Indiana Executes Roy Lee Ward for 2001 Rape and Murder of Teen Girl
Roy Lee Ward was executed by lethal injection in Indiana for the 2001 rape and murder of 15-year-old Stacy Payne, marking the state's third execution since resuming capital punishment.
Overview
- Roy Lee Ward, 53, was executed by injection at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City for the 2001 rape and murder of 15-year-old Stacy Payne in her home.
- Ward's execution marks Indiana's third since the state resumed capital punishment last year, following a conviction and death sentence in 2002.
- The execution occurred after more than two decades of legal proceedings, with Ward exhausting all his appeals regarding the brutal crime involving a knife and dumbbell.
- The victim's family expressed readiness for justice, while Ward's attorney stated he was "very remorseful" about the heinous crime.
- Concerns were raised about Indiana's use of pentobarbital in executions, and the state, like one other, prohibits media witnesses from attending.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover the execution of Roy Lee Ward with a neutral, factual approach. They present a balanced account by detailing the crime, the execution process, legal challenges, and perspectives from both the victim's family and the condemned man's legal/spiritual advisors, without employing loaded language or selective emphasis.
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FAQ
Roy Lee Ward was executed for the 2001 rape and murder of 15-year-old Stacy Payne in her home. He inflicted severe injuries using a knife and dumbbell, resulting in her death about five hours after the attack.
Roy Lee Ward's execution was Indiana's third since the state resumed capital punishment after a long pause.
Ward exhausted all his appeals related to the crime over more than two decades and withdrew his last two federal lawsuits seeking to delay execution. His clemency request was unanimously rejected by the parole board.
Yes, concerns were expressed about Indiana's use of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital and the state's prohibition of media witnesses at executions, as well as transparency issues following a suspected botched execution earlier in the year.
The victim's family expressed readiness for justice in response to Roy Lee Ward's execution.
History
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