Last night, September 19, 2013, the State of Texas executed Robert Garza for his involvement in a gang ambush in which four women, Maria Cobarrubias, Danitzene Beltran, Celina Sanchez and Lourdes Torres were gunned down 11 years ago.
Garza filed last-day appeals Thursday to the Supreme Court, delaying the execution by some two hours until the justices ruled. In his appeals, he argued his trial attorneys failed to obtain from his mother testimony jurors should have been allowed to hear that he stayed in the gang because he feared retaliation if he quit. He also contended his trial court judge earlier this week improperly refused his request to withdraw his execution date. Read more about the case from ABC News/the Associated Press.
This was the 12th execution in Texas to date this year, out of 25 nationwide. Garza was sentenced in Hidalgo County, their first execution for 2013.