400th Texas Inmate Set to Die

A Louisiana man who shot a Houston, Texas convenience store clerk to death May 17, 1998, even though she was behind a bullet-proof enclosure, is set to become the 400th inmate executed in Texas since the state resumed capital punishment in 1982. Johnny Ray Conner, 32, was convicted in 1999 of the murder of Kathyanna Nguyen, 49.

Nguyen, who was known as "Miss Lee" by her customers at the store, was being robbed at gunpoint when Julian Gutierrez, a customer, walked into the store. Gutierrez tried to flee and was shot in the shoulder, according to testimony at the trial.

Conner managed to get his hand and gun through the small slot in the bullet-proof enclosure and shoot Nguyen, who apparently had tried to cooperate with the robber, giving him cash. Nguyen died, but Gutierrez survived and testified against Conner, along with other eye witnesses who saw him running from the store.

In his appeals, Conner argued that he had a leg injury that would have made it impossible for him to run quickly from the store as witnesses described. He argued that his attorneys should have raised the issue at his trial.

The appeals court ruled there was no testimony at his trial about his limp and none of his lawyers ever noticed a limp.

See Also:
Texas Inmate Set to Die for Houston Slaying
EU Urges Texas to Halt Executions Before 400 Mark
Johnny Ray Conner's Story

More Information:
The Death Penalty

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^{Photo: Mug Shot}