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State executes Tucson man convicted of murder

Posted: Apr 25, 2012 4:34 PM
Updated: Apr 25, 2012 4:52 PM


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FLORENCE - Arizona has executed its third inmate this year. Today, Thomas Kemp was put to death for the 1992 murder of a 25-year-old Pima College student. News 4 Tucson's Lupita Murillo witnessed the execution.

Sixty-three-year-old Kemp was put to death for the brutal murder of Hector Juarez. He died in July of 1992.

Two hours prior to the execution, the four media witnesses boarded a van, and were taken inside the prison walls.

Kemp's last meal was a bacon cheeseburger with fries, a root beer soda, a slice of boysenberry pie and strawberry ice cream.

At 9:45 a.m., Murillo and the media witnesses were lead to the death chamber. Other witnesses from the state were also present.
When the curtain opened, Kemp looked at his attorney, smiled, and pointed at him.

Kim Smith from the Arizona Daily Star, says, "And then, after his final words, which were ‘I regret nothing,' he turned and smiled again towards his attorney."
He was given a lethal injection.
Associated Press correspondent, Amanda Myers: "This is my ninth execution that I've witnessed and I've never seen anyone shake. And he shook visibly for about three seconds."

Kemp took some deep breaths looked up at the ceiling and he closed his eyes.
Department of Corrections Director Chuck Ryan came in and pronounced him dead. The process took seven minutes.

Prison officials say no family member claimed the body of Thomas Kemp, so the federal Public Defender's Office will be handling the arrangements.

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