By Blessing Chinagorom
The European Union has expressed regrets over execution of Michael Smith in the State of Oklahoma, United States, and deplored the planned execution of Brian Dorsey in Missouri on 9 April, 2024.
In a statement released by the Commission Spokesperson on Friday stating that the execution of M.Smith was the first that Oklahoma has carried out this year.
The Commission said, “To date, 37 states in the United States have abolished the capital punishment in law or in practice, and hope Oklahoma will eventually join these states.
As a matter of principle, the EU strongly opposed the death penalty at times and in all circumstances. “It is a violation of the right to life, fails to act as a deterrent to crime and represents the ultimate punishment that makes miscarriages of justice irreversible.
“197 innocent people have been exonerated from death row in the United States to date”. While the EU restated call for the universal abolition of the death penalty and for States, maintain capital punishment, to implement a moratorium and move towards abolition, in line with the worldwide trend.
It was reported that the inmate, Michael Smith, 41 was being executed Thursday morning by lethal injection in the death chamber at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.
Smith was convicted by an Oklahoma County jury in 2003 for the murders of 40-year-old Janet Moore and 24-year-old Sharath Pulluru in two separate incidents on Feb. 22, 2002.
“I am innocent,” Smith who made this known in a statement to the News-Capital, also said that he did not kill Janet Moore or Sharath Pulluru, according to him, “I gave confession while under the influence of PCP when I was on suicide watch.”
Smith gave his condolences to the families but maintained his innocence. “I am so sorry for your loss,” Smith said. “But I did not kill Janet or Sharath.” Upon being asked if he had any last words, the 41-year-old Smith simply responded, “Nah, I’m good.”
The execution took place at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. Reporters present at the scene noted that Smith died within minutes of receiving the lethal cocktail of three drugs.
He was pronounced dead at 10:20 ET on Thursday, confirmed by the Department of Corrections to CBS News, the BBC’s media partner in the US.
Smith’s execution marks the 12th since Oklahoma resumed carrying out death penalties in 2021, following a nearly seven-year hiatus due to issues arising during previous executions.
In a statement released after Smith’s execution, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond expressed gratitude, saying, “I am grateful that justice has been served.”
The family of Janet Moore also released a statement, acknowledging that “justice has been served” and expressing gratitude to authorities for pursuing the punishment over the past 22 years. They emphasized that the loss caused by Moore’s death “does not go unnoticed or in vain,” as it has impacted generations to come.