Texas man executed for 2004 murder offers apology to victim's children before death
Houston: A 41-year-old man who was convicted of murdering a young mother over two decades ago was executed in Texas on Wednesday and spent his final moments apologizing to her children for the pain he had caused.
Moises Sandoval Mendoza was executed by lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville for murdering 20-year-old Rachelle O'Neil Tolleson in 2004. Court documents state that he raped Tolleson, killed her, and then burned her body and left it in a ditch. Her body was found days later.
Tolleson, mother of a five-month-old infant, had known Mendoza since high school. He pleaded guilty to the crime and petitioned to have his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment, but all legal options were ultimately exhausted. The U.S. Supreme Court denied his last appeal earlier on Wednesday.
In a statement released just before his execution, Mendoza spoke to the victim's family, stating, “To Avery… I robbed you of a mother. I’m sorry for that.” He conceded that no apology would make up for the damage he had inflicted, and he apologized to Tolleson's family.
His execution is the 13th in the United States this year. Although the means used to kill Mendoza was lethal injection, some of the most recent executions involved nitrogen gas and firing squads, tactics that have been strongly criticized by international human rights organizations. The death penalty is a point of national contention, with 23 U.S. states abolishing it and others holding moratoriums.
After the execution, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reaffirmed his belief in capital punishment, saying, "I will always do everything in my power to defend the law and hold criminals accountable."
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DK DC Mullai Muhilan transferred, Darshan HV to take charge; Swaroopa T K new DC of Udupi
Bengaluru, June 17 – In a significant bureaucratic reshuffle announced by the Karnataka Government on Tuesday, key changes have been made in the administration of several districts across the state, including Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.
As per the official notification issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), Darshan H V., IAS has been appointed as the new Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada District, Mangaluru. He replaces Mullai Muhilan M P., who has been transferred and posted as the Inspector General of Registration and Commissioner of Stamps, Bengaluru. Mullai Muhilan will now be relieving Pommala Sunil Kumar, IAS from concurrent charge.
Darshan H V. previously served as the Additional Commissioner for Commercial Taxes (Service Analysis Wing) in Bengaluru before being posted to Mangaluru.
Meanwhile, in Udupi district, Swaroopa T K, IAS has been appointed as the new Deputy Commissioner. She replaces Vidyakumari K, IAS, who has been transferred. Swaroopa T K. was earlier serving as the Director of E-Governance, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department in Bengaluru.
These changes are part of a larger reshuffle affecting several IAS officers across Karnataka, including new postings in Bagalkot, Hassan, Koppal, Davanagere, and Bengaluru, among others.
In total, over a dozen officers have been transferred and given new postings.
