Daniel Lewis Lee, a condemned man and convicted murderer, was asked if he wanted to make a final statement from the execution chamber, with its institutional green-tiled walls and plate-glass interior window, moments before he too would die. Lee's execution, one of two that I witnessed this past
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Daniel Lewis Lee, a condemned man and convicted murderer, was asked if he wanted to make a final statement from the execution chamber, with its institutional green-tiled walls and plate-glass interior window, moments before he too would die.“You’re killing an innocent man,” Lee said, looking directly at me.
Lee, who was convicted of killing an Arkansas gun dealer, his wife and young daughter in the late 1990s, was scheduled to be executed Monday at 4 p.m. EDT. Inside, correction officers outfitted in full protective gear — N95 masks, face shields, gloves and paper gowns — told us we'd be going through the equivalent of a souped-up airport screening. They even took my glasses to X-ray them.
We rushed back to the prison. The clock in the van read 4:16 when we hopped out and headed into the execution chamber.We were brought into a small witness room. There were plastic chairs facing the window, a notepad, a pen, small bottle of hand sanitizer and a single sanitizing wipe on each seat. A correction officer pulled the large metal door closed and a booming click echoed through the room. We were locked in.
There was no clock in the room. We lost track of how long we had been in there. Eventually someone asked if anyone knew what time it was. When a correction officer replied it was 6:10 a.m., there was a collective gasp of surprise.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Nancy Pelosi: Lewis was 'one of the greatest heroes of American history'House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called Rep. John Lewis 'one of the greatest heroes of American history' and 'the conscience of the Congress.' Follow updates on the tributes to Lewis:
Read more »
President Barack Obama Remembers John Lewis: ‘He Was One Of My Heroes’
Read more »
John Lewis 'Note to Self': 'One day, you’ll be elected to the Congress,' Lewis tells younger selfJohn Lewis was 16 years old when he went to the library with his brothers and sisters to get a library card. He was denied his card, and it wouldn't be until decades later that Lewis would return to the library for a book signing and finally get his card.
Read more »
Katie Lee, Kim Kardashian, More Celebrities Who Scream for Ice CreamStars such as Kim Kardashian, Bella Hadid and more are just some celebrities who have been spotted chowing down on ice cream across the globe — photos
Read more »
John Lewis once told a young Doc Rivers: 'We're just trying to get one at a time'Inside the NBA bubble, Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers recalled when he 'had the pleasure' of meeting civil rights icon John Lewis several times.
Read more »
Billie Eilish Had No Idea One of Her Favorite Childhood Songs Was By Taylor Swift'I thought it was so cool and mean. I just loved it.'
Read more »