Upcoming Execution - Richard Strong

Richard Strong

At 6pm tonight in Missouri, 48-year old Richard Strong will be executed by lethal injection at the state's Bonne Terre prison. Convicted of the capital murder of his girlfriend, Eva Washington and her 2-year old daughter, Zaendra Thomas, Richard Strong's only hope now is to be granted clemency by Missouri governor, Jay Nixon. 

There was one small survivor of Richard Strong's vicious attack on that fateful day in October 2000 - Strong's 3-month old daughter with Washington - Alyshia. When police discovered the scene, following a 911 call from Strong himself, they found the bodies of Miss Washington, her daughter and a baby laying on a bed, alive and next to the murder weapon. Fifteen years on, Alyshia Strong - who went to live with her paternal grandmother after her mother's death - has been a strong source of support for her father. Despite her father's actions effectively leaving her an orphan, Alyshia is urging Missouri Governor Jay Nixon to spare her more loss. She believes he has spent the last fifteen years feeling nothing but remorse for his 'split-second' violent actions and that to take his life would result in a double loss for her. 

Zaendra Thomas

Richard Strong's defence team have filed several appeals in the Supreme court in the last few weeks. One claiming Strong suffers from depression and another stating his mental state makes him incapable of understanding his execution. According to Alyshia, one thing Strong is capable of is regret and remorse. She told one source that her father was 'inconsolable' that his actions had resulted in the loss of two precious lives, Apparently, Strong and Miss Washington had had a volatile relationship with both parties being violent towards the other. There was also a long history of mental illness for both parties. Richard Strong said 'something snapped in my head' that day in October 2000 and he has regretted his actions ever since. 

As Strong's execution grows ever closer it remains to be seen whether the Governor will take into account Alyshia Strong's pleas for clemency for her father. As it stands at the time of publication she stands to lose her one remaining 'parent' to the American justice system. 

Ayshia Strong with her father and half-sister.

Arnold Prieto - Execution Approaching

Arnold Prieto

On January 21st, Texas will carry out it's first execution of 2015 when 35-year old Arnold Prieto is put to death. Barring a last minute stay Prieto will receive a lethal injection a few minutes before 6pm on Wednesday.

On September 11th 1993, Arnold Prieto was approached by two brothers he knew, Lupe and Jesse Hernandez. In the past, Jesse had told stories of his loan shark uncle, Rodolfo Rodriguez, who apparently had a closet stuffed full of money. The brothers had regularly supplied Arnold Prieto with cocaine, and the night of the murder was no different. According to Prieto, Jesse Hernandez pressured him into going with the brothers to their uncle's house to steal his money. Prieto insists he cannot remember much of what was discussed during the car journey to the Rodriguez home because all three men were taking cocaine. He does remember one of the brothers instructing him to remove his socks and put them on his hands so he wouldn't leave fingerprints during the murder.

When the men arrived at the destination in the early morning hours, the door was opened by Rodolfo Rodriguez's wife and the brothers' aunt, Virginia Rodriguez. Pleased to see her nephews, Virginia made all  three men breakfast. According to Prieto's testimony, Jesse called him into the bedroom where Rodolfo Rodriguez was, as Prieto entered the room he heard a scream, turned and saw Lupe Hernandez violently stabbing his aunt. Rodolfo Rodriguez attempted to go and help his wife, but Prieto, using a screwdriver given to him by Jesse, pushed him back down and began stabbing the man. He finished the job by ramming the screwdriver into Rodolfo's head. According to Prieto, he left the bedroom in a state of shock, he saw the body of Virginia Rodriguez on the kitchen floor but was allegedly shocked to see the body of another woman in the lounge area. The other woman was the Rodriguez's friend and former nanny, 92-year old Paula Moran. Prieto continues by saying Jesse Hernandez then emptied the contents of a closet, Lupe Hernandez stole a purse from the bedroom before shouting "Lets Go".

Once safely away from the crime scene, Prieto says the Hernandez brothers split the stolen goods. Prieto received a man's gold ring, a child's crucifix and a couple of necklaces. Each man also had around $100 in cash. According to Prieto, a few days after the murders he confessed to his wife, saying he had "killed someone and so did Lupe and Jesse".

Once the jury had convicted Prieto of capital murder, the same jury then entered the punishment phase. During this time, the jury were made aware of Prieto's previous criminal record, which included stealing $676,000 worth of laptops from his employer. The jury also heard that during his incarceration awaiting trial Prieto persistently disobeyed orders, was caught several times with contraband and was constantly yelling and annoying other inmates. Prieto was sentenced to death on March 30th, 1995.

There is no questioning Arnold Prieto's guilt, he has confessed to murdering one person during the course of a robbery and being present when two others were also killed. However, he appears to have shown little remorse, instead he appears to make the Hernandez brothers solely responsible that night. He is insistent the brothers pressured him to do it, that he was numb with shock the whole time. However, the crime scene was bloody, especially in the bedroom where Prieto killed Rodolfo Rodriguez. It was no conducive with someone who had struggled to carry out a murder on someone else's instructions.

I believe Arnold Prieto fully deserves the death sentence, what do you think?

Texas Death Chamber

Andrew Howard Brannan - Execution Approaching...

Andrew Brannan

On January 13th, the State of Georgia will perform the first execution of 2015, when Andrew Howard Brannan enters the death chamber. Sentenced to death in 2000, Brannan was found guilty of the first degree murder of a law enforcement officer in 1998. Deputy Kyle Dinkheller stopped Brannan on Interstate 16 in January 1998, when he clocked him doing an incredible 98 mph. After Brannan repeatedly ignored Dinkheller's commands to remove his hands from his pockets and then stand back, Brannan began dancing and singing "Here I am, Shoot me, Shoot me". Brannan then rushed Dinkheller and the pair scuffled for a second before Brannan ran back to his truck. This is when Deputy Dinkheller radioed for back up, however, Brannan unexpectedly pulled out a .30 M-1 Carbine causing the officer to draw his own weapon. After once again repeatedly asking Brannan to stand down and drop his weapon, Dinkheller fired one shot. Brannan responded by shooting Deputy Dinkheller nine times: in the chest, arms and one final close range shot to the head. He then retreated to his truck and drove away, leaving the Deputy to die on the Interstate.

Brannan was captured 24 hours later when law enforcement officers found him sleeping under a piece of camouflage tarp. It was then when Brannan found out his actions, before, during and after the murder, had all been caught on Deputy Dinkheller's dash cam. Despite the defence arguing that Brannan was seriously mentally unstable due to PTSD from his time spent serving in Vietnam, the damming video was enough to convict him. In the years since his sentence, Brannan has exhausted the appeals system and despite having his original sentence thrown out by a Butt's County judge - it was almost immediately reinstated by the Georgia Supreme Court. 

Even as Andrew Brannan moves ever closer to the execution chamber, he is still arguing that his mental illness made him unaware of his actions in 1998. He has also argued that his mental health has declined further since his arrest due to inadequate treatment and a lack of proper medication. Despite his arguments, as of today, his execution still stands. 

Rarely is an entire crime caught on camera, is it fair then that Brannan faces execution? After all, there really is no question that he is guilty! Or, does the video itself prove that Andrew Brannan IS mentally unwell and obviously not in his right mind at the time of the murder? 

**The video below contains footage of the Brannan and Dinkheller incident. Although it is not gory, it is unnerving to watch and therefore may not be suitable for everyone. 

                   
                                                    Deputy Dinkheller's dash cam footage