May 15, 2026
NEW: Texas Executes Inmate After Waiting ALL DAY For Supreme Court Decision
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RSS Feed Texas executed its 600th inmate after hours of waiting to hear word from the Supreme Court, which ultimately decided to lift a lower court’s stay. Edward Busby was pronounced dead at 8:11 PM CT. We go over the powerful two sentence dissent from the justices against executing Busby, whose attorneys claimed was intellectually disabled, and you’ll also hear Busby’s lengthy final words, where he begs for forgiveness from the family of his victim.
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00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hey, folks, it is Friday, May fifteenth, and the Supreme Court stepped in intervene in a Texas execution last night. But their intervention didn't stop an execution. In fact, it did exactly the opposite. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. Edward Busby is dead. Declared dead at eight eleven Central time last night in Texas and Robes. Up to the last couple of hours, we didn't know if this would go through.
00:00:33
Speaker 2: Yeah, I have to say I was shocked because we reported on this. We had a whole episode on this yesterday, this on again, off again execution. And normally when there was an intervention from a High court, it's usually, as you pointed out, to stop an execution, to put a stay on an execution. But the Texas Attorney General was incensed that last week an appellate court actually put his stay on the planned execution of Edie Word Buzby because there were questions around his intellectual capabilities. But the Attorney General quickly asked the Supreme Court to intervene on Monday, and sure enough, I haven't seen anything like this before. They made a decision in the eleventh hour to clear the way to lift this day and to allow the State of Texas to carry out its scheduled execution. I'll be at a few hours post when it was scheduled.
00:01:26
Speaker 1: We hear all this, We hear all the time, robes on so many I don't even know what the percentage would be, ah, but just by the ones we've covered, I would say ninety percent plus. Anytime there's an execution, they make an appeal to the Supreme Court to stay the execution, and the Supreme Court usually just doesn't say a word, doesn't do anything one way or the other, and the executions go through robes. If they just left this one alone, he'd still be alive.
00:01:55
Speaker 2: Correct, correct? So we I mean we when we looked at each other and saw because you kept refreshing the search for Edward Busby, and it was we go to bed early. So he actually was executed after we were already asleep, around nine something here on the East coast. But when we went to bed, we saw, we saw that the Supreme Court had allowed or lifted this day and allowed Texas to go through with this, and we were shocked.
00:02:23
Speaker 3: I was shocked. I wash.
00:02:24
Speaker 1: I can't remember a case in which the Supreme Court's intervention allowed for the execution to go through instead of stopping it. So it was a fascinating day, entire day yesterday, watching the clock, waiting to see what the Supreme Court might do. But the other thing robes and you threw this out as a hey, it's Texas scenario. Is it possible they would say, we don't give a damn and we're going to go through with this, no matter if the stay is in place or not.
00:02:49
Speaker 2: There were local reporters saying that there were plans in place for the state of Texas to potentially go through with the execution despite not hearing.
00:03:00
Speaker 3: From the Supreme Court.
00:03:01
Speaker 2: So we were wondering, are they getting mister Busby ready? Are they giving him his last meal? Are they preparing him as they would any other prisoner on death row for his execution even though they didn't know what the Supreme Court was going to do, if anything, at all. So, yes, there was talk that Texas was going through with this or planning to go through with this regardless. Now, given the fact that it was a couple hours after its scheduled time, it sounds like they were waiting, But who knows what they would have done had they not heard from the Supreme Court, it's anyone's guest at this point.
00:03:37
Speaker 1: Well, they didn't have to wait, didn't have to make that decision because Supreme Court did it for them in a six to three decision. They didn't lift that stay of execution, which did allow for this execution to go forward. Now we mentioned Edward Busby. He did have final words, some of the no, no, no, without question. As we've been covering executions here, robes and final words, this was the longest fine statement that I have seen that we have seen. We are going to let you hear every word of that in just a moment. What broke the question and the issue here, and I'll say it now and maybe folks can hear for themselves. But in his final statement, you were even saying he was speaking in such a manner that called into question or at least went along with what people were saying about him. And this whole case was about his intellectual ability and having an IQ of around seventy and he shouldn't be executed because of that. I'm just mentioning and saying it and remembering you saying now after reading his final statement, it sounded like it was coming from someone that maybe was childlike.
