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Subscribe to RSSA convicted child sex offender was executed Wednesday in Texas for the beating death of a 10-month-old boy he was baby-sitting at a home in Dallas.
Jesse Joe Hernandez smiled and laughed at times before receiving a lethal injection for the slaying of Karlos Borja 11 years ago.
"God bless everybody. Continue to walk with God," the 47-year-old Hernandez said. Moments later, he shouted "Go Cowboys!" in honor of his favorite football team.
As the drugs took effect, the condemned man repeated his appreciation for those he knew who had gathered to witness the execution. "Love y'all, man," Hernandez said. "... Thank you. I can feel it, taste it. It's not bad."
He took about 10 deep breaths, which grew progressively weaker until he was no longer moving. Ten minutes later, at 6:18 p.m. CDT, he was pronounced dead.
No one related to the slain child attended the execution, the fourth this year in Texas. It was carried out about two hours after the U.S. Supreme Court denied last-ditch appeals for Hernandez.
Ten-month-old Karlos was taken to a Dallas hospital in April 2001 with a skull fracture and bruises to his head, thigh and abdomen. A week later, he was taken off life support and died. His 4-year-old sister had similar beating injuries to her head, ears and eyes but survived.
Hernandez's DNA was found in Karlos' blood on a pillowcase and on the child's clothing. The boy's sister drew stick figures for detectives to help describe her attack.
Hernandez denied beating the children but later told a detective he may have hit the boy with a flashlight. He did not include the flashlight reference in a written confession in which he said he "just exploded" and struck them with the back of his hand.
"They were being very bad by crying a lot for nothing," Hernandez wrote.
Howard Blackmon, the former assistant district attorney in Dallas County who prosecuted Hernandez, recalled seeing photos of the badly bruised boy connected to tubes while in the hospital and his sister's red, bruised forehead.
"I don't think Hernandez admitted to any intent to kill," he said. "He did admit to striking."
Jurors saw those images and also learned that Hernandez had a previous conviction for molesting a child and drug possession, had beat his ex-wife with a baseball bat, burned a girlfriend's child with cigarettes and was found with a shank while locked up in jail.
Court records showed Hernandez and his wife of six years had been living with the two children and their 22-year-old mother about three days in a Dallas house that had no running water. Hernandez and his wife were to watch the children while their mother was working as a waitress.
On April 11, 2001, Hernandez's wife left to run some errands. When she returned he told her the kids were sleeping and not to disturb them. Hours later, after their mother returned from work, the girl complained her head was hurting and the mother took her to a hospital. While they were gone, Hernandez's wife checked on Karlos, discovered his injuries and called paramedics. Police were then notified.
In trying to stop the execution, Hernandez's attorneys unsuccessfully argued that his trial lawyers were deficient because they didn't pursue evidence that the boy was prematurely removed from life support and had toxic levels of the drug pentobarbital in his blood. The same barbiturate is used in the execution process in Texas.
The attorneys also claimed an initial appeals lawyer did not investigate the case beyond the trial record and that failure cost Hernandez his lone opportunity to raise substantive legal claims following his conviction.
Brad Levenson, director of the Texas Office of Capital Writs, said a more thorough investigation could have shown Hernandez wasn't responsible for the child's death.
The Texas attorney general's office opposed any delay, questioning whether the high court even had jurisdiction in the case because constitutional claims weren't raised earlier in state courts.
At least six other condemned Texas inmates have execution dates scheduled for the coming months.
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One child killer down...how many more to go?
So long to bad rubbish!
I bet Jerry Jones cringed when he heard a child killer yelling that in the end.
"America's Team" indeed. While I loathe the Cowboys, it really can't compare to the white-hot rage I feel for anyone who hurts kids. Disgusting.
Lethal injection was too good for this animal.
Its too bad he can only be killed once.
Texas just got a bit more comfortable, but there is still much work to be done.
