USA - Ohio. Richard Wade Cooey, 41, white was executed this morning.

Richard Wade Cooey, 41, white was executed this morning. In August, the 267-pound inmate cited his size as grounds for overturning the capital sentence.  His lawyers argued that the executioners would have too much trouble administering the lethal mix of drugs during his execution. Last week, a federal appeals court turned down his request for a stay. Although Cooey contended he was too fat to execute, it took just about 5 minutes for the state's execution team to pierce shunts into the man's arms. Cooey was convicted in December 1986 of raping and killing Dawn McCreery, 20, and Wendy Offredo, 21, on Sept. 1, 1986. At that time, Cooey was 19 and his accomplice, Clint Dickens, 17. As a juvenile, Dickens was not eligible for the death penalty. He is serving a life sentence. Cooey becomes the 1st condemned inmate to be put to death this year in Ohio and the 27th overall since the state resumed capital punishment in 1999. Cooey becomes the 25th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in the USA and the 1124th overall since the nation resumed executions on January 17, 1977.