00:04:42
Speaker 2: It was childlike, and look what the crime he committed and the details, and we went over it in our other episode. But even there were even more details that I heard in terms of how this seventy seven year old retired professor who actually was in service folks who had learning disabilities. That's, oh, the irony. It's despicable and horrific. How she died, the fact that she was murdered the way she was, it's horrific. So I'm not taking away any of the cruel and heinous acts that Edward Buzzy Buzzby committed and was convicted of and admitted to. But when you hear his final words, I got emotional because it was as if I was listening to a child saying I'm sorry, and it just it's stuck with me, and he needs to be punished. He needed to be kept away from society. But I think there is a sincere question as to whether or not he should have been executed given his intellectual capabilities.
00:05:42
Speaker 1: And again, the rule there is this is not just a matter of one's opinion walking down the street. This is a matter of precedent. This is a matter of legal precedent that has been established for decades. Now that Eighth Amendment is thrown in their cruel and unusual punishment, and there has been there have been cases which essentially said you cannot execute someone with a certain level of mental disability, and they do this rogues. That's the measure they use. It's the intelligent Quotient test and IQ test. The question here before the Supreme Court has been and continues to be what's the number? What's the score? And do you do a cumulative score or is it just based on one score? If they ever get about that's the question they're trying to decide life or death on somebody.
00:06:28
Speaker 2: These guys, It's yeah, it's what's the number? And how did you get to the number? Those are the two big questions, the how and the what. And there is another case out of Alabama that the Supreme Court is considering, and based on their ruling on that case, this is what the Appellate Court had suggested or said that Busby's execution should be put on hold until the Supreme Court rules on this other case, which could then pave the way for what Texas should or should not do with Edward Busby. So they want to to wait until the Supreme Court decided the other case. Instead, the Supreme Court lifted this day and said go ahead, why wait.
00:07:09
Speaker 1: And we should mention they lifted the stay without explaining themselves. There was a dissent that they did explain themselves. Will let you hear that in just a moment. But Robes, the Supreme Court is going to give a decision on that Alabama case. Now, what if that decision would have had an impact and kept Buzzby alive?
00:07:29
Speaker 2: Look, I know obviously that the justices were aware of what this lower court's ruling was. So to me, that would be an indication that the way they're probably going to rule would have allowed for the execution to have gone forward. Anyway. Yeah, I would think that's my logic behind their decision to lift this day.
00:07:48
Speaker 1: Well, so Buzzby, that was a part of his argument that he should not have been executed. He made the argument that, I mean, I think the state and his defense, I think there was agreement from others on the ground there that yes, in fact, he did have this disability and mental disability that he did not qualify for being executed. And here we are, anyway, six to three was the Supreme Court decision. The three dissenters were Kagan, Sodomayor, and Jackson. Justice Jackson is the one. This quote is from Robes and she wrapped it up right there.
00:08:22
Speaker 3: I was like, Wow, good point.
00:08:24
Speaker 2: It's a powerful two sentences. And the descent goes like this. In capital cases, we rarely intervene to preserve life. I cannot understand the court's rush to extinguish it much less in the circumstances of this case.
00:08:40
Speaker 3: That is fascinating, babe. That is She's right.
00:08:45
Speaker 1: We don't ever step in when we have the option to save somebody. So why are we stepping in to kill somebody? Rooms? Why And they didn't explain themselves. They did not have an opinion, They did not have to say anything.
00:09:00
Speaker 2: They just voted and that yeah, because the whole point was this other decision that could affect man. This case is expected in the coming weeks. So that was the lower court's ruling, Like, hey, just wait a couple of weeks, see what the Supreme Court says about this Alabama case, and then we can make a decision. I just feel like for the Supreme Court without giving any indication as to why the fact that they lifted this day to me would just suggest that they weren't going to rule in his favor, or it wouldn't have led to a favorable ruling for him based on what they see in the Alabama case.
00:09:34
Speaker 3: All right, well, stay with us, folks.
00:09:36
Speaker 1: It is a again is the lengthiest final words we have seen in our time covering executions.
00:09:42
Speaker 3: But stay here.
00:09:43
Speaker 1: We will let you hear the final words. Not just last words. It was a final statement from Edward Busby last Night's there. All right, we continue here on this Friday on Amy and TJ. Wants you to hear now the final words of Edward Busby, who was executed last night in Texas for the two thousand and four murder of seventy seven year old Laura Lee Crane, a former TCU professor. That he attacked sounds like rolled randomly right at a grocery store.