Just what Jerry Jones needs, another reason for people to hate the Cowboys (mine is that he made a show out of FIRING Tom Landry because you don't fire legends, they "retire").
A lethal injection was way to good for this sack of garbage. Not sure what should really be done with slime like this but the pure arrogance he demonstrated only shows that remorse or a conscience was not a part of his human profile.
another; Crazy Man bites the dust !!!..another one's gone, another one's gone..from top to bottom, there are sure a Lot of Bad Apples..RIP Karlos, We Love U......
You only wonder why it took Texas 11 yrs to execute this piece of scum.
Truly some people should NEVER have been born!
To gTouch - I doubt a money grubber like Jerry Jones gives a hoot about the baby or the murderer, unless he lost some money because of it.
Agreed with previous posts that a quiet lethal injection was too good for this unrepentent creep. I'm thinking tossing him into a pit of half-starved hyenas to be ripped apart, would have been closer to the justice this guy deserved.
Yeah he should have gotten kicked in the face with a metal boot.
If I was attending his execution, I would have yelled back... GO to HELL!!!
CatChick74, let us know when they get to you. We'll want to know who your favorite sports team is.
I would be anti death penalty, but those who hurt children make me feel different and I will happily carry out the punishment with my own two hands if asked.
Man, I love Texas.
This is a great example for the death penalty. A proven truly guilty person eliminated from society, for despicable heinous acts against these children.
Just add this to the long list of reasons I root against the Cowboys...
And now he's dead, so we can move on and not continue to be barbarians about it. I support the death penalty, and I find this a fitting case for it, but a civil society stops with the attacks after the person is deceased. There's nothing more to do here.
Alan Pugh,
By your logic, we should no longer impugn Adolf Hitler because he's dead.
Who would have thought a child might cry not knowing how to understand what he or she is feeling and not being able to explain. Nice.
Denver Bill, I'd like to introduce you to Godwin's Law.
"As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1."
Alan Pugh,
Allow me to intorduce you to Denver Bill's Observation: "It's much easier to deflect a criticism than to answer it."
"A" for effort. "C" for a moderately entertaining deflection. "F" for logic.
Alan Pugh why would you try to use logic on these topic it doesn't work this is like porn to these people can't you see they are getting off on this some one died it doesn't matter who does just as long as someone does God bless the good old USA
justice was served...
How many millions was spent in order to put this person to death. Jeffrey Dahmer didn't get the death penalty, the state didn't have to spend years and millions trying to put him to death, yet he is just as dead.
Actually, the lethal injection itself only cost $86.06
What has cost millions of dollars is the 11 years this animal stayed alive and all the opportunities to repeal his death sentence, which of course was all wasteful spending...
A life sentence also would have cost millions, as well as tied up the space to house another violent offender. If, on the other hand they'd have just fulfilled the sentence 11 years ago, the total cost would have been $86.06. Well, that plus the cost of his final meal...
Leave it to Texas to install an express lane on death row.
Let's play devils advocate here...
Granted, the guy was a total scumbag. That part we can accept as fact. The problem I have though is that the death penalty is reserved for first degree murder. In a first degree murder case, you have to show premeditation of intent. Without reading the trial transcript and only the article above, it seems pretty clear to me that there was no premeditation.
Based on the law, I ask my fellow Newsviner's the following: Did he deserve to be put to death based on the law (premeditation) or should he have been incarcerated for the rest of his life? Did Texas act to abruptly in putting down a scum-bag because it seemed all too convenient for society or did this case stand up to the litmus test of guilt in the first degree?
Please comment...
Yeh, Ya know, there were probably a number of things the courts missed along the way but I think when you have a person with this many priors and so many obvious problems I think the best thing we can do for them, their families, and our society is just to line them up & put them to sleep. Sadly, so many of their victims will have to suffer throughout their lives before they will find the same peace the death penalty has given to this man.
So of all the things he said before he dies "Go Cowboys" is what the media runs with.....
