Okla. Man Executed For Killing Student

Terry Lyn Short Executed Via Lethal Injection For Firebomb Attack That Killed A Japanese Student Over 10 Years Ago

(AP)  An Oklahoma man was executed Tuesday for throwing a firebomb that killed a university student from Japan more than 10 years ago .

Terry Lyn Short was injected with a lethal combination of three chemicals at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and was pronounced dead at 6:08 p.m., Oklahoma Department of Corrections spokesman Jerry Massie said.

A short, round-faced man wearing large glasses, Short was strapped to a stainless steel gurney and covered with a white sheet when the curtains were raised inside the execution chamber, allowing about a dozen witnesses to see him.

Short raised his head and acknowledged the presence of several family members, but declined an opportunity to deliver his last words into a microphone that dangled over his head.

"I have nothing to say," Short said.

Short's sister, Trina Hartshorn, sobbed quietly as the execution got under way.

Short appeared to stop breathing, and the color slowly drained from his face as he laid still on the gurney.

"We had good conversations, and he had peace with God," Hartshorn said after the execution. "He's in a better place."

The 47-year-old Short was the first person executed in Oklahoma since Aug. 21.

Executions had been put on hold across the country as the U.S. Supreme Court considered a challenge to the lethal injection procedure.

Short was convicted of killing 22-year-old Ken Yamamoto more than 13 years ago. Yamamoto lived one floor above Short's ex-girlfriend and died after Short threw a gasoline-filled bottle into her apartment that ignited the building.

Investigators believe Yamamoto, a senior art major at Oklahoma City University, was sleeping when the blaze erupted in the early morning hours on Jan. 8, 1995, at the Royal Chateau Apartments in south Oklahoma City. By the time he awoke and tried to escape, the entire unit was engulfed in flames.

When rescue workers reached Yamamoto, his body was covered with severe burns. He died less than two days later at an Oklahoma City hospital.

Robert Hines, who was in the downstairs apartment with Short's ex-girlfriend, suffered severe burns over much of his arms and upper body. Hines witnessed the execution and said he felt justice was served.

"I'm sure he's going to pay for it now, wherever he goes," said Hines, who said he endured months of agonizing medical treatment and four operations as a result of the burns.

"I went through months of suffering, skin grafts. He (Short) doesn't know what I went through."

Yamamoto came to Oklahoma as an exchange student from Japan in 1989 and graduated high school in Del City, an Oklahoma City suburb.

His host family in high school remembered Yamamoto as a hardworking, dedicated student who was shy when he first arrived in Oklahoma, but quickly learned English and grew to love America.

"He bleached his hair blonde. He wore stars-and-stripes shirts. He loved rock 'n' roll," Myles Martin, Yamamoto's host brother, said during a clemency hearing last month. "He did not deserve to die, and what a horrible way to die."

[patriot12436]

I wonder why he did it, but i also think he deserved the death penalty. There is no reason to kill anyone like that.

[smurfcrusher]

Howzilla, look at history. The death penalty is not an effective deterrent.

Why would it be? If people were rational, they wouldn''t murder. Therefore the ones that murder are not rational, and you shouldn''t expect them to act rationally.

Look at short. He was upset at his ex girlfriend. Is that a rational reason to firebomb her and risk innocent lives? Of course not.

The death penalty is about vengeance.

[incog-nito]

howzilla: In the Middle Ages people were tortured in the most excruciatingly painful manner before being executed. I''m sure that was the most enlightened and orderly period in history mankind has ever known.

[incog-nito]

Having said that, I believe murderers and violent criminals should be put away for life without parole. If someone is a threat to society, he should be kept away from society for good. Not as a punishment, simply for the protection of society. The most violent should be put in solitary confinement for life, so that there is no chance of them committing another crime, even against other prisoners. I also happen to think that solitary confinement is a better deterrent than capital punishment. It is nothing short of a living death.

Not a big fan of the death penalty, but kill one of mine and they would wish for an easy death. I would torture the hel*l out of them, drag the death on for days on in, then dispose of the body in a most disturbing manner.

Thats call revenge. God bless sweet revenge.

