Advertisement

Who was Daniel Lewis Lee? Former Death Row inmate killed in the first US federal execution in 17 years

AP
AP

Daniel Lewis Lee and an accomplice were convicted of killing three members of a family in 1996.

Lee’s execution had been blocked after his victims’ relatives sought to have it delayed, fearing that attending could expose them to coronavirus.

An initial ruling by the appeal court meant the execution by lethal injection would go ahead. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals said in its ruling that the family's claim "lacks any arguable legal basis and is therefore frivolous".

However, the execution date was thrown into serious doubt after a last-minute federal court appeal, when a district judge ordered a new delay in federal executions.

Today, the 47-year-old was put to death by lethal execution.

Here, we take a look at the crimes of Daniel Lewis Lee and why this execution was so significant.

Who was Daniel Lewis Lee?

Daniel Lewis Lee was executed today (Spokane Police Department/AFP vi)
Daniel Lewis Lee was executed today (Spokane Police Department/AFP vi)

Daniel Lewis Lee was a self-confessed white supremacist from Yukon, Oklahoma.

Court documents state that he also went by the name of Daniel Lewis Graham, D L Graham, and Danny Lee.

He was found guilty of taking part in the murder of three members of the same family 24 years ago.

Why was he on Death Row?

Lee was convicted of murdering three members of the Mueller family, a family of Jewish descent who lived in Searcy County, Arkansas in 1996.

William Frederick Mueller, his wife Nancy Ann Mueller and his 8-year-old stepdaughter, Sarah Elizabeth Powell were all killed.

The year before, his accomplice Chevie Kehoe had burgled the family home to steal a large collection of guns, ammunition and money.

Lee was found guilty of multiple offences including three counts of murder in aid of racketeering on May 4, 1999 by a jury in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

The court heard that after robbing and shooting the victims, Lee threw the bodies of the victims into the Illinois bayou.

He was sentenced to death. His execution was the first US federal state execution since 2003.

When was his execution?

Lee’s execution by lethal injection was set to take place in Indiana at 4pm local time (8pm BST) on Monday, July 13, although the date was thrown into doubt after a last-minute federal court ruling.

However, the Supreme Court then cleared the way for the resumption of the federal death penalty, in an unsigned order released after 2am on Tuesday. July 14.

The court wiped away a lower court order temporarily blocking the execution in a 5-4 vote.

Lee died in a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana.

"I didn't do it," Lee said just before he was executed. "I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I'm not a murderer. ... You're killing an innocent man."

Why is a federal execution so rare?

The death penalty was outlawed at state and federal level by a 1972 Supreme Court decision which cancelled all existing death penalty statutes.

However, in 1976, the Supreme Court allowed states to reinstate the death penalty. In 1988 the government passed legislation that made it available again at a federal level, but while 78 people have been sentenced to death in federal cases since then, only three have since been executed. There are 62 inmates currently on federal Death Row. The last execution by federal death penalty took place in 2003.

The Trump administration said it would resume federal executions after a long hiatus last year.

Attorney General William Barr said at the time: "Under administrations of both parties, the Department of Justice has sought the death penalty against the worst criminals.

"The Justice Department upholds the rule of law - and we owe it to the victims and their families to carry forward the sentence imposed by our justice system."

Earlene Peterson, 81, whose daughter Nancy Ann Mueller was killed by Lee, had opposed the execution, calling for a life sentence instead.

"Yes, Daniel Lee damaged my life, but I can't believe taking his life is going to change any of that," Mrs Peterson said in a video statement last year.

Lee's execution was to be one of four scheduled for July and August. All four men set to be executed were convicted of killing children.

Read more

Saved! Benji reprieved from death row at Meghan rescue centre

Death row inmate executed despite Kim Kardashian campaign to save him

First US federal execution in nearly 20 years to go ahead