ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, June 19, 1990                   TAG: 9006190461
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: VARNER, ARK.                                LENGTH: Short

ARKANSAS HAS FIRST EXECUTION IN 26 YEARS

A man who shot and killed a policeman trying to arrest him for a double murder said he held "no grudges" before being put to death in the electric chair in Arkansas' first execution in 26 years.

Arkansas became the 14th state to carry out an execution and John Edward Swindler, 46, the 130th inmate put to death since the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976 let states resume use of capital punishment.

Swindler was condemned for the 1976 murder of Fort Smith policeman Randy Basnett, who was shot at a gas station while trying to arrest Swindler for two murders in South Carolina. Swindler was later convicted of those slayings as well.

-Associated Press 


 by CNB