ANGOLA, La. -- Angola Warden Burl Cain said convicted killer Gerald Bordelon died at 6:32 p.m. by lethal injection, completing the state’s first execution in more than seven years.
Back in November 2002, Gerald Bordelon stood outside as friends and neighbors searched for his stepdaughter, Courtney LeBlanc. He hadn’t confessed yet, but BOrdelon had already raped and murdered the 12-year-old girl.
“I can’t take back anything I did, and at this point and time all I can do is accept responsibility,” said Jill Craft, Bordelon’s attorney.
Since the time of his conviction in 2006, Gerald Bordelon has said that he wanted to and deserved to die for this crime. According to witnesses present at the execution, that opinion did not change to the very end.
“He said a lot about Courtney and her mom in particular and Courtney’s sister, and how sorry and how tragic this situation was, that he was he could take everything back, that he wish it had never happened,” Craft said. “He was very remorseful, as he frankly has been for the last three years.”
Craft said he did confess to other things, but she would not elaborate.
Bordelon told the victim’s family, “I’m sorry. I don’t know if that brings any closure, or peace, it should have never happened. But it did.”
Warden Cain said, “And then he said to his own family, 'Please tell my family to forgive me. I’m really sorry for all the grief and misery I’ve caused them, and for everything I’ve done.'”
The needle went into Bordelon’s arm at 6:15 p.m. At 6:18 p.m., he snorted his last breath. At 6:32 p.m., he was pronounced dead.
The last person executed in Louisiana was Leslie Dale Martin in 2002 for raping and killing a 19-year-old college student in 1991.
