January 7, 1982 - Charles Brooks, Jr. Became the First Person Executed by Lethal Injection in the U.S.

[Pete]

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On this day, January 7, 1982, Charles Brooks, Jr., became the first person to be executed by lethal injection in the United States. His execution took place in Texas at the Huntsville Unit prison, marking a new era in the American criminal justice system.

Brooks was convicted of a 1976 crime in which he kidnapped and murdered a mechanic during a test drive of a car. He and an accomplice forced the mechanic to a motel room, where Brooks shot and killed him. While Brooks maintained his innocence, he was sentenced to death, and his case remains a significant moment in the history of capital punishment.

Fun Fact: Lethal injection was introduced as a more “humane” alternative to previous execution methods like the electric chair and gas chamber. Since Brooks’ execution, it has become the primary method of execution in the U.S.

What are your thoughts on the transition to lethal injection as the primary execution method? How has this case shaped discussions about capital punishment?