00:10:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, a grocery store parking lot, and it was all for money. He and a co conspirator who is also serving well, she is serving life in prison. But they attacked her. And what they did to her in the parking lot, they this was top seven feet of duct tape. They basically wrapped her entire face with duct tape through her in the trunk of her own car.
00:10:42
Speaker 3: And she died by asphyxiation.
00:10:44
Speaker 2: Literally she was not able to breathe through the duct tape her face, like her mouth, her nose. I mean, it was horrific how she died. And I think they ended up getting like less than one thousand dollars from her. They took her atm card, they had a bit, and then just threw her body in an embankment.
00:11:04
Speaker 3: It was horrific.
00:11:06
Speaker 1: So again, there was no question here nobody was fighting to save his life because of his innocence, but because of what they say was a disability.
00:11:16
Speaker 3: So we're gonna start heroes.
00:11:17
Speaker 1: I'm gonna split this up a little bit because there is a lot here to kind of take in. But he starts with this, sir, ma'am. I am so sorry. I asked that you please, please don't hate me, and that you find it in your heart to forgive me for the part that I played and what happened to her. Miss Crane was a lovely woman. I never meant anything bad to happen to her. I am so sorry, I am so so sorry. But I fell asleep and I don't know what happened. Please forgive me. Please, if not for me, for yourself, because the Father said, if we don't forgive those who wrong us, he will not forgive us. The part that jumped out of there for me, Robes was miss Crane was a lovely woman. Miss Crane was a lovely woman. I don't know if he meant like he learned things about her afterwards or whatever it may be, but that was a love. He obviously didn't know her, and the time he spent with her was awful.
00:12:11
Speaker 2: So right, we don't know how much time there was between them somehow abducting her and then wrapping the duct tape around her, I'm imagining not long at all. So certainly I'm sure it's what he learned about his victim after the fact that she spent her life dedicated to her students and that she was there to help people learn through disability.
00:12:30
Speaker 3: So yeah, that.
00:12:30
Speaker 2: Would probably sting, knowing especially his claim to being intellectually disabled. Right, that had to be tough. He goes on to say, and I know that you are angry. I know you're angry, and I'm sorry. I'm not happy about what happened. I've hurt your family. I've hurt my family, and I wish I could take it all back with all my heart. I wish I could take it back. My sister has to live without me now to become a victim. I had no right to even get in that car. But I will take the blame. I will take the blame if.
00:13:00
Speaker 3: It will help.
00:13:00
Speaker 2: I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Sorry, Please forgive me, Please don't hate me.
00:13:06
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I'm curious of how this was being said, like how he was expressing this, and I believe he was. He was strapped to the gurney at this point. Yes, is when they asked, so, if that helps you put this in some kind of context where the right I mean just kind of visualized robes. He's stripped in to be killed, to be given a lethal dose, robes Key's restrained, and all he can do is lift his head up and say all this.
00:13:29
Speaker 2: I don't know how they do it there when I've seen one execution and there, but when they gave him the time, the opportunity to give his final words, they actually were able to tilt the bed up so it was almost as if he were standing and facing the folks. I don't know if where that was in South Carolina.
00:13:45
Speaker 1: I described this as his head, so his head lifted up with him so to get an angle, to get a view and to speak to the folks in the.
00:13:51
Speaker 2: Room because it was eerie. I remember having this convicted murderer about to die, staring right at the folks about to watch him die. It's a somber who is a somber scene in there. So just his begging for forgiveness and please don't hate me. That's repeatedly, repeatedly, and we're not done, We're halfway through. He went on to say, please find it in your heart to forgive me, for I know Jesus loves you like he loves me. He loves us all. He wants us all to turn to him, to surrender our lives. I surrendered my life to him, My Father God, I have changed my life. I just asked that you please don't hate me. Please, sir, please please forgive me. Sis I love you man. Please surrender your life to God and change. Please find you a good church. Surrender your life to God and live for God. That is the only way we don't have to follow the church. For Jesus said, follow me, pick up your cross and follow him like I did. I had at least ten years of following God and then a good three years of surrendering. I surrendered my life to God. But I'm here now because this is the will of God, and I'm going home to be with Jesus. I will see you on the other side. Glory be the God. All praises be to my Father God. I'm ready, Warden.
