Texas executes Garcia Glenn White for the brutal 1989 murders of twin teenage girls, reigniting the death penalty debate.
At a Glance
- Garcia Glenn White was executed for the 1989 murders of twin 16-year-old girls and their mother
- White was pronounced dead at 6:56 p.m. CDT after lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas
- He was the sixth inmate executed in the U.S. in the last 11 days
- The U.S. Supreme Court rejected three last-ditch appeals without comment
- White apologized for his actions and sang a hymn before the execution
Execution Carried Out After Decades on Death Row
Garcia Glenn White, 61, was executed by lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas, for the 1989 murders of twin 16-year-old girls, Annette and Bernette Edwards, and their mother, Bonita Edwards. The execution, which took place on October 2, 2024, marks the end of a case that has spanned over three decades and deeply affected the Houston community.
White’s execution was the sixth in the United States in the past 11 days, highlighting the ongoing use of capital punishment in certain states. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected three last-minute appeals without comment, allowing the execution to proceed as scheduled.
#Texas executed #GarciaGlenn White for the 1989 murder of twin girls, 34 years later.https://t.co/P6jP5LzcQR
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) October 2, 2024
Final Moments and Apology
In his final statement, White expressed remorse for his actions and apologized to the victims’ families. He then sang a hymn before the lethal injection was administered.
“I would like to apologize for all the wrong I have done, and for the pain I’ve caused,” White said before the execution, according to a statement from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. “I regret, I apologize, and I pray that you can find peace.”
The execution was carried out swiftly, with White being pronounced dead 17 minutes after the lethal injection began. His final words and actions have been seen by some as a sign of genuine remorse, while others view them as too little, too late for the heinous crimes committed.
Case Background and Legal Challenges
The murders of the Edwards twins and their mother remained unsolved for six years until White confessed after being arrested in connection with two other deaths. Testimony revealed that White had gone to the victims’ home to smoke crack with Bonita Edwards and attacked the girls when they came out of their room.
“Garcia Glenn White committed five murders in three different transactions and two of his victims were teenage girls. This is the type of case that the death penalty was intended for,” Josh Reiss, chief of the Post-Conviction Writs Division with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston, stated ahead of the execution.
White’s lawyers made several unsuccessful attempts to stop the execution, including appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court. They argued that White was intellectually disabled and entitled to a new review of his death sentence. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles also denied White’s request to commute his sentence or grant a 30-day reprieve.
Ongoing Death Penalty Debate
This execution has reignited discussions about the use of capital punishment in the United States. While 23 states have abolished the death penalty and six others have moratoriums in place, Texas remains one of the states that actively carries out executions. This year alone, Texas has conducted four executions, with another inmate scheduled for execution on October 17.
The case of Garcia Glenn White underscores the complex nature of capital punishment cases, including the long periods between sentencing and execution, the impact on victims’ families, and the ongoing legal battles that often accompany death penalty cases. As the debate continues, each execution serves as a stark reminder of the gravity of such decisions and the irreversible nature of capital punishment.
Sources:
- Texas man apologizes to victims and breaks into song as he is executed for 1989 murder of twin teenage girls
- Texas Man Executed For 1989 Murders Of Twin Sisters
