A death row prisoner who tortured his fiancée’s baby daughter to death during an “exorcism” has been executed.
Blaine Milam, 35, was administered a lethal injection after being condemned to death for the killing of 13-month-old Amora Carson in East Texas in 2008.
Before he was put to his death at the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville, Milam, whose execution had been postponed twice already, said: “I would like to give a special thanks to all of you for showing me kindness, compassion, empathy, love and support and believing in me.” The execution was held after David Pittman’s last meal and 3-word proclamation of innocence before execution was published.
“And if any of you would like to see me again, I implore all of you no matter who you are to accept Jesus Christ as you Lord and Savior and we will meet again. I love you all, bring me home Jesus.”
He added, “thank you for everything that y’all have done. I would also like to thank the directors of chaplaincy of TDCJ for opening up the faith base program on death row and allowed me to be accepted into it to find Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.”, reports the Daily Star.
Milam’s final meal comprised a cheeseburger, oven-fried potatoes, green beans, pinto beans, sliced bread, scrambled eggs, country gravy, a sausage patty, pears, biscuits, tea and water.
Prosecutors revealed Milam brutally attacked the girl with a hammer and also bit, strangled and mutilated her during a horrific 30 hour ordeal, which left her with multiple skull fractures, broken arms, legs, ribs, numerous bite marks and signs of sexual assault. He maintained his innocence, pointing the finger at the child’s mother, Jesseca Carson, for the murder.
He claimed that it was she who insisted the girl was demon-possessed.
Carson faced trial separately and received a life sentence without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of capital murder for aiding Milam. Both were 18 years old at the time.
Police were summoned to their Texas home in December 2008, where they discovered the horrifying sight of Amora’s body. The couple initially provided differing explanations for the toddler’s death.
They alleged that they had left the house and returned to find her injured, that she had consumed insulation, and later claimed they had performed an exorcism on the child.
Milam’s legal team appealed to the US Supreme Court to halt his execution, arguing that his conviction was partly based on “now-discredited” bite mark evidence and other unreliable DNA proof.
His lawyers also contended that he is intellectually disabled and therefore not eligible for execution, as executing intellectually disabled inmates is unconstitutional.
In their appeal to the Supreme Court, Milam’s lawyers suggested that Carson had experienced religious hallucinations and suffered from a neurological visual-perception disorder that led her to perceive malevolent distortions in her daughter’s face and attack her.
They stated: “It was Carson who caused her daughter’s death. There is no credible evidence that Milam played any role in it.”
Despite receiving two stays of execution in 2019 and 2021 to allow for appeals, Milam’s attempts were ultimately unsuccessful as he was deemed mentally fit for execution. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles unanimously refused to grant Milam clemency on Tuesday.
This marks the fifth execution in Texas this year, equalling the total number of executions in 2024.
Meanwhile, a second execution is scheduled for tonight in Alabama. Geoffrey West, aged 50, is set to be executed using a new method involving nitrogen gas.
He was found guilty of the 1997 murder of Margaret Parrish Berry during a petrol station robbery.
