TEXAS, ESEGUITA CONDANNA

WASHINGTON,  - Un uomo che, nel 1993, aveva sequestrato e ucciso un gay e' stato messo a morte, martedi', nel carcere di Huntsville, nel Texas, con un'iniezione letale.

Donald Aldrich aveva ammesso la propria responsabilita' nel sequestro di Nicholas West, ma aveva sempre negato di avere preso parte alla sua uccisione.

Prima di ricevere l'iniezione letale, Aldrich ha chiesto perdono alla famiglia della vittima, nessuno dei cui membri era presente all'esecuzione, e alla propria famiglia e ai suoi amici.

Quella di giovedi' e' stata la 16.a esecuzione effettuata quest'anno in Texas e la terza in otto giorni.

 Tyler Morning Telegraph

Aldrich Executed For '93 Gay Slaying

 Donald Loren Aldrich lay silent on the gurney in the greenbricked room, his body clad in white linen, as he was executed Tuesday night.

"To the (Nicolas) West family, I would just like to apologize for your loss," Aldrich said during his last statement. "I hope that you can forgive me." No witnesses on behalf of the victim were present during Aldrich's death.

"To my family and loved ones and friends, I thank all of you all for your support and I am sorry for the pain and hurt I have caused you," he said. "I love you all and I will see you on the other side. OK, warden."

Kathleen Tansley, a friend of Aldrich, held her left hand against the glass during the execution. Spiritual adviser Deacon Al O'Brien held up a crucifix while other friends of Aldrich looked on. His witnesses also included friends Irene Wilcox, Brandy Palmer and Jack Wilcox.

Aldrich took a few gasps of air after the poisonous solution began flowing into his body. He soon fell silent and closed his eyes. He was pronounced dead at 6:18 p.m., 14 minutes later.

"May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace," O'Brien said.

The other witnesses there in the small room to support Aldrich replied, "Amen."

There were about a dozen protesters outside the prison unit. Some held signs but they remained fairly quiet as witnesses were led into the building.

Aldrich was executed Tuesday night after his last-minute appeals were denied.

He was the 2nd co-defendant sentenced to death for the capital murder of West, a 23-year-old Tyler medical records clerk in 1993.

Aldrich was the 3rd Texan executed in eight days and the 16th this year.

Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent of Smith County's 114th District Court issued his death warrant Sept. 7 after learning Aldrich had exhausted all of his state and federal appeals.

Former state District Judge Diane DeVasto set a 1998 execution date for Aldrich before he received a stay.

The Oklahoma native was convicted by a Kerr County jury for the abduction, robbery and slaying of West because the victim was gay.

The victim's partially nude body was found at a clay pit near Noonday.

Aldrich was one of three men convicted for their roles in the murder. West was abducted from Bergfeld Park and forced to drive to the remote clay pit, where he was shot at least a dozen times with 2 different guns.

Aldrich was convicted in 1994 in Kerrville. The trial was moved out of Smith County on a change of venue because of publicity.

Co-defendant Henry Earl Dunn Jr. was also convicted of capital murder and was put to death for the crime in February 2003. Representatives of the victim were present at his execution.

David Ray McMillan, 32, was convicted of aggravated robbery and kidnapping for his role in the crime and received a life sentence.

Former prosecutors who tried the case have said Aldrich was a "cold-blooded executioner" who was the leader of the "CB gang," a group that preyed on gays.

The capital murder case of the former restaurant manager, who used the handles "Sundance" and "Pappy" was the first in Smith County to be reported to the state as a hate crime under new Texas law, although the classification was not a factor in his trial.

Aldrich told authorities he was involved in the shooting because he had been raped by a gay cousin when he was 9 years old.