Executions in Georgia and Texas this week

While another western state is getting closer to death penalty repeal this week (basics here), two active capital punishment state have their execution chambers active.  Specifically, as detailed in this AP article, Georgia executed a murderer last night, and Texas is scheduled to execute a murderer tonight.  As detailed in this Dallas Morning News article, tonight’s scheduled execution in Texas moves the state’s Governor closer to a capital punishment milestone:

Thursday evening, capital punishment opponents from Amnesty International USA and the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty planned what they said would be a 200-minute vigil outside the criminal courthouse in Houston to mark what soon will be the 200th execution of Gov. Rick Perry’s tenure.  Johnson would be the 198th Texas inmate put to death since Perry succeeded Gov. George W. Bush when Bush became president in the 2000 election.  During Bush’s six years as governor, 157 executions were carried out in Texas.

Johnson was among at least six Texas inmates with execution dates extending into the summer.  Scheduled to die next, on May 19, was Michael Lynn Riley, 50, condemned for the slaying of Winona Harris.  The victim was stabbed more than 23 years ago during the robbery of a convenience store in Quitman, about 80 miles east of Dallas.