Execution witnesses detail events leading up to Carey Dean Moore’s death

On Tuesday, August 14th at approximately 10:47am, Carey Dean Moore, 60, was executed by lethal injection, the first execution in the state in 21 years.

It was also the first execution conducted by lethal injection in Nebraska State history.

Carey Dean Moore was condemned to die for the 1979 shooting deaths of two Omaha cab drivers, Maynard Helgeland and Reuel Van Ness Jr.

He was one of the nation’s longest-serving death row inmates, spending the last 38 years awaiting his fate.

Following the execution, the four media witnesses, Grant Schulte, Brent Martin, Joe Duggin and Chip Matthews, took some time to detail the execution process, including a time line of events leading up to and following the last moments of Carey Dean Moore’s life.

The four media witnesses were brought inside the prison at 9:03am where they were read the execution plans.

Shortly before 10am, Carey Dean Moore was escorted out of his living quarters by four guards. 

The execution plans were read to him, and he was asked if he had a statement he would like to say.

"Just a statement that I hand delivered to you already about my brother Donny and the innocent men on Nebraska Death row," said Moore.

The statement that he was referring to was a handwritten statement that he wrote that was to be released when he died.

In it, Moore expressed remorse for his negative influence on his brother Don. 

He requested that his brother be taken off parole and admitted his guilt in the slaying of two cab drivers in the late 1970s.

One part of the letter is addressed directly to his brother. 

Moore wrote,  "As his older brother whom he looked up to, I should had led him in the right way to go instead of bringing him down, way down, & because of that I am terribly sorry (Please forgive me Don, somehow.)”

After giving his statement to the media witnesses, Moore was taken inside the execution room where he was strapped to a table and covered in a white sheet with his left arm extended out.

Witnesses say his hands seemed a little tense, but overall, he was composed and put on a straight face.

He mostly looked at the ground, making occasional eye contact with the people inside the room.

During this time, witnesses say he mouthed several words in the direction of his family witnesses, including the phrase "I love you."

He was hooked up to an IV, and a heart monitor was also attached.

The drugs being administered in the lethal injection were: sedative diazepam, muscle relaxant cisatracurium, potassium chloride and fentanyl.

At 10:26am, Moore stared straight up at the ceiling, he looked back over toward his family and then closed his eyes.

At 10:27am, Moore began breathing heavily.

At 10:29am, the Nebraska State Penitentiary warden conducted a consciousness check.

At 10:31am, Moore’s chest stopped and he went completely still. 

Witnesses say his face turned red and purple.

At 10:38am, Moore’s eyelids cracked open.

At 10:39am, the curtain was pulled down.

Moore was pronounced dead by the coroner at 10:47am.

At 10:53am, the curtain went up again. Witnesses reported they could see Moore’s body was covered besides his face.

They were given 40 seconds to observe the body before the curtains went up for a final time.

Witness Chip Matthews said there did not appear to be any complications regarding the first time use of lethal injection to carry out the execution.

Witness Brent Martin has covered thirteen lethal injections in Missouri.

He reported Moore was coughing before he stopped moving and remained still, something he wasn’t accustomed to seeing.

Chip Matthews biggest takeaway from witnessing his first execution, "I just hope this never happens to an innocent person."

Matthews wished that the curtains weren’t pulled up so soon, he said, "If it’s supposed to be transparent, then I would like to see it totally transparent."

Carey Dean Moore’s execution was 38 years in the making. He was put to death on a rainy Tuesday morning.

There were ten witnesses present, including two prison staff members, four media witnesses, three witnesses of Carey Dean’s and one clergy member.