Honken was pronounced dead at 4:36 pm, the Bureau of Prisons said.
Honken was sentenced to death in October 2005 for shooting and killing five people in July 1993 in an attempt to conceal his methamphetamine drug trafficking operation in several states.
Honken converted to Catholicism while in prison, and his lawyer, Shawn Nolan, said in a statement Friday that his client had atoned for his crimes.
“Dustin Honken was redeemed. He recognized and repented for the crimes he had committed, and he spent his time in prison atoning for them,” said Nolan. “During his time in prison, he cared for everyone he came into contact with: guards, counselors, medical staff, his fellow inmates, and his legal team. Over the years, he became incredibly close to his family, becoming a true father, son, brother and friend. “
He continued: “There was no reason for the government to kill him, in a hurry or at all. In any case, they failed. The Dustin Honken they wanted to kill disappeared long ago. The man they killed today was a human being, who could have he spent the rest of his days helping others and redeeming himself even more. May he rest in peace. “
Federal District Judge Leonard Strand on Tuesday denied Honken’s request to delay his execution due to the coronavirus pandemic. Strand also denied Honken’s motion to declare his execution null and void, saying the Bureau of Prisons has authority to implement the execution and set the date.
Father Mark O’Keefe, Honken’s spiritual adviser, who gave him his last rites, filed a motion requesting a court order to delay execution until after the coronavirus pandemic due to possible exposure to the virus and risks to health, which was denied. In the motion, O’Keefe’s lawyer, who is 64 years old, argued that “he would take the risk of hiring and spreading Covid-19 to fulfill his religious obligation” and that the government had imposed “a substantial burden” on his religious practice.
This story has been updated with additional comments.
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