Kim Kardashian West spent the morning in tears yesterday (10 December) ahead of the execution of Brandon Bernard, who was found guilty of murdering two Christian youth ministers in Texas in 2000.
Bernard, who was 18 at the time of his crime, was killed by lethal injection in Florida yesterday (2.27am GMT).
However, members of the victims’ families have criticised the reality TV star for attempting to save Bernard from execution.
Kardashian West, who has a history of campaigning against the death penalty, had pleaded with President Donald Trump to commute 40-year-old Bernard’s sentence to a life sentence and allow him to live out his days behind bars.
At around midday, she tweeted: “Been crying all morning. Brandon Bernard will be executed in 6 hours.”
Just spoke to Brandon for what will likely be the last time. Hardest call I’ve ever had. Brandon, selfless as always, was focused on his family and making sure they are ok. He told me not to cry because our fight isn’t over. 😢
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) December 10, 2020
Later that afternoon, she tweeted: “Brandon Bernard will be executed in 5 hours and all I can think about is his family and children and how they will feel when their loved one is gone.”
An hour after, she said: “Terrible news from the 7th circuit: IT IS ORDERED that the Emergency Motion for Stay of Execution Pending Appeal is DENIED. This is why judges matter. #SaveBrandonBernard.”
At 4pm, she added: “2 hours until Brandon Bernard is executed. My heart breaks for everyone involved, including the victims’ families and in no way am I diminishing the loss their family has been through.”
Then, at 5pm she wrote: “1 hour until Brandon Bernard will be executed. It’s #HumanRightsDay and here in the United States we are executing someone who was 18 at the time of the crime, was not the shooter and has rehabilitated himself. So shameful.”
