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Charles Brooks, Jr.




Charles Brooks Jr. ( April 1 , 1942December 7 , 1982 ) was a convicted Murderer who was the first person executed by Lethal Injection in the United States . It was the first execution in Texas since 1964 .

Brooks was raised in a well-off Fort Worth family and attended I.M. Terrell High School , where he played football. He had been to prison before, serving time at the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth for illegal possession of firearms.

On 14 December 1976 Brooks went to a Car Yard saying he wanted to test drive a car. The Mechanic , David Gregory, accompanied him in the car. After picking up Woody Loudres , the mechanic was put in the Trunk of the car and they drove to a Motel . There the mechanic was bound to a chair with Coat Hangers , gagged with tape and then shot once in the head. Neither Brooks nor Loudres would say who fired the shot. Because of legal complications, Lourdes received a 40 year sentence, while Brooks received the death sentence.

The Supreme Court Of The United States had rejected 6-3 a petition to grant a stay of execution. The State Board Of Pardons And Paroles recommended by 2-1 that the execution should proceed.

After a last meal consisting of a T-bone Steak , French Fries , Catsup , Worcestershire Sauce , Biscuits , peach Cobbler and Ice Tea , he was rolled into the death chamber at the Huntsville Unit in Huntsville, Texas . There he made his final statement. Brooks had converted to Islam while in prison and as such said a prayer to Allah .

The drugs were injected at 12:09 a.m. and Brooks was pronounced dead at 12:16 a.m..


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