Lockett's Family Speaks Out About Botched Execution

Lockett was convicted of rape and murder in 2000. To most he was just that; a murderer. But to his family he was a cousin, nephew and a son. They say he deserved to pay for his choices, just not like this.

Wednesday, April 30th 2014, 8:00 pm

By: News 9

Lockett's Family Speaks Out About Botched Execution

Clayton Lockett was convicted of rape and murder in 2000. To most he was just that; a murderer. But to his family he was a cousin, nephew and a son. They say he deserved to pay for his choices, just not like this.

No one from Lockett's family was present at his execution. But that was not their choice. It was Lockett's. He told them he did not know what the drugs would do to him. And he did not want his family to see the outcome.

"Two of a kind. Sisters. I'm so glad you're mine. You're special," said LaDonna Hollins.

While holding onto a 6-year-old Clayton Lockett, the woman who raised him since he was three, LaDonna Hollins was held by her sister.

"I don't care what your son or child has done. And we do not uphold the wrong. But that is still my son," said Hollins.

The last time Hollins saw her son was two days before his scheduled execution; a moment this family has come to terms with over the course of his 13 years on death row. But when Hollins heard her son died of a massive heart attack 43 minutes after his execution started, that's the moment she questions.

"Indescribable. Why the rush? He was going to die. Why not take enough time to test the drugs to make sure they were effective and did the job? I know they were meant to kill him, but not to torture him," Hollins said.

Lockett's first cousin Mathew Crandle spoke with Lockett several times while he was in prison and he repeatedly heard Lockett's concerns with the first time usage of the execution drugs.

"He said he didn't want to get hit up with no rat poison. He understood his situation and he understood what he did," said Crandle.

Now the family wants understanding from the state.

"It is killing me as a mom. We knew he had to pay," said Hollins.

"He did a bad thing. We recognize that. He recognized that. It's a constitutional wrong. That's what we're fighting against," said Crandle.

From here the family will look into hiring their own medical examiner as well as consider legal action against the state.