Execution Report: Jesse Hernandez

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A jury convicted Hernandez of capital murder in July 2002 and sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence in May 2004.

In appeals, Hernandez' lawyers blamed Karlos' death on the doctors treating him. They alleged that he was prematurely removed from life support and that he had toxic levels of the barbiturate pentobarbital in his blood. All of his appeals in state and federal court were denied.

Misty Leverett eventually lost custody of Melodi. She was placed in Leverett's mother's home.

No one associated with the children attended Hernandez' execution.

"Tell my son I love him very much," Hernandez said in his last statement. "God bless everybody. Continue to walk with God." He also shouted, "Go, Cowboys!" The lethal injection was then started. "Love y'all, man," he said as the drug took effect. "Thank you. I can feel it, taste it. It's not bad." He then breathed deeply a few times before becoming still. He was pronounced dead at 6:18 p.m.

By David Carson. Posted on 29 March 2012.
Sources: Texas Department of Criminal Justice, court documents, Associated Press, Reuters.