An Oklahoma death row inmate has confessed to deserving execution for the horrific acts he committed against a young girl.
The man, known for his cannibalistic tendencies, made this admission during his court appearance as he sought clemency from the death penalty.
Kevin Ray Underwood, 44, appeared before the Pardon and Parole Board, which unanimously rejected his request for clemency on Friday.
Underwood has been on death row for nearly ten years, sentenced for the brutal murder of Jamie Rose Bolin, his 10-year-old neighbor.
He manipulated the girl into coming to his residence, where he struck her with a chopping board and subsequently suffocated her.
Described as ‘deeply evil,’ Underwood’s crimes extended to nearly decapitating the girl in his bathtub.
The murder was reportedly part of a disturbing cannibalistic and sexual fantasy. Although he did not consume the girl, he confessed to attempting sexual acts with her body.
He stated in court, “I recognize that although I do not want to die … I deserve to for what I did,” as reported by local media.
He added, “And if my death could … change what I did, I would gladly die.”
Underwood expressed remorse to Jamie’s family and his own, stating, “I can’t believe I did those things.”
He claimed, “The person I was in the weeks leading up to that event is not who I am now.”
Attorney General Gentner Drummond labeled him ‘a deeply evil monster’ and supported the board’s decision to deny his clemency.
“Justice will be delivered for Jamie Rose Bolin,” he asserted.
Underwood’s defense argued for clemency, citing his extensive mental health issues.
The assistant Attorney General countered, stating, “Mr. Underwood chose Jamie because he thought that she was small and defenseless and easy prey.
“And while we, as an enlightened society, can give grace to those struggling with mental illness, we can still expect them to refrain from planning the murder, rape, torture, and cannibalism of 10-year-old little girls.”
Underwood is now scheduled for execution via a three-drug lethal injection.
This will be the 25th and final execution of the year.
Michelle Lyons, a journalist who has witnessed nearly 300 executions at Texas State Penitentiary, Huntsville Unit, details the execution process in her book ‘Death Row: The Final Minutes: My life as an execution witness in America’s most infamous prison.’
According to Lyons, “On the day of an execution, the inmate is given four hours to meet with their family and friends in the morning. Then, once those visits conclude they are loaded into a van and taken from the Polunsky Unit in Livingston, which is where all of Texas death row for men [are housed].”
At the ‘death chamber,’ inmates undergo a strip search, receive new clothes, and have their fingerprints taken.
“The inmate is then given tea, coffee, and a big plate of cookies, while they’re also allowed to call anyone in the continental United States before their death. They usually meet with a chaplain, who speaks to them about their spiritual beliefs,” Lyons explains.
In their last moments, inmates are escorted to the execution chamber by guards, strapped to a gurney, with a microphone placed above their heads for them to deliver their final statement, if desired.