Denard Manns Executed

DENARD Manns, convicted of robbing, raping and murdering a US Army soldier in her home while on parole almost exactly 10 years ago, has been executed in Texas.

Manns, a 42-year-old African-American with an extensive criminal record, was put to death by lethal injection and pronounced dead at 6:24 pm Thursday (11. 24am AEDT today), according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Manns was condemned for fatally shooting 26-year-old Michelle Robson of Fort Hood, Texas, in the head and chest after sexually assaulting her.

He had been on parole from a previous armed robbery conviction in New York state when he committed the crime on November 18, 1998.

Ms Robson was found half-naked in her bathtub, after being shot five times.

The Texas public prosecutor's office said DNA analysis showed Manns had raped the victim.

Fingerprint evidence on the murder weapon further implicated him in the crime.

After the murder he fled the apartment in Robson's car, taking her jewelry and credit cards.

Manns was convicted in 2002, and refused to appear at the subsequent punishment phase of his trial.

In his last statement, Manns criticised his own lawyers, who he said "purposely denied me a fair trial". Source

He was crying about about a fair trial?!? What about his victim's fair trial? This convict also converted to Islam while spending his time waiting on the appeals process.