[keithle1]

It''s easy to say you''re against the death penalty until your mother/father/brother/sister gets murdered. Then I don''t think we''ll hear you making excuses for the murderer & see you outside the prison with your candle singing "Amazing Grace."

[patriot12436]

smurfcrusher
1. The death penalty is a deternet in the fact that the person executed will no be able to get freedom to commit another crime.
2. They said his ex girlfriend lived downstairs but he threw the firebomb in the apartment above hers. What was his reasoning for that if he wanted to kill the ex girl friend ?

[patriot12436]

incognito
I agree with you about solitary confinement being a living death. I helped convict my ex partner of crimes he committed. When convicted he told the judge when he got out he was going to come back and kill everyone who helped put him away. Because of the training he had received in the military they arranged for him to be sent to solitary confinement. He received a 20 year sentence and did 10 in solitary. When he got out he called my ex and she asked him if he was still determined to get revenge. He told her there wasn''t anything in life worth going back to prison for. He has been out for 5 years now, last i heard he is working an honest job and not committing any crimes. I think it worked in his case.

[juwboy]

Why do stories like this always bring s-a-d-i-s-t-s like KEITHGARDNER to the surface?

[ybotheratall]

Smurfcrusher, I believe the death penalty is not a deterrent because of how long it takes for anyone to actually be killed in the process. You hear of people sitting on death row for 15 or 20 years or getting their sentence commuted. Plea bargains and delays and last minute reprieves are so commonplace now. Even if someone does serve time for murder, sometimes it''s only 10 or 12 years, not really bad considering the crime.

I also realize that there have been old cases where innocent people have been exonerated of their crimes and yes, it''s a huge factor in carrying out the death penalty, but modern science has much better testing to determine the perpetrator.

As long as I live, I will never understand the brutal killing of another. There are certain exceptions like self defense but they are spur of the moment and rare. I don''t have any sympathy for those who kill with premeditation and malice. In my opinion, they don''t deserve to live and enjoy the freedoms of life, in prison or not. I think that the death penalty is an oxymoron. You must kill to have peace.

[samael2014]

BTW: I hope Christians at least understand, that when a state condemns a man to death, you have shifted and diluted God''s judgement of that man to judgment of all of you for accepting responsibility for allowing that to happen. Vengence is mine, sayeth the Lord.

I''m often amazed out how many Christians, even Catholics, support the death penalty in complete indifference and indignance of God Himself. I mean you realize Jesus Christ was a victim of capital punishment? Do you think either He or his Father look lightly upon your acceptance of this? You are truly the condemned.

[samael2014]

As long as I live, I will never understand the brutal killing of another. There are certain exceptions like self defense but they are spur of the moment and rare. I don''''t have any sympathy for those who kill with premeditation and malice. In my opinion, they don''''t deserve to live and enjoy the freedoms of life, in prison or not. I think that the death penalty is an oxymoron. You must kill to have peace.


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Posted by YBotherAtAll at 07:13 AM : Jun 18, 2008

Yes, well as long as we''re killing those who would kill to have peace, I think you''re on to something there. As far as having no sympathy for killing with pre-meditation and malice, what the hell do you think capital punishment is?

[shadowmartin]

I was a close friend of Ken Yamamoto, I was at the trial of Terry. This was not the first time he did something wrong in his life. Ask his ex wife! He was a drug addict who only cared for himself and what he wanted. Ken was in the wrong place at the wrong time when Terry walked across the street purchased a bottle full of gas and walked back across the street to the apartment where his ex was staying. Keep in mind he knew there were small children in that apartment. He even boasted in jail about hitting Mr. Hines in the head when he threw the flamming bottle through the sliding glass door. He had time to reconsider what he was about to do. He was no child when he made that decision, he was an adult. He had every intention of doing bodily harm to anyone in that apartment, he just didn''t care who got in the way!

