Former Altar Boy Executed in S. Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. —  Convicted murderer Joseph Carl Shaw, a former altar boy and military policeman who blamed his violence on drug abuse, was electrocuted Friday in South Carolina’s first execution in 23 years.

Shaw, who was convicted of murdering two teen-agers, was pronounced dead at 5:16 a.m. at the Central Correctional Institution.

In his final statment, the 29-year-old condemned man thanked his family, religious counselors, attorneys and well-wishers and apologized to his victims’ families.

But he also said: “To all those who sought my death and to Gov. (Richard) Riley (who refused his clemency pleas), I hope you learn from your mistake. Killing was wrong when I did it. It is wrong when you do it. . . . May God bless and forgive you all.”

Shaw pleaded guilty with James Terry Roach and Ronald Mahaffey to killing Thomas Taylor, 17, then raping and killing Taylor’s 14-year-old girlfriend, Carlotta Hartness, on Oct. 29, 1977. Roach is on Death Row. Mahaffey is serving a life term in prison.

Shaw also confessed to killing Betty Swank, 21, 12 days before the other slayings. He received the death penalty for the Taylor-Hartness slayings and a life sentence for Swank’s death.

Outside the prison fences in near-freezing cold, about 40 proponents of the death penalty counted down the execution. One carried a sign: “Burn, Baby, Burn.” Foes of capital punishment held candlelight vigils and a prayer service the night before.

Stephen Bright of Atlanta, Shaw’s chief lawyer, said the condemned man was calm throughout his final hours and even joked with those around him as he was being prepared for the execution.

Shaw spent Thursday in a death house holding cell playing Trivial Pursuit with his mother, stepfather and two half-brothers. He ate a last meal of pizza and tossed salad.

Shaw received the first jolt of 2,400 volts of electricity at 5:08 a.m. and a second one-minute surge of 2,300 volts after a 10-second pause, Deputy Corrections Commissioner Doug Catoe said.

South Carolina became the 12th state to resume executions since capital punishment was reinstated in 1976. Shaw was the 35th person to be put to death since then and the fourth in two weeks.