Waiting to die: Keith Nelson execution

Waiting to die: Keith Nelson execution

5th the 5th execution in a matter of weeks happened today in terre haute.

Good evening and thanks for joining us.

Today the federal government carried out its fifth execution this year.

"keith nelson" was put to death by lethal injection... just before 4:30 this afternoon.

For the family of 10 year old pamela butler... it's been a long road to justice.

News 10's alia blackburn spoke with the victim's mother..

She explains how she feels after seeing the death of her daughter's killer.

"i've been fighting this fight for a very long time..."

It's the end of a chapter..

Spanning two decades.

The family... of 10-year-old pamela butler... says justice is now served.

That's after her killer... keith nelson... was put to death on friday.

*nats of photo click* the crime spans back to october 1999.

Court documents say nelson kidnapped... raped... and murdered butler... from kansas.

As a media witness... i took several notes... inside the federal death chamber.

Laying covered... on a gourney... nelson was still and stoick.

When asked if he had any last words... *pause* nothing but silence... "he had no remorse for her, so i have none for him."

Just after 4:20 p-m-... the lethal dose was released into nelson's body... taking only nine minutes for death to settle in.

But for cherri west... pam's mother... those nine short minutes could never compare to a lifetime of pain.

"my heart has literally been ripped out, it can be fixed, but i do have my memories of my girls and that's what have."

Now... after 20 years... west says she's finally found peace.

Closing the chapter of pain... and now moving on to healing.

"pammy's soul is at peace so she can rest, that was my number one goal is pammy to give her justice so she can rest..

I don't really feel she's at rest, i feel she was always behind me and guiding me to keep fighting and that's what i've done what i've done what i've done and that's what i've done i asked what's next for cheri and her family... now that this chapter is closed.

She says they'll have to sit down and find a way to honor pam's memory.

She says they hope to start a foundation... to help kids... because that's what pam loved to do.

Meanwhile... cherri says she'll have to find other hobbies... because seeking justice for pam... was all she knew for the last 20