USA - Texas. Ray Jasper, 43, black, has been executed

Ray Jasper, 43, black, has been executed with a lethal dose of pentobarbital. Jasper was sentenced to death on February 4, 2000 for the November 29, 1998 stabbing death of 33-year-old David Alejandro. Jasper had acknowledged he slit Alejandro's throat to steal equipment from a San Antonio studio during a recording session, but insisted it was his 2 accomplices' more than 25 stab wounds that killed the studio owner. Co-defendant's Steve Russell and Douglas Williams were spared the death sentence and are currently serving life sentences. Jasper becomes the 3rd inmate to be put to death this year in Texas, the 511th overall since the state resumed capital punishment on December 7, 1982, the 11th to be put to death this year in the USA and the 1370th overall since the nation resumed executions on January 17, 1977.