Arizona executes first death row criminal that served more than seven years after he was convicted for allegedly killing a college student in 1978.
The death of 66-year old Clarence Dixon, the sixth inmate that was put to death in the United States this year, became controversial after he continued to maintain his innocence until the end.
Critics of the decisions also argued that Dixon was mentally unfit to be executed.
However, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the recent attempt to delay the execution just an hour before it occurred.
Despite the guilty conviction, Dixon claimed he was innocent in his final words including, “I do and will always proclaim innocence.”
According to the reports, Dixon’s last meal included Kentucky Fried Chicken, strawberry ice cream, and water.
Dixon was executed by lethal injection on May 11 at 10:00 a.m. at age 66.
“Arizona hadn’t executed an inmate since July 2014, when Joseph Wood was given 15 doses of a drug cocktail over a two-hour period in what his lawyers called a botched execution,” Fox News reported.
Reports also revealed that after receiving the lethal injection, Dixon said “Maybe I’ll see you on the other side Deana. I don’t know you. I don’t remember you.”
