On Thursday morning, Kevin Ray Underwood was executed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary for the 2006 murder of 10-year-old Jamie Rose Bolin. The execution, which took place on Underwood's 45th birthday, was confirmed by Oklahoma Department of Corrections spokesperson Lance West, as reported by the New York Post. The state's use of a three-drug lethal injection protocol, starting with midazolam, ended in Underwood's death at 10:14 a.m., making it the 25th and final execution in the nation for the year.
Underwood's case drew to a tragic close almost two decades after he committed a crime described by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond as "one of the most depraved and heinous murders Oklahoma has ever seen," as mentioned in a KOCO report. In the days leading to his execution, Underwood failed to win clemency, with the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voting unanimously against it, according to details from CBS News. His attorneys had cited his long history of mental health issues and abuse as factors warranting mercy—a plea that was ultimately unheeded.
During a clemency hearing, Underwood expressed regret for his actions, saying, "I would like to apologize to the victim's family, to my own family and to everyone in that room today that had to hear the horrible details of what I did," as he spoke to the board via video feed, as reported by the New York Post. While his mother pleaded for mercy, the victim's family and prosecutors firmly opposed any clemency, with the latter arguing that Underwood's mental health problems do not excuse the horror inflicted upon Jamie.
Despite a last-ditch request to stay the execution, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Underwood's plea earlier on Thursday morning. His execution has reduced the number on Oklahoma's death row to 33 people, as highlighted by CBS News. Following the procedure, Jamie's sister Lori Pate stated, "This does not bring our Jamie back, but it does allow the space in our hearts to focus on her and allow the healing process to begin," in a remark obtained by KOCO.
