Texas killer granted clemency, halting scheduled execution

A convicted killer’s execution Thursday was overturned shortly before he was scheduled for lethal injection when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott granted him clemency.

Thomas “Bart” Whitaker, 38, was set to die Thursday night for masterminding the fatal shooting of his mother, Tricia, and brother, Kevin, at their Houston home in 2003. His father, Kent, was also shot in the same attack but survived and led the effort to save his son from execution.

Just an hour before Whitaker was to be executed, Abbott accepted the rare clemency recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, which was a unanimous. Abbott commuted the convict’s sentence to life without parole.

Abbott had the option of accepting the recommendation, rejecting it, or doing nothing.

"Mr. Whitaker's father, who survived the attempt on his life, passionately opposes the execution of his son. Mr. Whitaker's father insists that he would be victimized again if the state put to death his last remaining immediate family member," Abbott said in a proclamation issued Thursday evening.

It was only the fourth time since the state resumed executions in 1982 that the parole board has recommended clemency within days of an inmate's scheduled execution.

Whitaker’s commutation came as two other executions — in Alabama and Florida — were scheduled for Thursday evening.

Eric Branch, 47, was executed Thursday evening at Florida State Prison in Bradford County, authorities said.

Source: foxnews