[shadowmartin]

The sad truth is that Terrys family knew they had to say goodbye and when they had to do it. We did not get that same chance with Ken. Within hours he was so swollen we didn''t think he could hear us anymore. He knew he was going to die and that his mom was on her way he had not moved or motioned for hours when she finally arrived. The moment she walked into the room and called out his name, he turned his head towards her and a single tear rolled down his swollen face. His comfort, we can only pray was that she was finally here to make it all go away. Only by the grace of God did his mom make it here from Japan in time to kiss him once more before her screams filled the hallway of that hospital (in broken English) "Ken, don''t go! Don''t go Ken!" over and over again. It is still in my head. And to this day brings tears to my eyes. I feel sorry for Terrys family! They are now going through a grief that we have been dealing with for 13 years.

[newsjunky5]

I hope they got the right guy.
That''s always the problem with the death penalty.
If it costs more than $50,000 /yr. to house a criminal with a life sentence, then some wardens and politicians should probably go to jail.

[samael2014]

Posted by ShadowMartin at 08:21 AM : Jun 18, 2008

Man, I don''t think you get it. Nobody''s denying that this man was guilty of doing what he did, it''s that doing what he did cannot be considered by any rational or moral person a capital offense. Christ, how many people do you think George Bush is guilty of willfulling causing bodily harm and worse? (That''s not saying that he''s not guilty of many other capital offenses on different grounds). That''s not to say Terry Short''s victims don''t deserve justice, it''s that the justice that maybe they want and that Short got wasn''t justice at all, not by any standard.

The fact that you bring up Terry Short''s drug abuse is contemptable and illustrates this problem even more. Is that suppose to provide additional warrant for the people of Oklahoma to do what the Bill of Rights will not allow, what no Christian in Europe and most of the free world would allow.

[kiwi_chick]

samael2014, you have to remember, the only Christians that count in the world are the American Christians and it is their will that is to be done, not anyone else''s. Americans interpret the Bible entirely differently than Christians from around the world. George Bush is a prime example - he thinks he''s God. I''m surprised you haven''t cottoned on to that by now.

[jetlizhan]

i''ll never understand or condone the fact that it takes 13 years to take out the garbage.

[samael2014]

I''''''''m often amazed out how many Christians, even Catholics, support the death penalty in complete indifference and indignance of God Himself. I mean you realize Jesus Christ was a victim of capital punishment? Do you think either He or his Father look lightly upon your acceptance of this? You are truly the condemned.
______________________________________
______

A reading of Romans will tell you to be in subjection to the authorities. A reading of Exodus and Leviticus will spell out death penalty offenses wrote in the Mosaic Law Covenant for God''''s chosen people. All of this is in the bible easily accessible ny any novice reader. Your question concerning about rather God is looking on has a specific answer. Yes he is. . . approvingly so.


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Posted by knowhr at 08:11 AM : Jun 18, 2008

Hey @$$hole, what "God''s Chosen People" do here on earth is no reflection of what God will do to those people as a result. You *** ignorant self-righteous hypocrit, do you really think that the actions, history and testimony of these people in the Bible is the will of God? By what measure? I mean Christ was sent to earth and betrayed for a reason.

[patriot12436]

newsjunkey5
Last time i checked and it has been several years back, the cost of housing a prisoner was abou $30,000 a year.

[patriot12436]

samuel2014
A death sentence is justice, not murder. By your own religion we are only delivering him to the lord for juidgement. Does the bible not say an eye for an eye ? Is killing not one of the sins listed in the ten commandments ? If we follow your logic then why do chaplains go into combat and give forgiveness to soldiers and last rite4s, wouldn''t this also be a contradiction to Gods word if it were what you are saying ?

[aggiekat2004]

Oh, here we go again on the whole religious right anti-death-penalty argument.

Thirteen years. That''s repulsive. To do what should have been done in no more than two.

This creep had no right to live amongst us, and I''m GLAD that he''s gone.

Good riddance, roach boy.

[patriot12436]

promethesis41
I agree. Bush should be prosecuted for war crimes then executed. Then he could have claim to being the most hated president in history and the first one executed for war crimes.

[patriot12436]

samauel2014
Such language for a christain. Do you think God will be offended or forgiving ?

[patriot12436]

aggiekat2004
I think you arrived a little too late. I think the bible thumpers have left the building.

