Posted on 10/07/2005 11:38:17 AM PDT by Borges
HUNTSVILLE, Texas - A man was executed Thursday for gunning down a Texas state trooper in 1992, a slaying his trial attorneys had argued was prompted by anti-police rap music.
For his final statement, Ronald R. Howard looked at the trooper's widow, daughter and brother and said he hoped "this helps a little. I don't know how, but I hope it helps."
Then he turned to friends and a brother who were among his witnesses, expressing love and thanking them for locating two of his young children, who visited him on death row within the past week. "Love you all. Thank you so much," he said.
As the drugs were administered, he lifted his head from the gurney and said, "I'm going home."
Twelve minutes later, he was pronounced dead.
The slain trooper's widow and daughter, who were standing next to the window, hugged and kissed as the 32-year-old Howard slipped into unconsciousness.
"Today justice has been served," said Linda Davidson, widow of Department of Public Safety Officer Bill Davidson. "It's real frustrating the wheels of justice turn very slowly."
Howard was executed for killing the 43-year-old Davidson during a traffic stop outside Edna, about 100 miles southwest of Houston.
At the time of the shooting, Howard, then 18 and a father of four, was on probation for burglary.
Defense lawyers argued at his trial that Howard's constant exposure to gangsta rap music and its anti-police messages influenced him to pull the trigger.
Thirteen years that that officer didn't have.
That is about twelve and half too many.
Doesn't excuse this animal who just got put down . . . but a VERY good reminder of how far our urban 'culture' has sunk.
Good riddance to trash. Too bad it took so long to burn him. We in Texas must look into an express lane for instances when you are caught red-handed.
Howard's my name..(raise ya hands in da air..heyyyy-hooo)......I say Howard's my name....
if'n you take my trip..ya gonna need a drip...
with all this confusion.. i need a drug infusion...
cause I blame it all on rap... and we know I'm full of ......
unfortunately Ronald P. Howard was unable to finish his "rap"...due to lack of education he couldn't think of a word to rhyme with "rap".... dang public schools!!!!
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