Herman Dale Ashworth (February 26, 1973 – September 27, 2005) was an American murderer who was executed by the U.S. state of

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

. He admitted to committing aggravated murder and aggravated

robbery Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or by use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the perso ...

in the death of Daniel L. Baker on September 10, 1996. Ashworth was executed by

lethal injection Lethal injection is the practice of injecting one or more drugs into a person (typically a barbiturate, paralytic, and potassium solution) for the express purpose of causing rapid death. The main application for this procedure is capital puni ...

at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility after spending 8 years, three months, and 11 days on death row. Ashworth and Baker first met at the Wagon Wheel, a bar in Newark, Ohio. They later went to another bar, and while returning to the Wagon Wheel at around 9 p.m., Ashworth led Baker into an alley where he brutally assaulted him with his fists, feet, and a 6-foot board. Ashworth claimed that Baker had made unwanted sexual advances towards him. Ashworth stole $40 and three credit cards from Baker's wallet and returned to the Wagon Wheel. Later, he took his then-girlfriend, Tanna Brett, to the alley and discovered that Baker was still alive. Ashworth left, saying he would ensure Baker could not identify him, while Brett returned to the alley and found Baker's body near a metal loading dock door. A deputy-coroner later testified that Baker's injuries were consistent with those caused by a high-speed traffic accident or plane crash. Baker's body was found at 3:45 a.m. by a couple walking their dog. Thirty minutes later, Ashworth made an anonymous

9-1-1 , usually written 911, is an emergency telephone number for the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Palau, Argentina, Philippines, Jordan, as well as the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), one of eight N11 codes. Like other emergency nu ...

call to inform the police of the beating. The call was traced, leading to Ashworth's arrest. At his trial, Ashworth pleaded guilty and waived his right to present mitigating evidence. His defense lawyer did not cross-examine any witnesses. In May 2005, he dismissed his lawyers who were attempting to save his life. On August 31, 2005, Ashworth refused to appear before a hearing of the

Ohio Parole Board Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, which subsequently recommended his execution. Ohio Governor Bob Taft issued a statement on September 23, denying clemency. Ashworth became the fourth Ohio prisoner to voluntarily drop his appeals since capital punishment was reinstated in the state in 1999. Due to

Hurricane Rita Hurricane Rita was the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Gulf of Mexico and the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. Part of the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, which included three of the top ten L ...

, his adoptive parents were unable to visit him before the execution, as they had not planned to witness it. For his

last meal A condemned prisoner's last meal is a customary ritual preceding execution. In many countries, the prisoner may, within reason, select what the last meal will be. Contemporary restrictions in the United States In the United States, most states gi ...

, Ashworth ordered two cheeseburgers with lettuce and mayonnaise, French fries with ketchup, and drank one

Dr Pepper Dr Pepper is a carbonated soft drink. It was created in the 1880s by pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and first served around 1885. Dr Pepper was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904. It is now also sold in Euro ...

and one

Mountain Dew Mountain Dew, stylized as Mtn Dew, is a carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in 1940 by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman. A revised formula was created by Bill Brid ...

. It took ten minutes for prison medical technicians to insert the catheter into his arm. In his

final statement A person's last words, their final articulated words stated prior to death or as death approaches, are often recorded because of the decedent's fame, but sometimes because of interest in the statement itself. (People dying of illness are frequen ...

, he said, "A life for a life, let it be done, and justice will be served." He was pronounced dead at 10:19 a.m. EST.

References

! colspan="3" , Executions carried out in Ohio , - ! colspan="3" , Executions carried out in the United States {{DEFAULTSORT:Ashworth, Herman 1973 births 2005 deaths 21st-century executions by Ohio People executed by Ohio by lethal injection Executed people from Louisiana

See also

References