[incog-nito]

maxify55: You said "Execution is far better than solitary ever will be. With execution comes release from the torment of isolation."

My point exactly. I believe solitary confinement is a truly severe punishment that is more effective than capital punishment as a deterrence.

[edward1975-2009]

Some crimes just call for that person/persons losing their live on the planet card. If we truly wished to make the death penalty a deterrent, we would publicly hold executions. Countries who do this have next to no violent crimes. Let people see how a person truly dies, not this putting your dog to sleep thing we do now.

[patriot12436]

prometheus41
I thought you were a christain, such language. I guess i have been in a better place than you.

[tootall10142]

Im just sorry that the tax payer had to feed this idiot for ten years before we could rid of this idiot.we need to go back to town square executions. we neede o executethe same way the murder was committed.45 seconds on a gurney and a shot in my opinion is too easy a way to let these people die.

[patriot12436]

maxify55
I couldn'' have said it better myself.

[incog-nito]

knowhr: While we''ll never know for sure if solitary confinement is truly severe, anecdotal evidence seems to indicate that it is. After all, it is routine used to punish those who are already incarcerated. I am not going to get into the cost issue. It seems debating this issue on cost missed the point. Just because it is done inefficiently now is not a good argument. Cost can be managed. Debate on morality, not cost.

[reedtaz73]

we need to go back to town square executions. we neede o executethe same way the murder was committed.

Guess you''re all for lynchings, ethnic cleansing, and genocide as well. Who set off that emp is your brain tootall?

[edgardebbins]

Bad deal for the murder victim. Tough way to go. Glad to hear the murderer will not be causing us any more trouble. Capital punishment is wonderful and we could use a lot more of it.

[incog-nito]

knowhr: My comments regarding cost was not directed at you in particular, just a general thought that cost somehow is always brought in this discussion. While I believe that CP is not necessary and not effective as a deterrent, I also understand that morality is a "fuzzy" concept, and that it depends on society''s view as a whole. And American society obviously has accepted CP as a just punishment.

[samael2014]

You know, I thought I remembered another case of a Japanese exchange student who actually was murdered point blank in cold blood. Of course "justice" for the family of the victim was served then as it was now, American-style. This is part of the story from 1993:

First among them them is "Freeze!," the command that Yoshihiro Hattori, the Japanese high school student, apparently did not know when he approached a gun-wielding homeowner in a Baton Rouge suburb last October, in search of a Halloween party.

The homeowner, Rodney Peairs, was acquitted last month under a Louisiana law that allows citizens to use deadly force in protecting themselves from intruders, a law that puzzles many Japanese. Mr. Peairs said he and his wife feared that Mr. Hattori, who was wearing a Halloween costume, was coming into their house and would threaten their lives.

Again, the taste of bile and vomit in my mouth can hardly express just how impressed I am with "one nation under God" American justice.

[samael2014]

You know, I thought I remembered another case of a Japanese exchange student who actually was murdered point blank in cold blood. Of course "justice" for the family of the victim was served then as it was now, American-style. This is part of the story from 1993:

First among them them is "Freeze!," the command that Yoshihiro Hattori, the Japanese high school student, apparently did not know when he approached a gun-wielding homeowner in a Baton Rouge suburb last October, in search of a Halloween party.

The homeowner, Rodney Peairs, was acquitted last month under a Louisiana law that allows citizens to use deadly force in protecting themselves from intruders, a law that puzzles many Japanese. Mr. Peairs said he and his wife feared that Mr. Hattori, who was wearing a Halloween costume, was coming into their house and would threaten their lives.

Again, the taste of bile and vomit in my mouth can hardly express just how impressed I am with "one nation under God" American justice.

Posted by samael2014 at 06:14 PM : Jun 18, 2008

BTW: Yoshihiro Hattori was 16 years old.

[barbaram99]

Keithle,I use to be against the death penalty. They don''t care if they live or die. Love to hear crzmeat on this but we have not heard from him here. No tears. He wrote his ticket and put himself there. I would say they put him to humanely but the fool did not the person he kilt, An Aerican or an ex American in my eye.

[bbirdsr71]

NEXT!