UPDATE 9/23/2008 8:30 PM
STARKE, Fla. (AP) - A Florida man convicted of shooting two young sisters in the head after raping and shooting their mother was executed Tuesday after a two-hour delay while authorities awaited final rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Richard "Ric Ric" Henyard, 34, was pronounced dead at 8:16 p.m. He had been condemned for the death of 7-year-old Jamilya Lewis and her 3-year-old sister, Jasmine.

The execution had been scheduled for 6 p.m. but did not start until 8:06 p.m. The doctor pronounced him dead 10 minutes later.

Henyard kept his eyes closed and appeared to be mouthing some words as the execution began, but he declined to make any final statement.

He appeared to be shaking and having a hard time breathing after the lethal injection was administered, and stopped moving a minute later.

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UPDATE 9/23/2008 7:10 PM
Florida execution delayed
STARKE, Fla. (AP) - The execution of a man convicted of shooting two young sisters in the head after raping and shooting their mother has been delayed.

Authorities were waiting Tuesday for a final court ruling before beginning the execution of 34-year-old Richard Henyard.

The execution had been scheduled to begin Tuesday September 23, 2008 at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison. It had not begun almost an hour later.

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ORIGINAL STORY 9/23/2008 12:00 NOON
Florida prepares to execute killer of 2 young girls
STARKE, Fla. (AP) - A man convicted of shooting two young sisters in the head after raping and shooting their mother is facing execution today, the second under Governor Charlie Crist.

Unless a court intervenes, 34-year-old Richard "Ric Ric" Henyard will be executed by lethal injection at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison for the murders of 7-year-old Jamilya Lewis and her 3-year-old sister, Jasmine.

One of Henyard's state-paid attorneys filed two appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court last week and filed a final brief this morning, hoping to postpone the execution.

Henyard also filed a handwritten complaint in federal court in Jacksonville, alleging the state's execution team lacks training and could cause him to suffer a painful death if they fail to properly insert the IV's.


(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)