00:15:07
Speaker 1: I thought that was something. He added that it was almost a matter of fact. Yes, turned back to him, I'm ready. That is something. Look horrific, horrific crime. This is not a death penalty debate, but Robes is just there is something about the end of life and there is something to a ceremony and a process of killing someone that just we should all be uncomfortable with when we hear this stuff.
00:15:33
Speaker 3: The family was in supportive this. Yes, so.
00:15:37
Speaker 1: This is justice. They've been looking for for a long time time. When was that two thousand and four?
00:15:41
Speaker 3: Was the years.
00:15:45
Speaker 1: Twenty yeah, right, twenty two years. These folks have been waiting. So that's just something and again longer statement that we have seen in Robes. This was the second execution of the day. Reminder, in the United.
00:15:59
Speaker 2: States, we actually didn't think it was going to happen like that, But yes, Oklahoma in the morning executed a man, and then Texas finished out the evening by doing so as well. It was a hell of a day with a lot of unknowns in between.
00:16:17
Speaker 1: Yeah, we were kind of shocked when we first always executed. We thought Texas did it anyway, but no Supreme Court actually cleared the way we should have mentioned. So much emphasis has been on Florida, certainly last year, and they're up with the pace again if you will, this year in the number of executions Texas only had. It was single digits last year, but Texas historically has led the way. A lot was made robes of the headline that the big round number for what this execution was, and it's.
00:16:46
Speaker 3: A round number.
00:16:47
Speaker 1: It's a milestone, and it happened to be a pretty significant case.
00:16:50
Speaker 2: Yes, Edward Busby was the six hundredth inmate executed in the state of Texas since the death penalty was reinstated in the ninth team seventies. And if you just for some perspective, the next two states to follow Texas, so again, Texas six hundred, Oklahoma one hundred and thirty one, Florida one hundred and thirty one, Virginia one hundred and thirteen, so there's a big difference in the Missouri one hundred and two. Those are your top five states in terms of numbers of execution since the seventies, but Texas is, what is that four times as many as any other state.
00:17:30
Speaker 1: So even though Florida's we went on that record pace they had last year, that nobody's catching Texas anytime soon. But yeah, I just wanted to give you that update this morning, folks about what happened to mister Busby yesterday and what was another extraordinary double execution day in the United States. We always appreciate you spending some time with us. From my dari Amy Robot, I am TJ.
00:17:51
Speaker 3: Holmes. We'll talk so
Speaker 1: Hey, folks, it is Friday, May fifteenth, and the Supreme Court stepped in intervene in a Texas execution last night. But their intervention didn't stop an execution. In fact, it did exactly the opposite. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. Edward Busby is dead. Declared dead at eight eleven Central time last night in Texas and Robes. Up to the last couple of hours, we didn't know if this would go through.
00:00:33
Speaker 2: Yeah, I have to say I was shocked because we reported on this. We had a whole episode on this yesterday, this on again, off again execution. And normally when there was an intervention from a High court, it's usually, as you pointed out, to stop an execution, to put a stay on an execution. But the Texas Attorney General was incensed that last week an appellate court actually put his stay on the planned execution of Edie Word Buzby because there were questions around his intellectual capabilities. But the Attorney General quickly asked the Supreme Court to intervene on Monday, and sure enough, I haven't seen anything like this before. They made a decision in the eleventh hour to clear the way to lift this day and to allow the State of Texas to carry out its scheduled execution. I'll be at a few hours post when it was scheduled.
00:01:26
Speaker 1: We hear all this, We hear all the time, robes on so many I don't even know what the percentage would be, ah, but just by the ones we've covered, I would say ninety percent plus. Anytime there's an execution, they make an appeal to the Supreme Court to stay the execution, and the Supreme Court usually just doesn't say a word, doesn't do anything one way or the other, and the executions go through robes. If they just left this one alone, he'd still be alive.
00:01:55
Speaker 2: Correct, correct? So we I mean we when we looked at each other and saw because you kept refreshing the search for Edward Busby, and it was we go to bed early. So he actually was executed after we were already asleep, around nine something here on the East coast. But when we went to bed, we saw, we saw that the Supreme Court had allowed or lifted this day and allowed Texas to go through with this, and we were shocked.
00:02:23
Speaker 3: I was shocked. I wash.
