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Lethal injection to Abel Revill Ochoa gave them peace

The victims of Ochoa were his wife, Cecilia Ochoa; his two daughters, Crystal and Anahí; relatives went from rage to anguish, then to tranquility

Escrito en MUNDO el

Journalist Imelda García, of the newspaper Al Día Dallas, present at the execution of the Mexican Abel Revill Ochoa, occurred in the Texas capital, describes how after the lethal injection received by the Mexican-born and nationalized American, in 23 minutes he fell asleep and then he began to die. While that was happening, the victim''s family went from anger to sorrow and then to tranquility.

"He fell asleep, two snores were heard, his facial features changed, ten or fifteen minutes later his face looked relaxed, and then his skin color changed," says the reporter, in an interview with La Silla Rota.

"Between the injection and declaring him dead 23 minutes passed, everyone in the room was silent except for the relatives who exchanged sentences, and after 20 minutes, the doctor checked him and declared him dead.  The medical practioner saw the time, and the director repeated it for the record," adds Garcia, one of the five journalists who witnessed the execution of Abel Revill Ochoa on February 6.

The victims of Ochoa were his wife, Cecilia Ochoa, his two daughters, Crystal and Anahí, seven years and nine months, each.  His father-in-law, Bartolo Alvizo, and sister-in-law Jacqueline. He also left another sister of his wife, Alma Alvizo, who lost a kidney and had to spend three months in hospital.

"What I observed from the family is that when they entered and saw Abel, there was hate, resentment, and pain in their demeanor. I imagine they had not seen him. When they did, their feelings overflowed, there was crying and fuzz," recalls the Al Día Dallas reporter, a Spanish version of Dallas News.

"When the injection was given, a tearful moment continued, and during that 23-minute wait that seems like 3 hours, they calmed down. As they were looking at him, they calmed down. They left with pain, but calm.

Asked about what Ochoa''s last words were, she replies that he thanked God and apologized to his political family.

He told them that he loved them and asked them to forgive him for the pain he had caused them. It was very shocking. I have been in front of deceased people but not of someone that dies in front of your eyes. There I saw the rage and the pain of the victims' relatives. Also, to be in prison and to pass by the security guards, it is all a very impressive cocktail. I left shaken from there
 

THE EXECUTION CAPITAL

Abel''s murder occurred in 2002, and the sentence was received in 2003, recalls the reporter, after she made a journalistic immersion to soak up the information about the case. At the time of execution, the Mexican born was 47 years old.

"Texas is the capital of executions; its where more executions take place; it is the punishment that is given to capital killers. There are certain characteristics to be typified in cases like this. The prosecutor pursuing the process sees whether he recommends it or not. When that happens, he tries to convince the jury. It is the jury who decides to be the force of the people, no record of one citizen against another is made; it is the people of Texas against the accused; it is tremendous. The people decide whether they are guilty or not and if it is a death penalty or not", she describes.

(María José Pardo/ Traducción: Valentina K. Yanes)