Mr. Flanagan, 28 years old, was executed for two 1987 murders in Las Vegas after Gov. Bob Miller rejected a last-minute petition from the American Civil Liberties Union for a stay.
Mr. Flanagan confessed to the murders of two men after he was arrested in Orange, Calif., for jaywalking. He said he strangled and dismembered a 45-year-old chef, James Lewandowski, who had befriended him after he lost all his money drinking and gambling. Four days later, he said, he strangled a pianist, Albert Duggins, 59, after Mr. Duggins offered him a ride.
In a seven-page statement, he disclosed that he hated his own homosexuality. He said it was difficult for him to determine what made him kill men he thought were homosexual, but ''the thought that I would be doing some good for our society crossed my mind.''
As five guards strapped him to a stretcher in the death chamber at the Nevada State Prison, he smiled and told the prosecutor, Dan Seaton, ''I love you.''
''He has said it before,'' said Mr. Seaton, Deputy District Attorney of Clark County. ''He means it in terms of Christian love and forgiveness.
It was the second execution in five days in Nevada and the nation's 114th since the Supreme Court ruling of 1976 that allowed states to resume the use of capital punishment.
*****
CARSON CITY, Nev., June 23 (AP) - Sean Patrick Flanagan, who said he thought he was doing society a service by killing homosexuals, was executed by injection early Friday.
Mr. Flanagan, 28 years old, was executed for two 1987 murders in Las Vegas after Gov. Bob Miller rejected a last-minute petition from the American Civil Liberties Union for a stay.
Mr. Flanagan confessed to the murders of two men after he was arrested in Orange, Calif., for jaywalking. He said he strangled and dismembered a 45-year-old chef, James Lewandowski, who had befriended him after he lost all his money drinking and gambling. Four days later, he said, he strangled a pianist, Albert Duggins, 59, after Mr. Duggins offered him a ride.
Hatred for Himself
In a seven-page statement, he disclosed that he hated his own homosexuality. He said it was difficult for him to determine what made him kill men he thought were homosexual, but ''the thought that I would be doing some good for our society crossed my mind.''
As five guards strapped him to a stretcher in the death chamber at the Nevada State Prison, he smiled and told the prosecutor, Dan Seaton, ''I love you.''
''He has said it before,'' said Mr. Seaton, Deputy District Attorney of Clark County. ''He means it in terms of Christian love and forgiveness.
''I think he believes he is a Christian, but from God's perception, no,'' Mr. Seaton added. ''I'm sure he'd kill again.'' #114th Execution in U.S. Since '76 The prisoner spent his last hours reading the Bible. He was declared dead eight minutes after the lethal injection was made at 2:01 A.M.
It was the second execution in five days in Nevada, and also Nevada's fourth and the nation's 114th since the Supreme Court ruling of 1976 that allowed states to resume the use of capital punishment.
Governor Miller said he would not intervene and added that Mr. Flanagan had appeals available if he wanted to stop the execution.
Mr. Flanagan said in an interview Wednesday that he would not appeal because he had to pay his debt to society. But he maintained, ''After giving my life to Jesus, I couldn't hurt anybody again.''
He apologized to the families of his victims. He said, ''I hope they'll understand my execution is proper and just.''