Tomas Ervin was executed for his role in the 1988 murders...

Tomas Ervin was executed for his role in the 1988 murders of a woman and her son: Mildred Hodges, 75, and, Richard, 49. Ervin, 50, died at 12:04 a.m. Wednesday at the Potosi Correctional Center, 3 minutes after the first of three lethal drugs was administered. His last statement, according to corrections officials: "When the courts of this nation refuse to afford a condemned prisoner the opportunity to prove that he is actually innocent of the crimes for which he stands condemned, the capital punishment system is broken," Ervin said. "The courts refused me that opportunity and so tonight, as it has done at least twice in the past, the state of Missouri executes an innocent man."