An Oklahoma death row inmate was executed Thursday at the State Penitentiary for a 2005 quadruple homicide.
Gilbert Ray Postelle had reportedly refused to have a spiritual advisor with him at the time of the execution that began at 10:01 a.m. and ended at 10:14 a.m. with his death.
“Today’s events, and the circumstances which led to it, have affected many people, especially the family and friends of victims Donnie Swindle, Terry Smith, James Alderson, and Amy Wright,” the Oklahoma Department of Corrections said.
“As an agency, we carried out the orders of the court in accordance with our high standards of professionalism and respect for those in our custody, ensuring dignity for everyone involved in the process.”
Last December, defense attorneys had requested clemency for Postelle claiming that he had admitted to the crimes and suffered a learning disability.
“He’s a different man than he was. I think he needs a certain amount of forgiveness because he grew up in an environment that was almost exclusively negative.”