Bob-429579
In Texas the death penalty is reserved for Capital Murder not first degree murder. That includes killing someone under 10 years of age.
@Bob,
To elaborate on what Chuck says, The Texas Penal Code (19.03) allows the death penalty for anyone convicted of Criminal Homicide with 1 of 9 aggravating circumstances. Aggravating circumstance #8 is the murder of anyone under the age of 6. Based on the law, he was eligible for the death penalty. Whether or not he deserved it is up to the individual. Personally, I think he did.
Famous last words of Barbara Graham, a woman who was, in hindsight, almost certainly innocent of the crime for which she was executed:
"Good people are always so sure they're right."
I tend to agree with Alan Pugh. We need to stop living in the past.
do any of you people realize this only made the news because he said go cowboys? what a stupid sick world
Bob-429579
If this was my kid that died i would want him dead million times over. And i am not big with the death sentence. But when it comes to children i have no sympathy.
God bless the state of Texas. It's too bad we can't ship them all to this state.
At least they get the job done!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is a baby killer! If he loves the Cowboys that much, then do them a favor and don't associate yourself with them. I am sure they don't appreciate having their name in his mouth..... stupid cretin! Burn in hell
This took 11 years to rid society of this monster.
i agree,if they could just speed up the process
Yea really, we could of saved 11 years of wasted tax money with a 30 cent .45 round to the head.
Be glad this is Texas if this child killer was in California he would never get the death he richly deserves.
child killers and rapists deserve quick execution once they have been found guilty with no doubt.
Texas doesn't screw around and I wish California did the same 8( to these monsters.
Yes, let's speed things up; after all, if a wrong person is ever killed, that's acceptable as long as we're emotionally satisfied, eh?
I said with no doubts 8)
DNA evidence(blood, bodily fluids etc.. linking the child molester or killer to the victim.
Texas recently released a man that had been on death row for 25 years due to DNA evidence proving his innocence. Had the speed of his execution been on par with this offender's case, the state would have executed an innocent man. While I certainly will not grieve for Hernandez, expediency does not trump truth when you're talking about the state taking a life. The offender can always be executed after all legal avenues are pursued, but if factually innocent, can't be set free once in the ground.
Once someone is convicted and sentenced there should be no multi-year wait for execution of the sentence. It's no wonder the penal system is going broke and state governments are going to the privatization of the penal system....... which will only make matters worse.
Hey, Tater...how advanced was DNA evidence gathering/testing 25 years ago?
Glad the innocent man is now free, but I think we're getting a bit more reliable with the DNA evidence these days.
"Yes, let's speed things up; after all, if a wrong person is ever killed, that's acceptable as long as we're emotionally satisfied, eh?"
I am willing to take that chance and if I was wrongfully executed and it helped rid the world of this scum and get the message out that we do not mess around when it comes to children I will rest in peace.
Since we're so big on outsourcing of jobs to China, why don't we send our prisons over there along with the convicted scum? They don't dick around with executions. Their appeals are expedited. Within 3 months of being sentenced to death their convicted prisoners get a bullet to the back of the neck. Just what Americans constantly clamor for!
Actually Merlin, that's a pretty good idea you have there!
ESPECIALLY these people that confess to the murder! why sit on death row for years???
Merlin: do you know they also charge the family of the executed for cost of the bullet ?
Wonder how many millions were executed as enemies of the state during the "cultural revolution." How many more just disappear now ?
Also, do we really want to be exporting more jobs to China ? After all, Prison, Inc. is no doubt a big contributor to the GOP throughout the South. Can't have those corporations going under.
@John
Yea really, we could of saved 11 years of wasted tax money with a 30 cent .45 round to the head.
If you handload, you can knock that down to 15 cents.
You mean could HAVE.....
Yep, nothing more American than apple pie and a little bloodlust with your bullet.
Many thanks to the great state of TX.
