US carries out rare execution during presidential transition

A protester holds an anti death penalty sign along Prairieton Road across from the Federal Execution Chamber in Terre Haute, Indiana Picture: Austen Leake/The Tribune-Star via AP

The Trump administration carried out the first execution during a presidential lame-duck period in 130 years on Thursday, putting to death a Texas street-gang member for his role in the slayings of a religious couple from Iowa more than two decades ago.

It marks the ninth federal execution of the year, with four more federal executions, including one on Friday, planned for the weeks before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.