00:02:24
Speaker 1: I can't remember a case in which the Supreme Court's intervention allowed for the execution to go through instead of stopping it. So it was a fascinating day, entire day yesterday, watching the clock, waiting to see what the Supreme Court might do. But the other thing robes and you threw this out as a hey, it's Texas scenario. Is it possible they would say, we don't give a damn and we're going to go through with this, no matter if the stay is in place or not.
00:02:49
Speaker 2: There were local reporters saying that there were plans in place for the state of Texas to potentially go through with the execution despite not hearing.
00:03:00
Speaker 3: From the Supreme Court.
00:03:01
Speaker 2: So we were wondering, are they getting mister Busby ready? Are they giving him his last meal? Are they preparing him as they would any other prisoner on death row for his execution even though they didn't know what the Supreme Court was going to do, if anything, at all. So, yes, there was talk that Texas was going through with this or planning to go through with this regardless. Now, given the fact that it was a couple hours after its scheduled time, it sounds like they were waiting, But who knows what they would have done had they not heard from the Supreme Court, it's anyone's guest at this point.
00:03:37
Speaker 1: Well, they didn't have to wait, didn't have to make that decision because Supreme Court did it for them in a six to three decision. They didn't lift that stay of execution, which did allow for this execution to go forward. Now we mentioned Edward Busby. He did have final words, some of the no, no, no, without question. As we've been covering executions here, robes and final words, this was the longest fine statement that I have seen that we have seen. We are going to let you hear every word of that in just a moment. What broke the question and the issue here, and I'll say it now and maybe folks can hear for themselves. But in his final statement, you were even saying he was speaking in such a manner that called into question or at least went along with what people were saying about him. And this whole case was about his intellectual ability and having an IQ of around seventy and he shouldn't be executed because of that. I'm just mentioning and saying it and remembering you saying now after reading his final statement, it sounded like it was coming from someone that maybe was childlike.
00:04:42
Speaker 2: It was childlike, and look what the crime he committed and the details, and we went over it in our other episode. But even there were even more details that I heard in terms of how this seventy seven year old retired professor who actually was in service folks who had learning disabilities. That's, oh, the irony. It's despicable and horrific. How she died, the fact that she was murdered the way she was, it's horrific. So I'm not taking away any of the cruel and heinous acts that Edward Buzzy Buzzby committed and was convicted of and admitted to. But when you hear his final words, I got emotional because it was as if I was listening to a child saying I'm sorry, and it just it's stuck with me, and he needs to be punished. He needed to be kept away from society. But I think there is a sincere question as to whether or not he should have been executed given his intellectual capabilities.
00:05:42
Speaker 1: And again, the rule there is this is not just a matter of one's opinion walking down the street. This is a matter of precedent. This is a matter of legal precedent that has been established for decades. Now that Eighth Amendment is thrown in their cruel and unusual punishment, and there has been there have been cases which essentially said you cannot execute someone with a certain level of mental disability, and they do this rogues. That's the measure they use. It's the intelligent Quotient test and IQ test. The question here before the Supreme Court has been and continues to be what's the number? What's the score? And do you do a cumulative score or is it just based on one score? If they ever get about that's the question they're trying to decide life or death on somebody.
00:06:28
Speaker 2: These guys, It's yeah, it's what's the number? And how did you get to the number? Those are the two big questions, the how and the what. And there is another case out of Alabama that the Supreme Court is considering, and based on their ruling on that case, this is what the Appellate Court had suggested or said that Busby's execution should be put on hold until the Supreme Court rules on this other case, which could then pave the way for what Texas should or should not do with Edward Busby. So they want to to wait until the Supreme Court decided the other case. Instead, the Supreme Court lifted this day and said go ahead, why wait.
00:07:09
Speaker 1: And we should mention they lifted the stay without explaining themselves. There was a dissent that they did explain themselves. Will let you hear that in just a moment. But Robes, the Supreme Court is going to give a decision on that Alabama case. Now, what if that decision would have had an impact and kept Buzzby alive?
00:07:29
Speaker 2: Look, I know obviously that the justices were aware of what this lower court's ruling was. So to me, that would be an indication that the way they're probably going to rule would have allowed for the execution to have gone forward. Anyway. Yeah, I would think that's my logic behind their decision to lift this day.
