Missouri inmate executed after 22-hour reprieve

A man sentenced to death for the 1992 contract killing of a suburban St. Louis woman was executed Wednesday night, ending a 22-hour reprieve granted when a supposed alibi witness surfaced.

 Daniel Basile, 35, died at 10:05 p.m. at the Potosi Correctional Center, 4 minutes after the 1st of 3 lethal chemical doses was administered, Department of Corrections spokesman John Fougere said.

 Basile's fate was sealed when the Missouri Supreme Court, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Gov. Bob Holden refused to intervene further.

 Basile had been scheduled to die at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday for the slaying of Elizabeth DeCaro. Holden delayed that execution after 18-year Basile acquaintance Julie Ann Montgomery-Lewis came forward for the 1st time, saying she could exonerate Basile.

 Holden put the execution on hold to give the courts time to review the case.

 It was the 1st time in 13 death penalty cases since he took office that he had intervened.

 In ruling Wednesday evening on a Basile appeal, a three-judge 8th Circuit panel found that "the alibi witness' story does not constitute `clear and convincing evidence' of actual innocence."

 In an interview later, Basile said that he was nervous.

 "I believe in God and that Christ died for our sins, and as long as we ask for his forgiveness we will be at peace," he said.

 Basile had said he was innocent of the 1992 shooting death of Elizabeth DeCaro, 28, of St. Charles. Basile was convicted of taking part in a murder-for-hire plot by DeCaro's husband, Richard, who had taken a $100,000 life insurance policy on his wife.

 Richard DeCaro was acquitted in state court but was later convicted, along with Basile, on federal charges. He is serving a life sentence. Basile said Montgomery-Lewis could exonerate him because she had driven him to a St. Charles parking lot to pick up the DeCaros' Chevrolet Blazer. It had been alleged that Basile murdered DeCaro and then drove the Blazer from her home.

 Basile said that he had offered Montgomery-Lewis' name to his trial attorneys but that they had not pursued her.

 In a statement faxed to Holden's office Tuesday night, Montgomery-Lewis said: "The reason I have not come forward before now with my knowledge is because I had discussed testifying with Daniel at the time his case went to court.

 "He alone decided that it would appear improper due to the fact that we were both in relationships and would not allow me to say anything to anyone."

 On Wednesday, Basile said he had never called upon Montgomery-Lewis to testify at his trial because he was convinced that he would be acquitted without her.

 "I didn't think I'd have to go in there with some big show of evidence," he said. "I told her to go ahead and stay out of it. I told her it (testifying) would probably be more hassle."

 Georgianna Van Iseghem, Elizabeth DeCaro's mother, called Montgomery- Lewis' sudden surfacing a ploy to delay the execution. "I feel for his family and their anguish, but I know he's guilty," she said.

 Missouri has executed 57 inmates since the state resumed the death penalty in 1989. Holden had never delayed an execution, although a U.S. Supreme Court stay of 1 execution in 2001 remains in effect. 

Missouri inmate executed for 1992 contract killing

 A Missouri inmate sentenced to death in the 1992 contract killing of a suburban St. Louis woman was executed Wednesday night, ending his 22-hour reprieve granted when a supposed alibi witness surfaced.

 Daniel Basile, 35, died at 10:05 p.m. at the Potosi Correctional Center, 4 minutes after the 1st of 3 lethal chemical doses was administered, Department of Corrections spokesman John Fougere said.

 Basile's fate was sealed after the Missouri Supreme Court, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court and Gov. Bob Holden refused to intervene.

 Holden ultimately delayed the execution to give the courts time to review the case, marking the 1st time in 13 death penalty cases since Holden took office that he has intervened.

 In its appellate ruling Wednesday, a 3-judge 8th Circuit panel found that "Basile knew of the witness at the time of his trial," and that "we are satisfied the alibi witness' story does not constitute `clear and convincing evidence' of actual innocence ..."

 After Basile's execution, Holden said "the citizens of Missouri can rest assured that the defendant was given every opportunity to present all claims prior to the sentence being carried out."

 "While delays at this late date are difficult for all concerned, particularly for the victim's family, our court system is designed to accommodate this type of situation and ensure that justice is served," Holden said in a statement.

 Hours before his death, Basile said he was "nervous" and that "I believe in God and that Christ died for our sins, and as long as we ask for his forgiveness we will be at peace," he said.

 Basile had claimed he was innocent in the 1992 shooting death of Elizabeth DeCaro, 28, of St. Charles. Basile was convicted in a murder-for-hire plot by DeCaro's husband, Richard, who had taken a $100,000 life insurance policy on his wife.

 Richard DeCaro was acquitted in state court but was later convicted, along with Basile, on federal charges, and is serving a life sentence.

 Basile said Montgomery-Lewis could exonerate him in the killing because she drove him to a St. Charles parking lot to pick up the DeCaros' Chevrolet Blazer. It had been alleged that Basile murdered DeCaro, then drove the Blazer from her home.

 Basile said he offered Julie's name to his trial attorneys, but they never pursued her.

 In her statement faxed to Holden's office, Montgomery-Lewis said "the reason I have not come forward before now with my knowledge is because I had discussed testifying with Daniel at the time his case went to court."

 "He alone decided that it would appear improper due to the fact that we were both in relationships and would not allow me to say anything to anyone," Montgomery-Lewis said.

 On Wednesday, Basile said in an interview he never called upon Montgomery-Lewis to testify at trial because he was convinced he would be exonerated without her, and that "I didn't think I'd have to go in there with some big show of evidence."

 "I told her to go ahead and stay out of it," Basile said. "I told her it (testifying) would probably be more hassle."

 Georgianna Van Iseghem, Elizabeth DeCaro's mother, called the maneuver a ploy to delay the execution. 

"I feel for his family and their anguish, but I know he's guilty," Van Iseghem said.

 Basile becomes the 5th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in Missouri and the 58th overall since the state resumed capital punishment in 1989.

 Basile becomes the 42nd condemned inmate to be put to death this year in the USA and the 791st overall since America resumed executions on January 17, 1977.