A convicted killer used his final words to say he has ‘no tears’ and curse the state of Alabama saying ‘I hate you’ before being put to death by lethal injection.
Torrey Twane McNabb was given the death penalty for the fatal shooting of Montgomery Police Officer Anderson Gordon in September 1997.
McNabb shot Officer Gordon five times as he sat in his patrol car after arriving at a traffic accident the killer had caused while he attempted to flee a bail bondsman.
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After spending almost two decades on death row, McNabb was executed in October 2017.
Attorneys for McNabb attempted to have the execution postponed as he was one of several inmates involved in a lawsuit that challenged the humaneness of the state's lethal injection procedure.
Although initially granted by Chief U.S. District Judge W. Keith Watkins, the Attorney General’s Office appealed to the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to unblock the stay so the execution could take place.
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In its appeal, the AG stated at the time: "Alabama has already carried out four executions using this protocol.
"Three of those executed inmates were co-plaintiffs in this case, and their stay requests were denied by both this Court and the Eleventh Circuit."
Ultimately, the request for a stay of execution was denied - and it went ahead on October 19, 2017 as planned.
Like all inmates put to death in the US, McNabb was offered the chance to say some last words - and he chose to first address his family.
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He began: “Mom, sis, look at my eyes. I have no tears in my eyes, I'm not afraid.”
Then, in a final act of defiance, he cursed at the state of Alabama.
“I hate you mother f****rs. I hate you. I hate you.”
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Just before he lost consciousness, McNabb raised the middle finger on both of his hands.
The execution was carried out just before 9pm Central at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, and McNabb, 40, was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
In a statement after McNabb's execution, Officer Gordon's family said: "Over 20 years ago, we lost a companion, a father, a brother and a friend who only wanted to make a difference in his community...
"Although the wounds of having a family member murdered can never be healed, through this tragedy, the Gordon family has remained strong and will continue to be resilient... Though this has been a difficult day for the Gordon family, we also continue to pray for the family of Torrey McNabb."
Claire Reid