SALT LAKE CITY — When the curtain was pulled back, we could see Taberon Honie strapped to the table in the death chamber. He was looking around with IVs in his arms.
Prison warden Bart Mortensen read the death warrant that had been signed by a judge for his execution. Honie was asked if he had any last words.
"From the start, it's been if it needs to be done for them to heal, let's do this," Honie said, appearing to address his victim's family.
Honie then appeared to address his fellow inmates at the Utah State Prison.
"If they tell you, you can't change, don't listen to them," he said. "To all my brothers and sisters in here, continue to change. I love you all. Take care."
FOX 13 News was among the news media who witnessed the execution. Others included members of Honie's family; those of his victim, Claudia Benn; and government officials including several members of the Utah State Legislature.
Honie's right foot appeared to be twitching as he looked around. He mouthed something to the warden and the prison's director of operations.
"He simply stated 'Thank you for taking care of my family,'" Randall Honey, the director of prison operations, recalled: "And then he raised up his head and looked over to where his family was viewing and said 'I love you.'"
Glen Mills, the Utah Department of Corrections communications director, said in the family's witness room, Honie's mother said "I love you son." Honey said Honie was calm and appeared "ready to accept it."
Honie took a deep breath and as the lethal dose of pentobarbital was administered, his breathing appeared to slow. Prison officials later said they administered a second dose.
"Initially, the plan was to push a second dose at 20 minutes. Because the second dose was prepared and could not be used again. The doc made the recommendation to move it up to five minutes," said Utah Department of Corrections Executive Director Brian Redd.
Honie's skin turned a pale blue. Prison officials checked an electrocardiogram repeatedly to see his pulse. After about 17 minutes, he was pronounced dead.
"Today our department fulfilled one of the most consequential responsibilities given to the Department of Corrections," Redd said. "No one involved today takes joy in carrying out this responsibility, but we recognize our statutory duties and we take it seriously."
Afterward, reporters were told that Honie's family was granted permission to perform a Native American spiritual ceremony inside the death chamber.
"Mr. Honie’s father and his cousin just wanted to come in. According to their beliefs, the soul after the death could potentially get trapped where the place of death," Honey said. "They performed the ceremony to release the soul so it could return to the mesa."
Honie's last day was spent visiting with his family. His last meal, prison officials said, was a cheeseburger, fries and a milkshake.
Honie was sentenced to die for the 1998 murder of his ex-girlfriend's mother, Claudia Benn. A respected council member for a band of the Paiute tribe and a substance abuse counselor, Honie was convicted of breaking into her home and taking the butcher knife Benn tried to protect herself with, slitting her throat and sexually assaulting her with it.
Benn's grandchildren were in the home and police said witnessed the gruesome crime.
Honie admitted to the crime at his commutation hearing, but said he did not remember the details because he was intoxicated. He appealed his sentence for years, until he exhausted those legal options.
Initially, the Utah Department of Corrections sought to use a unique three drug cocktail to carry out the execution. When faced with legal challenges by Honie's attorneys, the agency pivoted to something that the defense suggested — pentobarbital. The state spent about $200,000 to acquire it.
"Early this morning the state of Utah fulfilled its legal obligation to carry out the execution of Taberon Honie. The actions of Mr. Honie that lead to his death sentence are heinous," Governor Spencer Cox said in a statement. "I respect the process of our criminal justice system, and recognize the countless public servants who meticulously planned and approached their responsibilities with professionalism. I hope this brings closure to those impacted by the crimes. My heart goes out to the victim's family."
