Texas executes Jamaal Howard in first US death since botched Tennessee injection
Jamaal Howard died by lethal injection at a Texas prison on Wednesday evening, marking the first execution in the United States following Christa Pike's failed procedure last week.
Court rulings blocked legal delays
Howard's legal team requested a halt to the process after Tennessee officials struggled with their own lethal injection attempt. Judges at the state court of criminal appeals rejected these requests without providing further explanation. The US Supreme Court also declined a late appeal filed on Wednesday evening.
Execution details and victim history
Officials pronounced Howard dead at 8.03pm after administering a fatal dose of pentobarbital at the Huntsville facility. He was convicted in 2001 for robbing a store and killing clerk Vickie Swartout during the crime. Before dying, Howard apologized to the victim's family who watched through a window near the death chamber.
State execution count rises
This event brings the total number of people executed in Texas this year to six individuals. Nationwide, Howard represents the thirtieth person put to death across the country during 2026. Two additional lethal injections are scheduled to take place after his death.
All 2 outlets report consistently
No differences in figures, names or dates across these reports.
- The Guardian
- BBC News
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