Texas Executes John William King In Racist Dragging Death Of James Byrd, Jr.

The man who led one of the most gruesome hate crimes in East Texas history was executed Wednesday for the dragging death of James Byrd, Jr., in Jasper, nearly 21 years ago. John William King, 44-year-old, was condemned for chaining Byrd to the back of a truck and dragging his body for nearly three miles along a secluded road in the piney woods outside Jasper. A co-defendant was previously executed and the other sentenced to life in prison.