Tue Sep 24 04:06:38 UTC 2024: ## Texas Executes Man Who Waived Appeal in Son’s Murder
**Huntsville, Texas** – Travis Mullis, 38, was executed by lethal injection Tuesday evening at the state penitentiary in Huntsville for the 2008 murder of his 3-month-old son, Alijah. Mullis, who had waived his right to appeal his death sentence, was pronounced dead at 7:01 p.m. CDT.
Mullis, in a final statement, expressed remorse for his actions, saying he regretted taking his son’s life and apologized to the child’s mother and her family. He also thanked prison officials for “changes made across the system” that allowed for rehabilitation.
The execution was delayed for about 20 minutes while technicians searched for a suitable vein for the injection of the lethal dose of pentobarbital.
Mullis’ execution is the fourth in Texas this year, making the state the nation’s busiest capital punishment state. His execution was one of five scheduled within a week in the U.S., marking the first time since July 2003 that five executions have been carried out in a seven-day period.
Authorities say Mullis, then 21, sexually assaulted his son and then strangled and stomped on his head after the child began to cry uncontrollably. The infant’s body was found on the roadside. Mullis fled the state but was later arrested in Philadelphia.
Despite having expressed remorse and accepting responsibility for the crime, Mullis was convicted in 2011. Throughout his time on death row, he had been at odds with his attorneys over whether to pursue appeals. In February, Mullis submitted a letter to a U.S. District Judge stating he had no desire to challenge his case further.
The execution has sparked debate over the death penalty and the legal rights of those sentenced to death. The U.S. Supreme Court has prohibited the death penalty for the intellectually disabled, but not for people with serious mental illness.
First Piper 