The federal government continued its series of post-election federal executions Friday by killing Alfred Bourgeois, the second Black man killed in 24 hours by the government (article available here). Mr. Bourgeois, 56, was pronounced dead at 8:21 p.m. Eastern Standard Time at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana.
His lawyers argued Mr. Bourgeois had an IQ that puts him in the intellectually disabled category, saying that should have made him ineligible for the death penalty under federal law. The Supreme Court denied his application for a delay of the execution. Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor voted to grant the application.
Mr. Bourgeois was the 10th person to be executed since federal executions was resumed in July, during a pandemic -- a decision that has been fraught with controversy. His execution came nearly 24 hours after the execution of Brandon Bernard, whose execution drew ire from lawyers, national and international organizations, clergies, celebrities, and politicians who fought until the end to halt the execution.
There are currently 53 people on federal death row: 23 Black men, 21 White men, seven Latino men, one Asian man and one White woman, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.