Oklahoma executes man who shot Indian student 22 years ago

A 41-year-old man in the United States has been executed for shooting two people, including an Indian citizen, in Oklahoma. The fatal shooting occurred 22 years ago. The 24-year-old Indian was educated in the United States and had a bright future. He was described as a “bright young man with a good heart”.

Michael Dewayne Smith, who died in a 2002 shooting, was executed Thursday by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.

Sharath Pulluru, a 24-year-old Indian student who worked as a store clerk, and Janet Moore, 40, were killed by Smith.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond released a statement Thursday regarding Smith’s execution, saying: “I pray that today we will be able to honor Janet Miller-Moore and Sharath Prue Lu’s family has brought a measure of peace. Michael Smith’s victims were good and decent people who executed Smith “unworthy of their fate,” according to KOCO News.

Drummond praised Sharath Purulu’s character, calling him a “smart, kind-hearted young man” who came to the United States to study and had a bright future.

He also expressed sadness over the senseless killings.

“They were killed simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Drummond said.

Last month, Sharath’s brother Harish Pulluru strongly opposed any leniency for Smith, stressing the significant impact Sharath’s death had had on their family.

Harish described Sharath as “a loving son, brother and uncle” and told of waiting for Sharath’s call at an Indian phone booth after moving to the United States, the Press Trust of India reported.

Despite the new evidence, Smith asked for a further appeal before he was executed, saying: “My life hangs in the balance…I am making this statement to ask Mr. Henriksen to do his job and fight for my life.” ,” he said, referring to his attorney Mark. Henriksen.