Published: November 01, 2006 11:34 pm      

Death row inmate apologizes to families

In his final moments before death, Donell Okeith Jackson asked forgiveness of his victim’s family and attempted to put his family’s minds at ease.

“You are Mario’s uncle? Correct?” Jackson asked of Curtis Smith. “I just want you to know that I wronged your family. I received nothing, I was not paid. I took his life for the love of a friend.”

Jackson, who was convicted in 1993 for the murder-for-hire shooting death of 17-year-old Mario Stubblefield in Houston, was executed by lethal injection Wednesday night at the Huntsville Walls Unit.

He was pronounced dead at 6:21 p.m. CST.

Jackson’s co-defendant, Darryl Scott, paid him $200 in cash to kill Stubblefield as he was set to testify against Scott in an unrelated aggravated assault case.

To his friends and family, Jackson expressed his love for them and showed no fear of death.

“The calmness I was telling you about, I still have it,” he said. “I love you all. I just want you to know that. I’m all right. Make sure momma knows. All right?

“Jermaine, I love you, too, man.”

Tammy Butler, a friend of Jackson, could be heard crying and singing, thanking Jesus for her friend’s salvation and forgiveness.

In a press conference following the execution, Smith said he appreciated Jackson’s apology and that it provided closure for he and his family.

Smith, a Houston Police officer of 22 years, said he does not regret encouraging his nephew to testify against Scott.

“It’s bittersweet because he did the right thing and lost his life,” Smith said. “But with me being a police officer with Houston, I will still protect Mr. Jackson’s family and friends to prevent someone from doing this to someone else’s family.”

Jackson, 33, was the 23rd convicted killer executed this year in Texas.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon refused appeals to review Jackson’s case and block his execution.

Another condemned prisoner from Harris County is set to die next week.

Willie Marcel Shannon, 33, has a Nov. 8 execution date for a 1992 fatal carjacking in Houston.

Unknown to Shannon, his shooting victim had been in the witness protection program after testifying a decade earlier at drug trials in the Rio Grande Valley.



— The Associated Press contributed to this report.