Two Death Row Inmates Executed Minutes Apart with Contrasting Legacies

On Thursday evening, two long-serving inmates on death row in Texas and Alabama were put to death within moments of each other, each leaving a different mark on their legacies.

In Alabama, Geoffrey West, 50, was executed using nitrogen hypoxia at William C. Holman Correctional Facility. Despite pleas from the victim’s son, West’s execution proceeded as scheduled. He was convicted in 1999 for killing Margaret Parrish Berry, a mother of two, during a gas station robbery. West held no final words, but his last moments saw him silently accepting his fate, flashing a thumbs-up before suffocation via nitrogen gas. His body showed signs of struggle within the first two minutes of death.

In the weeks before his execution, West and Will Berry, the slain woman’s son, exchanged heartfelt letters. West expressed remorse, while Will, having forgiven him, requested the state to spare West’s life. Will stated, “I forgive this guy, and I don’t want him to die. I don’t want revenge in my family’s name.” Despite these pleas, Alabama’s governor upheld the law, denying any appeal for clemency.

Meanwhile, in Texas, Blaine Milam, 35, was executed by lethal injection after earlier attempts to delay his death were rejected by the Supreme Court. Milam, who was only 18 at the time of the crime, was convicted of murdering his girlfriend’s 13-month-old daughter, Amora Carson, during an alleged “exorcism.” Prosecutors described horrific injuries including skull fractures, broken bones, and bite marks, caused over a grueling 30 hours. Milam had blamed his actions on religious beliefs and the influence of his girlfriend.

Before his death, Milam declared, “If any of you would like to see me again, I implore all of you to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and we will meet again. I love you all. Bring me home, Jesus.” His previous scheduled executions were halted, but advancements in legal appeals could not save him this time.

Overall, 33 inmates have been executed in the U.S. this year, with three stays and a death by natural causes on death row.