Texas executes escapee who killed officer

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A member of the infamous “Texas 7” gang of escaped fugitives was executed Thursday for killing a Dallas-area police officer during their weeks on the run.

Michael Rodriguez, who had dropped all appeals and volunteered for lethal injection, apologized profusely to the officer’s widow and his own former sister-in-law before the lethal injection. He had been serving a life sentence for killing his wife at the time of the 2000 escape.

“My punishment is nothing compared to the pain and suffering I’ve brought you,” Rodriguez said. “I’m not strong enough to ask for forgiveness. I ask the Lord to forgive. I’ve done horrible things that brought sorrow and pain to these wonderful people,” he said, looking directly at the women.

“I’m sorry, so sorry,” he said.

As the drugs took effect, Rodriguez, 45, was praying in a whisper. “I’m ready to go, Lord,” he said.

Seven minutes later, at 6:20 p.m. CDT, he was pronounced dead. Outside the prison, several dozen police officers stood at attention while the execution was carried out, their hands clasped in front of them.

Rodriguez, the first of the six surviving “Texas 7” band to be put to death, pushed to have his punishment carried out for more than two years.

A federal judge held competency hearings to ensure Rodriguez could make such a decision. After the judge approved, the execution was stalled while the U.S. Supreme Court considered challenges that lethal injection was unconstitutionally cruel. After the justices earlier this year ruled the method was not improper, Rodriguez’s execution date was set.

Rodriguez and six fellow inmates broke out of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Connally Unit in December 2000.

by overpowering some workers.

Two weeks after the break, on Christmas Eve evening, the fugitives shot and killed Irving policeman Aubrey Hawkins during the robbery of a sporting goods store that netted them $70,000, more guns and the IDs of employees.

Rodriguez acknowledged taking the fatally wounded officer’s gun and pulling him from his patrol car. Shook said evidence showed he also was among the gang shooting at Hawkins and a gun that was left behind at the scene belonged to Rodriguez.