The Huntsville Item, Huntsville, TX

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  • Dick Gregory, center left, and Ricky Jason, center right, stand outside the Huntsville “Walls” Unit wearing signs in protest of Wednesday’s execution of Lawrence Brewer. The two men, among several others, became part of news casts and documentaries as the highly anticipated execution process unfolded. Matt Weintritt

    9-22 Execution

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September 21, 2011

Brewer's execution draws crowd

By Brandon Scott Staff Reporter

HUNTSVILLE — Family of the slain James Byrd Jr., a black man who was dragged to death by three white men in a racially charged hate crime 13 years ago in Jasper, said the execution of Lawrence Russell Brewer was a step toward complete justice for Byrd.

Clara Taylor, Byrd’s sister, was among three victim witnesses of Brewer’s execution, who was officially pronounced dead at 6:21 p.m. Brewer’s personal witnesses included his father, mother, brother and two friends.

Brewer refused to make a final statement before the lethal drugs were injected into his veins. He did, however, look to his family with a cracked smile before shedding a tear. Brewer’s lip trembled as the drugs began to affect him, leaving him coughing, and then snoring into his death.

“James Byrd’s murder was racially motivated,” Taylor said following the execution. “Hopefully today we have been reminded that racial hatred and prejudice can lead to tragic consequences for both, the victim and his family as well as the perpetrator and his family. Our sincere condolences go out to the family of Lawrence Brewer.”

Taylor also said Byrd’s seven siblings promised their mother, who passed away last October, they would seek justice for Byrd until the end.

“It’s been a long time,” she added. “We’re still working on closure.”

Brewer’s mother Helen sobbed when she first noticed her son struggling to breathe. His father, the elder Lawrence, witnessed the execution while sitting in his walker and appeared reluctant to leave his son when it was all over.

Brewer’s brother, John, could hardly bare to look through the glass of the death chamber. Instead, he glared at the few media witnesses with tears in his eyes.

For his last meal, Brewer ordered two chicken fried steaks, smothered in gravy with sliced onions; a triple meat bacon cheeseburger; a cheese omelet with ground beef, tomatoes, onions and jalapeños; a large bowl of fried okra with ketchup; a pound of BBQ with a half loaf of white bread; fajitas and Blue Bell Homemade Ice Cream.

Brewer, however, did not eat any of the food he requested.

More than 50 spectators gathered outside the Huntsville “Walls” Unit in observation. The spectators ranged from media to filmmakers, protesters and even celebrities.

Comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory sat in a lawn chair across from the prison facility in the midst of other protesters. Gregory had come from speaking at rallies in Jasper as well as Georgia, the site of the controversial potential execution of Troy Davis.

Gregory said he came to Huntsville for the same reason he fought for civil rights, to show opposition to government administration of the death penalty.

“I just don’t believe the state should have the right to kill people,” Gregory said. “If you put a man in jail for life, that’s punishment. When you start killing people, that’s revenge. It’s crazy and we let our government get by with it.”

Another gentleman, who left shortly after arriving to the Huntsville Unit, wore an anti-protesting sign. It read, “Bring back old Sparky.”

Brewer’s execution was the 11th in Texas this year, the nation’s capital punishment leader. There are three more executions scheduled for this year, all within the next month.

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