Two longtime residents on death row in Texas and Alabama were executed mere minutes apart Thursday evening — departing in vastly different manners and leaving behind opposing legacies.
Geoffrey Todd West, 50, was killed via nitrogen hypoxia at Alabama’s William C. Holman Correctional Facility, even after his victim’s son pleaded for him to be spared.
West was sentenced to death in 1999 for the murder of Margaret Parrish Berry, a 33-year-old mother of two, who he shot in the back of the head while robbing a gas station with his then-girlfriend.
He spent much of his years behind bars professing his guilt and, bit by bit, forging a kinship with Berry’s son, Will, who came to forgive the killer and even pleaded for him to be spared.
“I forgive this guy, and I don’t want him to die. I don’t want the state to take revenge in my name or my family’s name for my mother,” Will said.
West had no final words to share when prompted by the warden. He was strapped to a gurney and had a gas mask placed over his mouth. He flashed his attorney a thumbs-up before the executioner began pumping straight nitrogen through the mask, effectively suffocating him.
Within the first two minutes, West began to gasp and struggle for breath. His head rocked to the side, his left fist curled as he appeared to foam at the mouth.
His eyes were open all the while. He was declared dead at 6:22 p.m. — 26 minutes after the nitrogen was first administered.
In the weeks leading up to his death, West and Will exchanged a series of letters. Each time, as West shared his overwhelming guilt, Will offered forgiveness and otherworldly grace. They even tried to meet, but the prison denied their requests.
Will also penned a letter to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who previously commuted a death sentence after the prisoner’s guilt came into question.
She shut down the appeal without question and cited that it was her duty to carry out Alabama law.
In a final statement shared by his attorney, West said, “I have apologized privately to the family of Margaret Parrish Berry, and am humbled by the forgiveness her son, Will, has extended.”
West, who was baptized in the Catholic Church last year, added that, “I am at peace because I know where I am going and look forward to seeing Mrs. Berry when I get there.”
Just two states away, 35-year-old Blaine Milam was pronounced dead mere minutes after West.
Milam died by lethal injection at the Texas state penitentiary. In life, he didn’t find the same grace as West and pinned the blame on his girlfriend, who was also found guilty of capital murder but skirted the death penalty.
The young couple, both just 18 years old at the time, were tried separately for the slaughter of Amora Carson, Milam’s girlfriend’s 13-month-old daughter.
Prosecutors said Milam beat the toddler with a hammer and also bit, strangled, and mutilated her over 30 hours during an “exorcism” to expel a demon the girl’s mother believed was possessing her.
Amora was left with multiple skull fractures, broken arms, legs, and ribs, along with an array of bite marks. Her exact cause of death was impossible to discern because she sustained so many different but fatal injuries, a pathologist testified during the trial.
“If any of you would like to see me again, I implore all of you no matter who you are to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and we will meet again. I love you all. Bring me home, Jesus,” Milam said at his execution before he was injected with a cocktail of lethal drugs.
Milam’s previous scheduled executions, set for 2019 and 2021, were both stayed. His latest appeals to the US Supreme Court were rejected early Thursday.
Thirty-three people have been put to death in the US this year. Three executions were stayed, and one elderly inmate died of natural causes on death row.
With Post wires.
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