In a statement before his execution, Lopez said, “I hope this execution helps my family and also the victim’s family. This was never meant to be, sure beyond my power. I can only walk the path before me and make the best of it. I’m sorry for putting you all through this. I am sorry. I love you. I am ready. May we all go to heaven.”
Witnesses report that after Lopez received the lethal injection, he took two deep breaths followed by two shallower breaths and then stopped moving completely.
David Dow, an attorney who represented Lopez, believes that Lopez’s “obvious and severe mental illness” prompted Lopez to use the legal system to commit suicide, citing Lopez’s “well-documented history of irrational behavior and suicidal tendencies” as proof.
Lopez’s attorneys also maintain that Lopez did not intentionally hit the officer, meaning the unintentional murder does not fall under the definition of capitol murder. In April, Lopez told the corpus Christi Caller-Times that he was at peace with his punishment and that, “It wasn’t on purpose. I killed a police officer because I tried escaping. And it was never intentional but I feel responsible.”
Article Appeared @http://kulturekritic.com/2015/08/news/texas-executes-man-whose-attorney-says-the-legal-system-helped-him-commit-suicide/