life. Most died old and alone. That's justice.
All bigots should be executed.
Good!! Again, I’m so sorry for the pain the family has endured.
May James Byrd, Jr. live on through the poetry of Clifton_Lucille / LightClifton: Never forget.
What’s crazy is it took 21 years
And the world is a better place without him.
20 years late, but thanks is done there is no place for thses domestic ISIS murderers in this great country
Enjoy hell
I hope hell welcomed him.
At the rate they’re killing off white supremists, it’s going to take a hell of a long time to clear off the surplus.
Thank god..im so sorry this happeded🌹❤
There goes a blue voter!
It must have been quite bad for him to be executed. I am against execution style but what is the answer to extremism. I do prefer lighter methods of tackling criminals but some do not learn.
Good.
About time.
Good riddance. That crime was soul crushingly horrible.
Good.
Good riddance
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