A convicted assassin and rapist was executed by nitrogen fuel on Thursday — 14 years after he was transferred to Alabama whereas serving a life sentence in Michigan for a separate homicide.
Demetrius Frazier turned the fourth inmate within the US to be put to demise by the tactic as he served his sentence for the 1991 homicide of Pauline Brown on the Holman Correctional Facility.
Frazier, 52, was convicted of capital homicide for breaking into Pauline Brown’s Birmingham house and raping her at gunpoint earlier than killing her when he was 19.
In his final moments on Earth, he tried to atone for his crime of killing Brown.
“I want to apologize to the family and friends of Pauline Brown,” he stated. “What happened to her should have never happened.”
Frazier additionally appeared to name out Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as he waited to be executed, saying, “If you cannot stand up for the constitution of Michigan, how are you going to stand up for the US Constitution when you run for president?” in keeping with the Montgomery Advertiser.
His last phrases have been: “Detroit strong. I love everyone on Death Row. Let’s go.”
Frazier’s masks was then closed, and the fuel started flowing at 6:13 p.m. He had no seen motion by about eight minutes later, and the curtains to the execution chamber closed at 6:29 p.m. He was formally pronounced lifeless at 6:36 p.m.
The fuel flowed for round 18 minutes, however Frazier flatlined about 13 minutes into the method, in keeping with Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Hamm. He added that he believed that Frazier shortly misplaced consciousness after the fuel was launched.
A few of Brown’s household have been in attendance for his execution.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey stated in her state, “We enforce the law,” in a post-execution assertion.
“You don’t come to our state and mess with our citizens and get away with it,” Ivey stated.
“Rapists and murderers are not welcome on our streets, and tonight, justice was carried out for Pauline Brown and her loved ones.”
Earlier than his demise, Frazier’s attorneys argued he belonged in Michigan, however Michigan’s Governor took no motion to return him to his dwelling state.
Gov. Whitmer — who confronted criticism from Frazier’s mom and demise penalty opponents for not bringing him again to Michigan to serve out his life sentence and keep away from the demise penalty — stated earlier than the execution that “Unfortunately,” her predecessor, former Gov. Rick Snyder, agreed to ship him to Alabama.
“It’s a really tough situation,” she instructed The Detroit Information. “I understand the pleas and concerns. Michigan is not a death penalty state.”
Michigan turned the primary state within the US to outlaw the demise penalty in 1847.
Frazier confessed to homicide after he was arrested in his dwelling state of Michigan for killing 14-year-old Crystal Kendrick in 1992 — a 12 months after killing Brown.
Throughout his trial, prosecutors stated Frazier robbed Brown, 41, after he sexually assaulted her.
He then shot Brown within the head when she solely had $80 to present him.
Frazier returned to her house later to search for cash and had a snack from her kitchen whereas Brown lay lifeless on the ground for hours.
In 1996, whereas serving life in jail in Michigan for Kendrick’s homicide, an Alabama jury convicted him of murdering Brown. With a vote of 10-2, it was really useful he obtain a demise sentence.
He was transferred to Alabama below an association made in 2011 to maneuver him to demise row for Brown’s homicide.
Frazier selected Taco Bell burritos and Mountain Dew as his final meal.
Following his execution, he turned the fourth particular person within the US to be put to demise by nitrogen fuel.
Alabama was the primary state to place nitrogen fuel executions into follow and used the tactic on three individuals final 12 months.
His execution adopted a deadly injection Wednesday in Texas and one other final Friday in South Carolina, making him the third particular person within the US to be executed in 2025.
with Publish wires
