The state of Alabama executed convicted murderer and rapist Demetrius Frazier on Thursday night after a last-ditch legal appeal to transfer the prisoner to the non-death penalty state of Michigan failed to come to fruition.
In his final words, Frazier apologized to his victim's family and friends and took aim at Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for failing to secure his return to his home state, where he was also convicted of murder.
Frazier also declared "I love everybody on Death Row" and catch phrases like "Detroit Strong" and "Let's go!" He was declared dead at 6:36 p.m. CT from the controversial method of nitrogen gas hypoxia that is being called "barbaric" by human rights groups.
Frazier, 52, was only 19 when he committed the 1991 robbery, rape and murder of Pauline Brown in Birmingham. He was later convicted of murdering a 14-year-old in Michigan, which agreed to transfer him to pro-death penalty Alabama in 2011.
Frazier's mother made an impassioned plea to spare her son's life. His legal defense involved an appeal to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to agree to transfer the inmate back to Michigan, but she declined.
"In Alabama, we enforce the law," Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement. "You don't come to our state and mess with our citizens and get away with it. Rapists and murderers are not welcome on our streets, and tonight, justice was carried out for Pauline Brown and her loved ones. I pray for her family that all these years later, they can continue healing and have assurance that Demetrius Frazier cannot harm anyone else."
Frazier was the fourth Alabama inmate to be executed via nitrogen gas, which is being challenged in court under the Eighth Amendment's guarantees against cruel and inhumane punishment.
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