Texas executes man who beat baby boy to death

[News_Editor]

Texas executes man who beat baby boy to death

2012-03-29 21:22:26 GMT+7 (ICT)

HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS (BNO NEWS) -- A Texas man was executed on late Wednesday for using a flashlight to fatally beat a 10-month-old boy whom he was babysitting in Dallas in April 2001, officials said. He is the twelfth person to be executed in the United States so far this year.

Jesse Joe Hernandez, 47, was pronounced dead at 6:18 p.m. local time at Huntsville Unit in Walker County. The execution by lethal injection took place about two hours after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a last-minute appeal in which Hernandez's attorneys argued that the victim would have survived if he had not been taken from life support.

The incident happened in April 2001 when the 11-month-old boy, Karlos Borja, and his 4-year-old sister were left in the care of Hernandez, who was living along with his wife of six years in the same house in Dallas as the two children and their 22-year-old mother who worked as a waitress.

Hernandez and his wife, who had moved in to the house several days earlier, were supposed to watch the children when their mother was at work. When the crime took place on April 11, Hernandez's wife had left the house to run some errands and was later told by Jesse that the children were sleeping.

Hours later, when the young mother returned from her work, the 4-year-old girl complained her head was hurting as a result of injuries to her face and head and was taken to a hospital by her mother. While the girl was being taken to the hospital, Hernadez's wife discovered Karlos' injuries and called paramedics to the house.

Karlos, who had a skull fracture and bruises to his head, thigh and abdomen, died a week after the attack when he was taken off life support. His sister survived the beating with swelling and bruises on her forehead, eyes and behind her ears.

After the boy's death, his mother lost legal custody of her daughter because prosecutors said she made a mistake by entrusting the care of her children to Hernandez, who had previously been sentenced to three years in prison for one count of indecency with a child and possession of a controlled substance, cocaine.

During the trial, prosecutors described Hernandez, who was linked to the fatal beating through traces of his DNA mixed with the boy's blood on a pillowcase and a jumper, as a "baby-killing, child-molesting, woman-beating ex-con." The jury took approximately 90 minutes to decide to sentence him to death in late 2002.

Hernandez had initially denied any role in the brutal attack, but he later admitted that he walked into the children's room with a flashlight and beat them for 'crying too much for nothing.' He said he 'exploded' in anger when the children continued to cry, after which he started hitting them.

Hernandez was the fourth person executed in Texas so far this year and the twelfth in the United States. According to the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC), Texas has executed more than four times as many people as any other state since the United States reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-03-29

[GentlemanJim]

Sometimes I really do see the odd benefit to sharia law. This guys passing was far too easy!

[flying]

Should have been death by being beaten with a flashlight wielded by the mother of the deceased baby

[creck]

I empathise with the comments. It made me feel mad to read the story. But the suggestions would do no good.

He must be kept away from children, and maybe this is the cheapest and nicest way for him. He cannot be free in society; being incarcerated for life is not a useful way to live, for him or us.

But, taking revenge will not stop it happening again. Such people cannot see why they should not act this way and do not see any possibility of being ‘caught’ (they say, for what?) and therefore ‘punishment’ is not anywhere near their mind.

An eye for an eye? The whole world would be blind.

The separation of the mother from her other child seems madness too. How was she to know this guy’s history?

[mpoppel]

Sometimes I really do see the odd benefit to sharia law. This guys passing was far too easy!

He doesn't sound too upset about it, reading his last statement (his last words as he was being executed):

"Tell my son I love him very much. God bless everybody. Continue to walk with God. Go Cowboys! Love ya'll man. Don't forget the T-ball. Ms. Mary, thank you for everything that you've done. You too, Brad, thank you. I can feel it, taste it, not bad."

From: http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_info/hernandezjesselast.html

[kurnell]

Hung, drawn, quartered

[GentlemanJim]

Sometimes I really do see the odd benefit to sharia law. This guys passing was far too easy!

He doesn't sound too upset about it, reading his last statement (his last words as he was being executed):

"Tell my son I love him very much. God bless everybody. Continue to walk with God. Go Cowboys! Love ya'll man. Don't forget the T-ball. Ms. Mary, thank you for everything that you've done. You too, Brad, thank you. I can feel it, taste it, not bad."

From: http://www.tdcj.stat...zjesselast.html

Mmmm, the official listening should have replied "your son will never know your name and you will face Gods wrath shortly".

Creck

I understand what you are saying but this is not about retribution, it is about deterrent. We all have to go sometime and lethal injection seems such a peaceful departure compared to the horror and fear experienced by the children, something that took one life and will destroy another as the consequences now effect the little girl for ever. Putting the guy on the rack would have been barbaric but the deterrent may have saved children in the future.

Kurnell

+1

[billd766]

Hung, drawn, quartered

Veeeeery, veeeeery slowly

[flying]

An eye for an eye? The whole world would be blind.

Hey I am all for justice & agree with the eye for an eye being a bad blanket policy.

But as a parent I have no sympathy for abusers of children what so ever.

This was many years ago 1985 & I saw it the day it happened on the news.

I remember saying YES! out loud. The convicted had kidnapped for weeks & sexually abused the shooters son

Also I was not dismayed when the father of the abused boy who did the shooting got off/suspended sentence

Edited March 30, 2012 by flying

[geriatrickid]

Sometimes I really do see the odd benefit to sharia law. This guys passing was far too easy!

might have gotten off under sharia. look at the mistreatment of foreign workers and how some are not punished.

Edited March 30, 2012 by Scott
formatting

[GentlemanJim]

Sometimes I really do see the odd benefit to sharia law. This guys passing was far too easy!

might have gotten off under sharia. look at the mistreatment of foreign workers and how some are not punished.

A fair point. I am thinking more along the lines of the stoning, lopping off of limbs, raised slowly with a rope round your neck kinda thing. All Friday activities that the victims families participate in and have a grand day out.

It is all overwhelmingly sad concerning the poor children, and this crap goes on everyday all over the world. I hope there is a vengeful God!