Ohio executes man who killed prison cellmate

By Jim Leckrone

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Reuters) - The state of Ohio on Thursday put to death a man who killed his prison cellmate, after executioners worked for more than an hour to find the right veins in which to inject lethal chemicals.

Christopher Newton was the 19th person put to death in the United States this year and the 1,077th since the United States restored executions in 1976.

Andrea Dean, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Corrections, said Newton was obese and staff had been told in advance to take as much time as needed to locate the proper sites for the injection.

Ohio had a problem with lethal injection in 2006 after a condemned man's vein collapsed and he woke up telling his executioners the drugs were not working. After finding another vein, that execution was completed.

Lethal injection, by far the most common method of execution in the United States, has been under attack as cruel and unusual punishment, amid claims that the condemned may suffer excruciating pain.

After Newton, 37, was finally wheeled into the death chamber at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, his last words were: "I sure could use a beef stew and a chicken bone."

He had waived all appeals and said he wanted to die.

Newton was serving a sentence for burglary and parole violation in 2001 when he beat and strangled his cellmate, Scott Brewer, after an argument.

Given a meal of his choosing on Wednesday night, Newton was served steak, asparagus, brussels sprouts, feta cheese, a soft drink, cake and watermelon.