'Murderers!' screams inmate on gurney

This undated photo made available by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement shows Eric Scott Branch in custody.  (Florida Department of Law Enforcement via AP)
This undated photo made available by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement shows Eric Scott Branch in custody. (Florida Department of Law Enforcement via AP)

STARKE, Fla. -- A Florida inmate convicted of raping and killing a college student decades ago screamed and yelled "murderers!" three times as he was being put to death Thursday.

The governor's office said Eric Scott Branch, 47, was pronounced dead at 7:05 p.m. Thursday after receiving a lethal injection at Florida State Prison. Branch was convicted of the 1993 rape and fatal beating of University of West Florida student Susan Morris, 21, whose naked body was found buried in a shallow grave near a nature trail.

Just as officials were administering the lethal drugs that included a powerful sedative, Branch let out a scream, thrashed about on his gurney and then yelled "murderers! murderers! murderers" before falling silent with a guttural groan.

Moments earlier, he addressed the corrections officers in the room with him by saying that, instead of them carrying out the death sentence, it should have been Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi, both Republicans.

"I've learned that you're good people and this is not what you should be doing," Branch told the officers.

Department of Corrections spokesman Michelle Glady said afterward that "there was no indication" that Branch's scream was caused by the lethal injection procedure. She said that conclusion had been confirmed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

After Thursday's execution, the Morris family issued a statement saying they are still mourning the victim's death a quarter-century ago.

Information for this article was contributed by Curt Anderson of The Associated Press.

A Section on 02/23/2018

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