Execution Report: Richard Masterson

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Jurors were instructed that they could find Masterson guilty of manslaughter if they believed that Honeycutt's death was unintentional. Instead, in April 2002, the jury found him guilty of capital murder.

Under Texas law, when a defendant is found guilty of capital murder and the state is seeking the death sentence, the jury is asked to decide whether the defendant is a future danger to society and whether there are any mitigating circumstances that would warrant the lesser sentence of life in prison. At his punishment hearing, Masterson, wearing orange jail clothes by his own choice, testified that he was a future danger and there were no mitigating circumstances, so the jury should sentence him to death "if they're following the law." He testified that he would hurt any guard or other inmate necessary to protect himself or his property "if that arises, yes I will, and I'm sure within 40 years, it will arise sometimes."

"You're positive there's no way you could stay in prison probably even for a year without getting violent again, right?" the prosecutor asked.

"Probably not. Probably not even a month."

Deputy Urick testified that when he confronted Masterson in jail about not picking up his food tray, Masterson told him he would "choke you like I choke my victims."

Other testimony indicated that Masterson had assaulted and injured his cellmates in Michigan and Houston on three separate occasions. "Most of the time, they deserved it," he asserted.

Deedra Foster testified that in 1999, Masterson, who she was dating while living in Michigan, flew into a fit of jealous rage after she received a telephone call from an unknown person. According to Foster, Masterson ripped the phone from the wall, struck her in the head, and threatened to kill her if she called the police. Later that night, he returned and broke down the back door of her house. She ran into her bedroom and called the police. He then broke the bedroom door and came in and began beating and choking her. Masterson said he would beat her to death before the police arrived, but the police arrived quickly and arrested him.

Foster further testified that she moved to South Carolina and moved around frequently so Masterson could not find her, but in April 2000, he walked into her house, stating he found her. She then moved to Houston. Foster testified that she believed Masterson moved to Houston to find her again.

On cross-examination, Masterson acknowledged that most of Foster's testimony was accurate.

The jury sentenced Masterson to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence in February 2005. All of his subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.

In his appeals, Masterson's lawyers repeated his claim at trial that Honeycutt's death was accidental, and they portrayed his confessions as the products of coercion, depression, or being improperly advised of his rights. They also restated the belief that Honeycutt died of a heart attack, rather than strangulation. Masterson was not on the same page as his attorneys, however. "I meant to kill him," he wrote in a 2012 letter to then-Attorney General Greg Abbott. "It was no accident."

More recently, in an interview with the Houston Chronicle, Masterson said, "I never admitted I murdered anybody." He also said, though, that he "accepts responsibility" for his actions and that his upcoming execution would "free me from Hell."

"I'm all right with this," Masterson said in his last statement at his execution. "Sometimes you have to live and die by the choices you make. I made mine, and I'm paying for it." He said he was being sent "to a better place." He then mouthed a kiss to friends and relatives who were watching, and told them he loved them, and told the warden he was ready. The lethal injection was then started. He was pronounced dead at 6:53 p.m.

By David Carson. Posted on 21 January 2016.
Sources: Texas Attorney General's office, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, court documents, Associated Press, Houston Chronicle.