Texas Execution Information Center

Execution Report: Bobby Cook

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A jury convicted Cook of capital murder in April 1994 and sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence in January 1997. All of his subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.

Steven Ray Cockroft, who also had an extensive history of felony burglary and theft, was convicted of capital murder in a subsequent trial and was sentenced to life in prison. Robin Elaine French Jenkins pled guilty to robbery and received a 15-year sentence in exchange for her testimony against Cook.

On death row, Cook repeated his version of the story. "I've never been violent," he said in an interview. "Just thefts." Cook said that he committed burglaries and thefts to support his methamphetamine habit. Describing the shooting, Cook told an interviewer, "the dude pulled a gun on me." He said that Holder pulled the trigger, but the gun misfired. That's when he grabbed it and shot Holder. "If the gun hadn't misfired, I'd be dead," he said. Cook said that he threw the pistol, which was never found, into the river. As for the $21, "I think I spent it on gas."

None of the victim's family witnessed Cook's execution. Nevertheless, Cook asked them for forgiveness. "Please forgive me for what happened," Cook said. "It was self defense ... I was never able to get up on the stand to tell them ... I know this is wrong, but I'm going home to the Lord." His last statement finished, the lethal injection was begun. Cook was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m.

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By David Carson. Posted on 12 March 2003.
Sources: Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Attorney General's Office, Associated Press, Huntsville Item, Palestine Herald-Press.

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