3, 5 deleted, klone and Vic Nardozza, L.A. Gumshoe extrapolation-trolling, respectively, 'all the other christians who make comments here' and 'All Dallas Cowboy fans'. That's garbage. You're each suspended for a day for violating #5 of the Code of Honor.
I guess tyler's a Cowboys fan . . .
To quote Ron White, "Some states are trying to abolish the death penalty, but my state just put in a quick lane." Don't mess with Texas!
Ugh, do be quiet.
F___k TEXAS!!!!!!!! When i visit i'm gonna find the first redneck i can find and cap his arss!
Doug Oates = Troll
douglas-
way to be a bigot.
r u wearing a hoodie?
The only problem with this "quick lane" stuff, is that Texas has exonerated a number of people who have been found innocent of commiting some very serious crimes.
Quick lane justice can often lead to mistakes. I would rue the day that this quick lane form of justice would apply to you, or a member of your family, only to discover they were innocent, after they had been convicted and executed.
It's a great idea for politicians running for office; but, we're dealing with people's lives here.
This has nothing to do with a person such as the man who was executed for admittedly killing a child. He deserved what he got.
Counting down the seconds before 6.2 gets banned forever
"Don't Mess With Texas" was originally an anti-littering slogan.
I guess that's better than "F U all and the horse you rode in on too"!........ Hope he enjoys his express lane to Hell......they are waiting with a "special reception" just for him!
wonder if he'll be watching the Cowboys' where he is going??
Nope. Just Redskins and a continous loop of Montana to Clark ...
JustBiden,
Theologically speaking, once he was executed he paid the penalty for his crime, as assigned by the authorities given their powers by God (you know, the bound on earth, bound in heaven rules?). At that point he & God are square (barring other unpunished offenses!). So you'll have to settle with having killed him here on earth. If he is going to go on the "express lane to hell" it will be for something else that you have no clue about. You may want to alert your fellow x-tians about this so you can cease and desist bothering the Big Guy and begging him to break the rules. Honestly, he must have a hell of a headache listening to all of that pointless blather masquerading as prayers. Tut tut, praying evil on someone- thats usually called black magic or witchcraft. ;>)
;>)
Your opinion......and its wrong........I am an atheist..........moving right along..........and have a nice day! By the way, look up the definition of "Hell"......it can be many, many things!
To quote Sartre: Hell is other people.
Judging from the bloodlust dripping from these comments, I'd say he had a point.
Does it bother anyone else that there are lawyers who will defend someone like this? And over a technicality?
It is no wonder our government is so @!$%#ed up when we hire lawyers to represent us. I mean no offense to good lawyers but what the hell.
Even the scum deserve a defense.
Justice demands it.
If there weren't, our justice system would not work. If only "good people" had lawyers we'd be in trouble.
I believe justice was done and over with at conviction, and morality would say walk away and say goodbye. Beating a dead horse won't make it walk again.
And I am not talking about defense during trial, I agree with that. It is spending 11 years defending a man they knew was guilty.
No. That's a defense attorney's job, rather he/she likes the client or not. It's our system of justice...equal representation before the law. It's called duty.
Why would there be an obligation when there is a confession? Your no longer arguing guilt, your arguing semantics.
Double-Tap.....no its called a waste and stupid
Confessions are the most contested form of proof next to eye witness statements. It is estimated that 25% of those released from prison due to DNA proof of innocence gave a false (coerced) confession. Don't take my word for it; quick google search for false confessions will take you to the Innocent Project's web site. Also available are a list of characteristics that some people have that make them easily duped into giving a false confession.
As to attorney's representing individuals throughout the appeals process; it is necassary. We have procedures in place that include gauranteed rights to appeal and review where the death penalty is given.
JustaMom-3593600
I understand that. The problem I have is that because of political correctness, we create one hundred laws to protect the guilty, to every one that protects the innocent. The money saved in court costs alone should have instead been given to the mother of the girl who's life was devastated by what this man did. Now that would have been Justice.
