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Indiana Executes Joseph Corcoran for Quadruple Murder, Ending 15-Year Hiatus Amid Mental Illness Debate

Dec 18, 2024, 07:40 AM

Joseph Corcoran, 49, was executed early Wednesday morning at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, marking the state's first execution in 15 years. Corcoran was convicted in 1999 for the 1997 murders of his brother, James Corcoran, his sister's fiancé, Robert Scott Turner, and two other men, Timothy Bricker and Douglas Stillwell. The execution was carried out with the sedative pentobarbital, though this was not mentioned in the state's official statement. Corcoran's last words were, 'Not really. Let's get this over with,' and his last meal was Ben & Jerry's ice cream. The execution process was shrouded in secrecy, with no media witnesses allowed under state law, except for a reporter from the Indiana Capital Chronicle, whom Corcoran personally chose as a witness. His attorneys had argued against the execution, citing his severe mental illness, paranoid schizophrenia, but their appeals were denied by various courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Governor Eric Holcomb and Attorney General Todd Rokita supported the execution, stating it was carried out as ordered by the court. Protests and vigils were held outside the prison by those opposing the death penalty.