Jamaal Howard, 46, was executed in Texas on Wednesday, becoming the first death row inmate put to death in the US since Christa Pike survived a botched execution attempt last week. Howard was pronounced dead at 8:03 p.m. local time after receiving a fatal dose of pentobarbital at the state prison in Huntsville.
Conviction and Final Hours
Howard was convicted of capital murder in the 2000 killing of Vickie Swartout, 42, who was shot once in the chest during a store robbery. Evidence presented at trial included the store’s surveillance video showing Howard shooting Swartout. Howard, who was 20 at the time, took $114 and a carton of cigarettes from the store in Silsbee, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of Houston, according to court records.
On the day of his execution, Howard was described as “chatty” during the 45-mile (70-kilometer) drive from death row to the Huntsville Unit, said Amanda Hernandez, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. “He made small talk with the officers through the whole trip,” she said. Once inside the prison, he remained talkative in a holding cell near the death chamber. “He was asking questions and was very engaged in the process,” Hernandez added.
Legal Challenges Before Execution
Because Texas planned to use the same drug—pentobarbital—that was used in Pike’s attempted execution, Howard’s attorneys argued to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals that the drug poses similar risks. They also raised concerns about the quality of the state's execution drugs. The court denied the stay request without elaboration.
Prior to the execution, his attorneys also argued that Howard is intellectually disabled and that his execution should be halted. The state said he had not presented evidence showing he meets the requirements for a claim of intellectual disability.
Final Statement and Context
Asked by the warden if he had a final statement, Howard apologised profusely to members of his victim’s family who watched through a window.
His execution follows last week’s failed attempt to execute Christa Pike in Tennessee. The 50-year-old survived after officials administered two sets of syringes containing pentobarbital during the September 30 procedure. Pike was later taken to hospital, where her lawyers revealed this week that she had regained consciousness and was able to speak. Her legal team said the failed execution caused severe damage to her arms after officials repeatedly struggled to establish IV access, with the lethal drug entering surrounding tissue instead of her bloodstream, leaving swelling, burns and blistering.
Pike’s attorneys said: “Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious, speaking, and continues to receive critical medical care. Despite the severe damage she endured to her arms, she is still handcuffed and shackled to the bed. Her recovery is medically unprecedented. Her prognosis remains unclear but, at a minimum, we expect a long recovery.”
Texas has executed six people so far this year, with two more lethal injections scheduled after Howard. He is the 30th person executed nationwide in 2026.