It's a defense attorney's job to make sure his defendant gets a fair trial. This has been perverted to mean that it is a defense attorney's job to make sure guilty people go free.
It shouldn't bother you at all; everyone at least deserves representation. John Adams was deeply criticized for representing the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre.
Invisibleswordsman, there is a difference between representing a client and lieing to get a guilty client off.
InvisibleSwordsman
I never stated that he didn't deserve representation. That is the basis for due process. What I did state was that when guilt is determined beyond a shadow of a doubt by a jury, it should be definitive. And all the technicalities in the world will not change whether the person committed the crime. They can only determine whether they get away with it.
What I did state was that when guilt is determined beyond a shadow of a doubt by a jury, it should be definitive.
That's what the appeal process is for.
When someone's life is on the line, I think it's important for the defense to exhaust every available measure to save the life of their client.
I guess we simply have a different world view and think that it is a waste of energy and resources and the world would have been a better place without him 10 years ago.
John: that we have a different world view is evidenced by your opinion that it is 'political correctness' involved in wanting to guarantee representation to the accused (which would mean that our bill of rights was a PC document), that there are more laws to protect the 'criminal' than the victim (laughable), and that it's a problem that we don't kill people more quickly - which is not bloodlust, no, it's just 'fiscal responsibility'.
Let's see, starting with name calling and then moving on to a barely disguised lust for violence...I'll go out on a limb and assume you're a good ol' American conservative.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy........Any person who beats on defenseless children deserves whatever they get.......
Lets bring back public stonings for these types of crimes.
Yeah, and you can throw the first stone, just like Jesus wanted.
Hasta la vista amigo. May hell have a special place for you.
This execution only took 11 years. Countless others take 20-30-35 years to take place. It still took too long but at least there is one less child molesting, wife beating, abusive murderer to worry about.
Yeah, he was a threat to worry about all right, locked away in a jail cell. I mean, he could still think about child molestation, dream of beating his wife, even fantasize about committing murder! Gives you chills...
Na, na, nana...Na, na, nana...Hey, hey, heeey... goooodbye!!
Glad he's gone, but I'm pissed it took 11 years! How much money did this loser suck from us, the tax payers?
Exactly Beethovenfan! Our money gave that piece of crap 3 meals a day and a roof over his head for 11 freaken years!
Yeah, and he gets off scot free, all he has to do is forced labor, cavity searches, s**t in public, and take a pounding from the local queens now and again. Luckily we thought ahead and made sure he can't have coffee, or he'd have been in club Med!
There are no football where hes going
There are no grammar where we is now
i can haz an lethel injekshun?
Go Cowboys. Well, they say there is no such thing as bad publicity.
I wonder if death row inmates have agents who shop their last words around to the ad agencies - they could arrange a nice trust for their families.
Gotta love lawyers...trying to place the blame on the doctors for the boy's death. Criminals in this country are given way too many second chances. Our justice system is so incredibly broken.
Actually, the system would be broken if criminals DIDN'T have lawyers. Or maybe you prefer a gulag. Oh, wait. We already have those too.
One less monster to prey on our kids. I only wish that this sucker shouldn't have even had a chance for last words. His victims certainly didn't get that right...
And dragging the Cowboys into it? Just no class. But then, what do you expect from a criminal?
But the, what do you expect from a Cowboys fan?
Why is it that children, the most precious gem the earth can produce, is continually preyed upon by those who by all means know better. There have been far too many stories of this nature in recent years and I wonder what it says about a society that preys upon its childern. I pray for the child and his family, and for the killer as well, as he must now face Gods judgement and his wrath. There, vengeance will be had, and I pity him for it! God forgive him and us all!
Prey on children, pray for children.... tomato, tomahto.
Pray for us all! Potato, patahto
You say potato and I say tomato.
