Smith was on death row on February 22, 2002 for two murders in separate incidents. (Representative)
Houston:
A 41-year-old man convicted in 2002 in the US state of Oklahoma of shooting and killing two people, including an Indian, was executed on Thursday.
Michael Dewayne Smith was executed by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in the city of McAlester, television station KOCO-TV reported.
Smith was on death row for the murders of 24-year-old Indian store clerk Sharath Pulluru and 40-year-old Janet Moore in separate incidents on February 22, 2002.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond released a statement on Smith’s execution, saying, “I pray that today will bring some measure of peace to the families of Janet Miller-Moore and Sharath Pulluru. It has been 22 long and difficult years for their loved ones. and my heart aches for the pain they have endured.” “I want the people of Oklahoma to know that Michael Smith’s victims were good and decent people who did not deserve their fate,” Drummond said.
“A bright young man with a generous spirit, Sharath was the first in his family to come to the United States to pursue an education. He was fun to be around, was an inspiration to his family, and had a promising future. future.” he said.
He added that the two were killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. ‘That was all. “I am grateful that justice has been served,” he said.
Last month, Sharath Pulluru’s brother, Harish Pulluru, released a statement demanding the denial of Smith’s clemency.
“Sharath was an amazing person, he was the first in our family to come to the United States. He is the reason I became a doctor. When he first came to the United States, I was waiting in a payphone in India for him to call and cherish every conversation we had,” television channel KFOR reported, citing the statement.
“I saw the pain my parents lived with every day. Sharath was a loving son, brother and uncle. He was the life of our family. We are a very close family and his sudden death in such a violent manner has affected our lives. lives every day since then. We ask that leniency be denied,” Harish said.
Before his execution, Smith said in a statement: “My life is at stake. Despite new evidence, my attorney Mark Henricksen has informed my family that he will not be pursuing any further appeal on my behalf. I am releasing this statement to demand that Mr. Henricksen do his job and fight for my life.”
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