A death row inmate whose lawyers argued he was 'intellectually disabled' and should be spared the death penalty has been executed in Georgia.
Willie James Pye was convicted in 1996 of the November 1993 robbery, kidnapping, rape and murder of former girlfriend Alicia Lynn Yarbrough.
The 59-year-old was executed at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison last night (20 March) at 11:03 pm local time.
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The time of Pye's execution had been pushed back by four hours as his legal representatives continued to argue that he should avoid the death penalty due to being 'intellectually disabled'.
According to WXGA, a plea for clemency was put to Georgia's State Board of Pardons and Paroles on Tuesday (19 March) and testimony from Pye's lawyers was heard, but clemency was denied.
Before his death, Pye had his final meal, which the Daily Star reported consisted of two chicken sandwiches, two cheeseburgers, french fries, two bags of crisps and two lemon-lime sodas.
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Despite his plea attempt and efforts from his lawyers, Pye was taken to a designated viewing area inside the Georgia prison where witnesses watched his execution through glass.
While the death row inmate accepted a final prayer from a chaplain, he declined the opportunity to speak final words before a lethal injection was administered.
WGXA reported that after the injection was administered, the 59-year-old began taking deep breaths while being attended by medical professionals.
They reported that Pye's right shoulder twitched slightly before it stopped moving and he died.
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Medical professionals then confirmed that he had died and his time of death was confirmed.
Pye's execution date had been confirmed on 29 February, and stated that he could be executed between noon 20 March and noon 27 March.
The Georgia Supreme Court said that in 1993 Pye and two other men, Chester Adams and Anthony Freeman, had been planning to rob Charles Puckett, a man Pye's former girlfriend Alicia Lynn Yarbrough was living with.
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They had heard that Puckett had just received money from a lawsuit and planned to rob him, with Pye bringing a gun along.
When they arrived at Puckett's house only Yarbrough and her baby were inside, and she was held at gunpoint before being kidnapped, with her baby abandoned alone in the house.
The three men raped Yarbrough at gunpoint before murdering her, with police finding her body several hours later.
A jury found Pye guilty of murder in 1996.
Featured Image Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections / Carter Smith/Sygma via Getty ImagesTopics: US News, Crime, Death Row