You say potato, Dan Quayle says potatoe
See, I wonder what it says about society that it is not enough to execute someone; rather, we should (just quoting some posters here) kick him in the face with a metal boot, cut him open and pull him apart with ropes tied to horses, bury him to his neck and stove his head in with rocks, force him to undergo continuous homosexual rape until dead, etc.
Actually, I don't have to wonder what it says about our society. It says I need a big gun, in case the righteous rednecks ever come looking for me.
Go Texas.
Very PC header he was a child killer !!!!!
Injection was far too good for this disgusting pig. They should have dragged him behind a horse
Yeah, let's just get rid of all of the amendments except for the 2nd one.
Nardfather
"Injection was far too good for this disgusting pig"
Dont call this scumbag a pig! Pigs are intelligent, social, friendly aninmals that would not dream of beating/molesting a child!
And don't forget bacon comes from pigs. Nothing better than bacon!!
Ahhhh, nothing like a little bloodlust in the morning.
Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. I'm just shocked.
I mean....
The Cowboys...?
the only fans they can get...
Looks like they should have executed him a long long time ago.Let's hear it for Texas.They know how to get rid of scum like this.It's time EVERY STATE follows their lead!!! GO COWBOYS!!!
Bloodlust sure is fun, huh?
It's fun in theory, at least for these posters. But of course, if we ever took their advice and started up public executions again, the death penalty would become extinct very quickly. Killing people is only fun in movies, video games and revenge fantasies.
good riddance to this evil a hole who committed these grievous offenses. and he also killed an innocent child.
A terrible thing - but really, if the mother had children responsibly - with someone who would support them, in a situation that was safe (living with this older couple with no running water, then having to run out to waitress while leaving her children with this obviously unsafe individual), then this little boy would still be alive. Certainly not politically correct to point this out - but wise mothers teach their daughters this. I and my children are safe, and I will see to it that their children are safe as well, by teaching, example, and being at their disposal if they need. But it is unlikely they will need it, as they have learned this early on. I would support any programs, education, etc. that would help women like this boy's mother pull themselves out of situations like this so little boys are not forced to be cared for by terrible men like this.
You do not know this womans situation; this may have been the only option for her. She might not have known that this man was a danger or that he was left alone with her children. Maybe the father of her children died and left her no support, maybe she made bad choices. Don't judge, you know, glass houses and all.
As for supporting the programs to end this sort of thing, please do. Write your congressmen and representatives and tell them that child abuse legislation needs much more government support and that single parents need real help, not to wait in lines to fill out forms just to be turned away. Each voice that speaks up and demands that our children be counted by our government is one more voice that can make a difference. I write letters regularly and send emails to everyone I can think of to support better laws to PREVENT child abuse. We need to be proactive, not reactive.
someone- exactly.
Tera- "If the mother had children responsibly" Are you kidding me? Do you know this woman? Maybe she was married and he left her! Maybe she was married and he died! Maybe some crazy circumstance prompted her to flee (perhaps her wonderful husband turned out to be abusive). Do I know if any of these are the case? Nope, no idea. But neither do you. You have no idea that when she had her kids, she wasn't doing the responsible thing at the time. Things change. Cirucumstances change. And you do the best you can to get by.
Every mothers' life is not wine and roses. Life happens. When you have two young mouths to feed you do what you have to do. Do you honestly think the mother knew this guy's history and left the kids with him anyway? I am sure that not a day goes by that she does not regret her decision.
Go to he+double hockey sticks! Nobody will miss you and most will wish you never were born.
Huh?
I'll never understand why, at the 11th hour, after years of numerous legal maneuvers and appeals, certain folks begin to assert the killer, who in this case admitted striking the children, was not the person responsible.
Good riddance.
I agree 100% there. It may be hard to evaluate the case through a few paragraphs given here, but I wouldn't lose any sleep with this scum bag being executed. It does irk me though to see someone like Brad Levenson would try to stop this. I wonder if Brad would he let this guy babysit his own children if he was so certain?