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CNN Live Event/Special

McVeigh Officially Dead at 8:14 A.M. Eastern in U.S. Penitentiary, Terre Haute

Aired June 11, 2001 - 08:28   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Warden Lappin is now walking up to the podium now, walking onto the center stage. Let's listen now.

HARLEY LAPPIN, WARDEN, U.S. PENITENTIARY, TERRE HAUTE: I'm Harley Lappin, warden here at the United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute. The U.S. marshal is still on the execution facility completing his protocol responsibilities.

The court order to execute inmate Timothy James McVeigh has been fulfilled. Pursuant to the sentence of the United States District Court in the District of Colorado, Timothy James McVeigh has been executed by lethal injection. He was pronounced dead at 7:14 a.m., Central Daylight Time. McVeigh's body will be released to a representative of his family.

I'll now take a few questions and then the news media, who witnessed the execution, will provide you with their observations.

QUESTION: What were his final words, sir?

LAPPIN: Inmate McVeigh did not make a final statement. I have provided to the press a written statement he provided to me and I've asked them to share that with you.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

LAPPIN: I'm sorry?

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) calm?

LAPPIN: The question is, what was his demeanor?

Inmate McVeigh was calm throughout the entire process. He cooperated entirely during the time he was restrained in the execution holding cell to the time he walked into the execution room. He stepped up on to a small step and sat down on the table where (ph) he then positioned himself -- he then positioned himself for us to apply the restraints. He cooperated throughout this entire process.

QUESTION: Since this was your first execution, what feelings did you have watching this?

LAPPIN: As you've heard me say before, I anticipated this to be a very difficult thing to do, and it was.

LAPPIN: But I think today my thoughts and prayers are with the many victims of this tragedy in Oklahoma City.

QUESTION: Is there any reaction from family members?

LAPPIN: I'd also like to say I have great appreciation for the citizens and the community leaders of Terra Haute who supported us and provided us assistance throughout this entire process, and to the many federal, state and local law enforcement officials who partnered with us as we completed this execution.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

LAPPIN: I don't remember the exact time of the drugs that were introduced, but we can provide that to you once we've taken a look at the log.

QUESTION: Did everything go as planned? Did it all go according to your schedule? And did everything go well?

LAPPIN: Everything went as planned except for one issue. We initially had slight difficulty gaining a transmission -- or a good transmission to Oklahoma City, so it took us a couple of minutes to resolve the problem, at which time we started up again after we gained a good transmission.

QUESTION: Do you know about how long that took?

LAPPIN: There were no complications after the transmission was started.

QUESTION: Could you please tell us how many IVs you used?

LAPPIN: We used one.

One more.

QUESTION: Where was it?

LAPPIN: The IV was placed in his right leg.

Thank you.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Again, Harley Lappin, the prison warden. Time of death, 7:14 local time; that's 8:14 Eastern time.

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