00:07:48
Speaker 1: Well, so Buzzby, that was a part of his argument that he should not have been executed. He made the argument that, I mean, I think the state and his defense, I think there was agreement from others on the ground there that yes, in fact, he did have this disability and mental disability that he did not qualify for being executed. And here we are, anyway, six to three was the Supreme Court decision. The three dissenters were Kagan, Sodomayor, and Jackson. Justice Jackson is the one. This quote is from Robes and she wrapped it up right there.
00:08:22
Speaker 3: I was like, Wow, good point.
00:08:24
Speaker 2: It's a powerful two sentences. And the descent goes like this. In capital cases, we rarely intervene to preserve life. I cannot understand the court's rush to extinguish it much less in the circumstances of this case.
00:08:40
Speaker 3: That is fascinating, babe. That is She's right.
00:08:45
Speaker 1: We don't ever step in when we have the option to save somebody. So why are we stepping in to kill somebody? Rooms? Why And they didn't explain themselves. They did not have an opinion, They did not have to say anything.
00:09:00
Speaker 2: They just voted and that yeah, because the whole point was this other decision that could affect man. This case is expected in the coming weeks. So that was the lower court's ruling, Like, hey, just wait a couple of weeks, see what the Supreme Court says about this Alabama case, and then we can make a decision. I just feel like for the Supreme Court without giving any indication as to why the fact that they lifted this day to me would just suggest that they weren't going to rule in his favor, or it wouldn't have led to a favorable ruling for him based on what they see in the Alabama case.
00:09:34
Speaker 3: All right, well, stay with us, folks.
00:09:36
Speaker 1: It is a again is the lengthiest final words we have seen in our time covering executions.
00:09:42
Speaker 3: But stay here.
00:09:43
Speaker 1: We will let you hear the final words. Not just last words. It was a final statement from Edward Busby last Night's there. All right, we continue here on this Friday on Amy and TJ. Wants you to hear now the final words of Edward Busby, who was executed last night in Texas for the two thousand and four murder of seventy seven year old Laura Lee Crane, a former TCU professor. That he attacked sounds like rolled randomly right at a grocery store.
00:10:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, a grocery store parking lot, and it was all for money. He and a co conspirator who is also serving well, she is serving life in prison. But they attacked her. And what they did to her in the parking lot, they this was top seven feet of duct tape. They basically wrapped her entire face with duct tape through her in the trunk of her own car.
00:10:42
Speaker 3: And she died by asphyxiation.
00:10:44
Speaker 2: Literally she was not able to breathe through the duct tape her face, like her mouth, her nose. I mean, it was horrific how she died. And I think they ended up getting like less than one thousand dollars from her. They took her atm card, they had a bit, and then just threw her body in an embankment.
00:11:04
Speaker 3: It was horrific.
00:11:06
Speaker 1: So again, there was no question here nobody was fighting to save his life because of his innocence, but because of what they say was a disability.
00:11:16
Speaker 3: So we're gonna start heroes.
00:11:17
Speaker 1: I'm gonna split this up a little bit because there is a lot here to kind of take in. But he starts with this, sir, ma'am. I am so sorry. I asked that you please, please don't hate me, and that you find it in your heart to forgive me for the part that I played and what happened to her. Miss Crane was a lovely woman. I never meant anything bad to happen to her. I am so sorry, I am so so sorry. But I fell asleep and I don't know what happened. Please forgive me. Please, if not for me, for yourself, because the Father said, if we don't forgive those who wrong us, he will not forgive us. The part that jumped out of there for me, Robes was miss Crane was a lovely woman. Miss Crane was a lovely woman. I don't know if he meant like he learned things about her afterwards or whatever it may be, but that was a love. He obviously didn't know her, and the time he spent with her was awful.
00:12:11
Speaker 2: So right, we don't know how much time there was between them somehow abducting her and then wrapping the duct tape around her, I'm imagining not long at all. So certainly I'm sure it's what he learned about his victim after the fact that she spent her life dedicated to her students and that she was there to help people learn through disability.
00:12:30
Speaker 3: So yeah, that.
00:12:30
Speaker 2: Would probably sting, knowing especially his claim to being intellectually disabled. Right, that had to be tough. He goes on to say, and I know that you are angry. I know you're angry, and I'm sorry. I'm not happy about what happened. I've hurt your family. I've hurt my family, and I wish I could take it all back with all my heart. I wish I could take it back. My sister has to live without me now to become a victim. I had no right to even get in that car. But I will take the blame. I will take the blame if.
