WASHINGTON, 12 DIC - Esecuzioni capitali,nella notte tra giovedi' e venerdi', in Alabama, doveper la prima volta e' stata usata l'iniezione letale, e nell'Oklahoma.   Nel carcere di Atmore, in Alabama, e' stato messo a morte Anthony Johnson, che nel 1984 partecipo' a una rapina checosto' la vista a un gioielliere.   Dal 1927, l'Alabama aveva sempre usato la sedia elettrica.   Adesso, il Nebraska resta l'unico Stato dell'Unione dovela sedia elettrica e' l'unico strumento per eseguireuna condanna capitale.   Johnson non fu l'esecutore dell'omicidio. Con la sua morte,si riducono le speranze di rintracciare il complice.   Nell'Oklahoma, nel carcere di McAlester, e' stata inveceeseguita la condanna di un quadruplice omicida: Jay WesleyNeill aveva compiuto la strage durante una rapina nel 1984,quando lui aveva 19 anni.   L'uomo e' stato ucciso con un'iniezione letale, di frontea una ventina di familiari delle sue vittime (fra cui c'erauna donna al settimo mese di gravidanza). 

Dothan Eagle & Rick Halperin

ALABAMA - Ala. carries out 1st lethal injection execution

In Atmore, a man condemned for his role in the 1984 shooting death of a jeweler became the 1st Alabama inmate executed by injection Thursday evening.

 Anthony Johnson, who was not the triggerman in the robbery, was put to death despite pleas from some investigators that it be halted to help solve the crime. His appeals were rejected by the governor and U.S. Supreme Court hours before his scheduled execution.

 Johnson, 46, did not give a final statement. He acknowledged the presence of his pastor and a friend in the witness room and told the warden, "They know I love them."

 The Alabama Supreme Court on Friday dismissed Johnson's petition to halt the execution.

 Johnson has provided key information to police and could be a prosecution witness against other suspects if the case were ever reopened, his attorney said. But the state moved ahead with its plans to execute him for the slaying of Kenneth Cantrell.

 Johnson and 2 other men entered Cantrell's home during a robbery on March 11, 1984. Police concluded another man fired the shot that killed Cantrell. Johnson was later arrested after seeking treatment for a bullet wound.

 Lethal injection became Alabama's primary method of execution under a law passed earlier this year, leaving only Nebraska with the chair as the sole means to execute condemned inmates. Alabama's electric chair, known as "Yellow Mama" for its color, has been used since 1927. It was last used in May.

 The original investigators in the March 11, 1984, slaying of Hartselle jeweler Kenneth Cantrell had said that, if spared execution, Johnson could help bring his cohorts to justice.

 No one else has been prosecuted, but the district attorney said Johnson's uncorroborated testimony would not have been be sufficient to bring charges. Johnson's lawyer has said he gave police the names of the other people involved in the slaying.

 Johnson becomes the 2nd condemned inmate to be put to death this year in Alabama and the 25th overall since the state resumed capital punishment in 1983.

 Johnson become the 70th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in the USA and the 819th overall since America resumed executions on January 17. 1977.

OKLAHOMA - Geronimo bank robber put to deathIn McAlester, Jay Wesley Neill, who killed 4 people in one of Oklahoma's deadliest bank robberies, was put to death in Oklahoma on Thursday. 

Neill, 37, was pronounced dead at 6:18 p.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.Neill was executed for fatally stabbing 3 employees and fatally shooting a customer of the First Chattanooga Bank branch in Geronimo.He wounded 3 others before the Dec. 14, 1984, robbery was over.For Janie Bowles, whose 19-year-old daughter, Jeri, was killed that day, justice can't come soon enough."It's about damn time," Bowles said. "They die so easily and it's not fair."Bowles' daughter was one of 3 women who were stabbed more than 15 times each and their throats cut during the robbery. "This is how my grandchildren will remember their aunt," Bowles said.Jeri Bowles, described by her mother as caring and nurturing, was called into work early the day of the robbery. Her father Calvin Bowles, had just dropped her off when Neill entered the bank and herded the 3 female employees into the back room of the bank.He then stabbed them with a hunting knife, cutting so deep that Neill severed the ribs of his victims, court documents show. Jeri Bowles was stabbed 14 times and her throat was cut. Kay Bruno, 42, the manager of the bank, was stabbed 34 times and her throat was cut. Joyce Mullenix, 25, who was 6 months pregnant, was stabbed 27 times and nearly decapitated. Neill forced customers who trickled in after the robbery to get down on the floor next to the women and then he shot at them. He killed Robert Zeller, 33, but Bellen Robles, 15, Ruben Robles, 20, and Marilyn Roach 24, recovered from their wounds.The crime rocked Geronimo, a town of about 960 near Lawton in southwestern Oklahoma. More than 1,700 people attended Jeri Bowles' funeral, which was held in the town's high school gym.In March 1986, Neill appeared on the religious program "The 700 Club," confessing to the crime and asking for forgiveness."I've yet to come up with something that I know will make it easier for any of you," Neill told victim's family members as he testified in his 1992 trial. "I am sorry. It's eating me and I believe that's been part of my punishment. I just wish there was something I could say to make it better but there's not." Neill becomes the 6th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in Oklahoma, and the 54th overall since the state resumed capital punishment in 1990.Oklahoma is now tied with Florida for the 4th highest amount of executions in the USA since the death penalty was re-legalized, on July 2, 1976. Only Texas (289), Virginia (87) and Missouri (59) have executed more condemned inmates since 1976. Oklahoma has 2 more executions scheduled for next week, and 1 in January 2003.Neill becomes the 69th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in the USA and the 818th overall since America resumed executions on January 17, 1922.