ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021 INTERNATIONAL 7 Death Penalty Highest in 120 years Trump govt carries out final execution TERRE HAUTE, Ind, Jan 16, (AP): The Trump adminis- tration early Saturday carried out its 13th federal execution since July, an unprecedented run that concluded just fi ve days before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden - an opponent of the federal death penalty. Dustin Higgs, convicted of ordering the killings of three women in a Maryland wildlife refuge in 1996, was the third to receive a lethal injection this week at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. President Donald Trump’s Justice Department resumed federal executions last year following a 17-year hiatus. No president in more than 120 years had overseen as many fed- eral executions. Higgs, 48, was pronounced dead at 1:23 a.m. Asked if he had any last words, Higgs was calm but defi ant, naming each of the wom- en prosecutors said he ordered killed. “I’d like to say I am an innocent man. ... I am not responsible for the deaths,” he said softly. “I did not or- der the murders.” He did not apologize for any- thing he did on the night 25 years ago when the women were shot by another man, who received a life sentence. Trump As the lethal injection of pentobar- bital began to fl ow into his veins, Higgs looked toward a room reserved for his relatives and lawyers. He waved with his fi ngers and said, “I love you.” Louds sobs of a woman crying inconsolably began to echo from the witness room reserved for Higgs’ family as his eyes rolled back in his head, showing the whites of his eyes. He quickly became still, his pupils visible with his President-elect Joe Biden speaks about the COVID-19 pandemic during an event at The Queen Theater, on Jan 14, in Wilmington, Del, as Vice-President-elect eyelids left partially open. Kamala Harris listens. (AP) A sister of Tanji Jackson - one of the murdered women who was 21 when she died - addressed a written statement to Higgs after his execution and mentioning his family. “They are now going to go through the pain we experi- America enced,” she said. “When the day is over, your death will not bring my sister and the other victims back. This is not closure.” The statement didn’t include the sister’s name. Sentences Biden vows to boost COVID vaccine supplies The number of federal death sentences carried out under Trump since 2020 is more than in the previous 56 years combined, reducing the number of prisoners on federal ‘We’ll manage hell out of feds response’ death row by nearly a quarter. It’s likely none of the around 50 remaining men will be executed anytime soon, if ever, WILMINGTON, Del, Jan 16, (AP): problems. Until now states have been what a stupid, stupid thing to happen.” with Biden signaling he’ll end federal executions. President-elect Joe Biden has pledged focused on inoculating health care Biden has long held that economic The only woman on death row, Lisa Montgomery, was to boost supplies of coronavirus vac- workers, and some are starting to vac- recovery is inextricably tied to control executed Wednesday for killing a pregnant woman, then cine and set up new vaccination sites cinate people 75 and older. Relatively of the coronavirus. cutting the baby out of her womb. She was the fi rst woman to meet his goal of 100 million shots in few are providing shots to people be- Under Biden’s multipronged strat- executed in nearly 70 years. 100 days. It’s part of a broader COVID tween 65 and 75. egy, about $20 billion would be allo- strategy that also seeks to straighten Another carryover from the Trump cated for a more disciplined focus on Federal executions began as the coronavirus pan- out snags in testing and ensure minor- administration plan: Biden said he in- vaccination, on top of some $8 billion demic raged through prisons nationwide. Among those ity communities are not left out. tends to mobilize local pharmacies to already approved by Congress. Biden prisoners who got COVID-19 last month were Higgs “Some wonder if we are reaching administer vaccines. has called for setting up mass vaccina- and former drug trafficker Corey Johnson, who was ex- too far,” Biden said Friday. “Let me “Is it achievable?” he asked. “It’s tion centers and sending mobile units ecuted Thursday. be clear, I’m convinced we can get it a legitimate question to ask. Let me to hard-to-reach areas. In the early Saturday execution of Higgs, offi cials inside done.” be clear. I’m convinced we can get it On Friday, he announced former the execution chamber were more diligent about their keep- The real payoff, Biden said, will done.” FDA chief David Kessler as his chief ing masks on after a federal judge expressed concern that At a protest of the execution of Corey come from uniting the nation in a new In fact, Dr. Leana Wen, a public science officer for the vaccine drive. offi cials at Johnson’s execution were lax about coronavirus Johnson, on Jan 14, near the Federal effort grounded in science. health expert and emergency physi- Kessler has been advising Biden as a precautions. When a marshal called from a death-chamber Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Biden spoke a day after unveiling a cian, said the president-elect should co-chair of his advisory board on the phone to ask if there were any impediments to proceeding Ind, Charles Keith, of Canton, Ohio, $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” aim higher. coronavirus pandemic. A pediatrician with Higgs’ execution, he kept his mask on and shoved the holds a sign with all of the mugshots to confront the virus and provide tem- “At this point, mass vaccination is and attorney, he has emphasized a receiver under it. of the 10 men and one woman who porary support for a shaky economy. our last and best chance to restoring need to ease public concerns about the have been executed by the federal About $400 billion of the plan is fo- normalcy,” she said. “There should safety of the vaccines. Not since the waning days of Grover Cleveland’s presi- government since July 14, 2020. (AP) dency in the late 1800s has the U.S. government executed cused on measures aimed at control- be no expenses spared in the vaccine With the backing of Congress and federal inmates during a presidential transition, according ling the virus. Those range from mass rollout. A hundred million in 100 days the expertise of private and govern- vaccination centers to more sophisti- needs to be seen as only a start.” ment scientists, the Trump adminis- to the Death Penalty Information Center. Cleveland’s was cated scientific analysis of new strains tration delivered two highly effective also the last presidency during which the number of civil- and squads of local health workers to Strategy vaccines and more are on the way. Yet ians executed federally was in the double digits in one year, trace the contacts of infected people. Two medical groups, the Infectious a month after the first shots were giv- 1896. “You have my word: We will man- Diseases Society of America and the en, the nation’s vaccination campaign In an opinion piece in The Washington Post earlier this age the hell out of this operation,” HIV Medicine Group, said Friday eve- is off to a slow start with about 12.3 week, Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of Martin Lu- Biden declared. He underscored a need ning they “strongly support” the Biden million doses administered out of more ther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, noted that Higgs, a for Congress to approve more money plan. The strategy “will be vital to end- than 31 million delivered, or 39%. Black man, was scheduled to die Friday - his father’s birth- and for people to keep following basic ing the impacts of COVID-19” in the About 10.6 million individuals have day. With last-minute appeals, it was delayed into early precautions, such as wearing masks, US, the groups said. received first or second doses, accord- Saturday. avoiding gatherings and frequently As Biden spoke, some governors ing to the Centers for Disease Control “The federal government should not be needlessly tak- washing their hands. blasted the Trump administration for and Prevention. But the American ing more Black lives, and to do so on my father’s birthday Widodo Kim Throughout the plan, there’s a focus what at least one said was “deception” Hospital Association estimates that would be shameful,” he wrote. on ensuring that minority communities in suggesting earlier this week that a 246 million must be vaccinated to Pressure is already building on Biden to follow that have borne the brunt of the pan- reserve of vaccine doses was ready to reach widespread or “herd” immunity through on pledges to end the federal death penalty. The Asia demic are not shortchanged on vac- ship, augmenting supplies. An admin- by the summer. Vaccines currently cines and treatments. istration official said states have still available require two shots to be fully ACLU released a statement after Higgs’ execution urg- not ordered all of the doses allocated ing Biden to invoke his presidential powers after he is A key challenge for Biden and the effective. nation: Vaccines are in too-short sup- to them, and called it a problem with Biden has called the vaccine rollout sworn in.