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| Missouri executes former drug dealer John Middleton despite innocence plea | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Missouri has gone ahead with the execution of John Middleton, 54, for murdering three people, after a series of appeals failed to prevent the state carrying out the sentence. | Missouri has gone ahead with the execution of John Middleton, 54, for murdering three people, after a series of appeals failed to prevent the state carrying out the sentence. |
| Middleton, 54, died Wednesday night from an injection of | Middleton, 54, died Wednesday night from an injection of |
| pentobarbital, the sixth execution in Missouri this year. Only Florida | pentobarbital, the sixth execution in Missouri this year. Only Florida |
| and Texas, with seven each, have performed more executions. | and Texas, with seven each, have performed more executions. |
| Middleton maintained to the end that someone else was responsible for the | Middleton maintained to the end that someone else was responsible for the |
| slayings. "You are killing an innocent man," he said in his final statement. Police and prosecutors maintained he killed three people who he had feared would reveal his drug dealing. | slayings. "You are killing an innocent man," he said in his final statement. Police and prosecutors maintained he killed three people who he had feared would reveal his drug dealing. |
| Concerns about whether Middleton was mentally fit for execution spurred a long delay in the execution. A federal judge granted a stay late on Tuesday, citing a need for a hearing to determine if Middleton was mentally ill, in which case execution would have been unconstitutional. | Concerns about whether Middleton was mentally fit for execution spurred a long delay in the execution. A federal judge granted a stay late on Tuesday, citing a need for a hearing to determine if Middleton was mentally ill, in which case execution would have been unconstitutional. |
| A federal appeals court overturned the stay on Wednesday and neither the US supreme court nor the Missouri supreme court would halt the execution. | A federal appeals court overturned the stay on Wednesday and neither the US supreme court nor the Missouri supreme court would halt the execution. |
| Missouri has executed one man each month since November, with the exception of May when the US Supreme Court halted the execution of Russell Bucklew on medical grounds. An appeal court is to decide in December whether lethal injection could cause him undue suffering. | Missouri has executed one man each month since November, with the exception of May when the US Supreme Court halted the execution of Russell Bucklew on medical grounds. An appeal court is to decide in December whether lethal injection could cause him undue suffering. |
| Another execution is scheduled for 6 August, when Michael Shane Worthington is scheduled to be put to death for a rape and killing in 1995. | Another execution is scheduled for 6 August, when Michael Shane Worthington is scheduled to be put to death for a rape and killing in 1995. |