Kim Kardashian distraught after death row inmate she campaigned for is executed
Kim Kardashian West has said she is "messed up” after a death row inmate who she tried to get a pardon for was executed in the US.
The reality TV star had taken her campaign right to the president and had urged Donald Trump to grant Brandon Bernard a last-minute reprieve.
Bernard, 40, was sentenced to death for his role in a double murder in Texas in 1999, later in his life he showed remorse for his crimes.
Ms Kardashian West described the crime as “terrible” but argued Bernard’s role was “minor compared to that of the other teens involved, two of whom are home from prison now”.
Despite Ms Kardashian West’s intervention, which was part of a high-profile campaign by Bernard’s supporters, he died by lethal injection at a prison in Indiana on Thursday.
Ms Kardashian West, who earlier said she had spoken to the convicted killer shortly before he was due to die, said he was remorseful for his crimes.
“I’m so messed up right now,” the mother-of-four tweeted. “They killed Brandon. He was such a reformed person. So hopeful and positive until the end. More importantly he is sorry, so sorry for the hurt and pain he has caused others.
"As he was in the chair his attorney called me and they just had their last call and said this… Brandon said he loves you and wants to say thank you again. He said he doesn’t feel too claustrophobic in the chair."
Ms Kardashian West, who is training to become a lawyer, said Bernard asked her to thank those who had worked to try and have his death sentence commuted to life in prison.
She said: "His main message that he learned in his life was to not hang out with the wrong crowd. That was so important to him that he shared that with the youth. It got him caught up and he made poor choices.
"The most important thing to him that he said was a gift to his mom, sister, daughters and family was the validation the public support gave to his family. His family knew him inside and knew he wasn’t his mistake he made as a teenager but he was sad his family felt shame."
Ms Kardashian West, who is married to the rapper Kanye West, said Bernard was an “amazing person” and added: “This just has to change: our system is so f***** up.”
Bernard was sentenced to death for his part in the murders of Todd and Stacie Bagley. Some of his accomplices were under 18 and ineligible for the federal death penalty so received jail sentences.
However another defendant, who was 19 at the time of the crime, was executed in September.
President Trump has authorised a string of executions in his final days in office before Joe Biden takes over.