Texas Inmate Wants to Die, but Lawyers Try to Halt Execution

MICHAEL GRACZYK, Associated Press

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Texas inmate Daniel Lee Lopez wants to be put to death for striking and killing a police lieutenant with an SUV during a chase more than six years ago.

Despite his wishes and court rulings that he was competent to make that decision, his attorneys are taking their push to halt the punishment to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The 27-year-old's lethal injection set for Wednesday evening would be the 10th this year in Texas, the nation's most active death penalty state.

Lopez was condemned for the March 2009 death of Stuart Alexander. The Corpus Christi lieutenant was standing in a grassy area on the side of a highway where he had put spike strips when he was struck by the SUV that Lopez was fleeing in.

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