00:13:00
Speaker 3: It will help.
00:13:00
Speaker 2: I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Sorry, Please forgive me, Please don't hate me.
00:13:06
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I'm curious of how this was being said, like how he was expressing this, and I believe he was. He was strapped to the gurney at this point. Yes, is when they asked, so, if that helps you put this in some kind of context where the right I mean just kind of visualized robes. He's stripped in to be killed, to be given a lethal dose, robes Key's restrained, and all he can do is lift his head up and say all this.
00:13:29
Speaker 2: I don't know how they do it there when I've seen one execution and there, but when they gave him the time, the opportunity to give his final words, they actually were able to tilt the bed up so it was almost as if he were standing and facing the folks. I don't know if where that was in South Carolina.
00:13:45
Speaker 1: I described this as his head, so his head lifted up with him so to get an angle, to get a view and to speak to the folks in the.
00:13:51
Speaker 2: Room because it was eerie. I remember having this convicted murderer about to die, staring right at the folks about to watch him die. It's a somber who is a somber scene in there. So just his begging for forgiveness and please don't hate me. That's repeatedly, repeatedly, and we're not done, We're halfway through. He went on to say, please find it in your heart to forgive me, for I know Jesus loves you like he loves me. He loves us all. He wants us all to turn to him, to surrender our lives. I surrendered my life to him, My Father God, I have changed my life. I just asked that you please don't hate me. Please, sir, please please forgive me. Sis I love you man. Please surrender your life to God and change. Please find you a good church. Surrender your life to God and live for God. That is the only way we don't have to follow the church. For Jesus said, follow me, pick up your cross and follow him like I did. I had at least ten years of following God and then a good three years of surrendering. I surrendered my life to God. But I'm here now because this is the will of God, and I'm going home to be with Jesus. I will see you on the other side. Glory be the God. All praises be to my Father God. I'm ready, Warden.
00:15:07
Speaker 1: I thought that was something. He added that it was almost a matter of fact. Yes, turned back to him, I'm ready. That is something. Look horrific, horrific crime. This is not a death penalty debate, but Robes is just there is something about the end of life and there is something to a ceremony and a process of killing someone that just we should all be uncomfortable with when we hear this stuff.
00:15:33
Speaker 3: The family was in supportive this. Yes, so.
00:15:37
Speaker 1: This is justice. They've been looking for for a long time time. When was that two thousand and four?
00:15:41
Speaker 3: Was the years.
00:15:45
Speaker 1: Twenty yeah, right, twenty two years. These folks have been waiting. So that's just something and again longer statement that we have seen in Robes. This was the second execution of the day. Reminder, in the United.
00:15:59
Speaker 2: States, we actually didn't think it was going to happen like that, But yes, Oklahoma in the morning executed a man, and then Texas finished out the evening by doing so as well. It was a hell of a day with a lot of unknowns in between.
00:16:17
Speaker 1: Yeah, we were kind of shocked when we first always executed. We thought Texas did it anyway, but no Supreme Court actually cleared the way we should have mentioned. So much emphasis has been on Florida, certainly last year, and they're up with the pace again if you will, this year in the number of executions Texas only had. It was single digits last year, but Texas historically has led the way. A lot was made robes of the headline that the big round number for what this execution was, and it's.
00:16:46
Speaker 3: A round number.
00:16:47
Speaker 1: It's a milestone, and it happened to be a pretty significant case.
00:16:50
Speaker 2: Yes, Edward Busby was the six hundredth inmate executed in the state of Texas since the death penalty was reinstated in the ninth team seventies. And if you just for some perspective, the next two states to follow Texas, so again, Texas six hundred, Oklahoma one hundred and thirty one, Florida one hundred and thirty one, Virginia one hundred and thirteen, so there's a big difference in the Missouri one hundred and two. Those are your top five states in terms of numbers of execution since the seventies, but Texas is, what is that four times as many as any other state.
00:17:30
Speaker 1: So even though Florida's we went on that record pace they had last year, that nobody's catching Texas anytime soon. But yeah, I just wanted to give you that update this morning, folks about what happened to mister Busby yesterday and what was another extraordinary double execution day in the United States. We always appreciate you spending some time with us. From my dari Amy Robot, I am TJ.
00:17:51
Speaker 3: Holmes. We'll talk so