Patrick Fitzgerald Rogers

Timeline

• June 2, 1997 — Patrick Rogers was executed by lethal injection in Texas.
• June 2, 1997 (6:17 p.m.) — Rogers was announced dead.
• June 3, 1996 — Rogers’ last appeal was overruled.
• Sept. 21, 1985 (around 9 a.m.) — Patrick Rogers and an accomplice robbed Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Store in Paris, Texas.
• Sept. 21, 1985 (later, after the robbery) — One of the female employees telephoned 911 and David Roberts responded to the call.
• Sept. 21, 1985 (after Roberts pulled over the suspects) — Rogers shot David Roberts through the windshield of the police car and then shot him five more times.
• Sept. 21, 1985 (during the escape) — Rogers and Cooper entered the home of a 50-year-old handicapped woman, handcuffed her, and stole the family car; they tried to kidnap two other elderly ladies and held a man hostage while fleeing in his truck.
• Sept. 21, 1985 (around 5 p.m.) — Rogers and Cooper were arrested 12 to 15 miles north of Paris.

Background

Patrick Rogers (#816) was 21 when he was executed on June 2, 1997. He was on death row and prayed to Allah during his last statement.

The offence

Patrick Rogers and an accomplice fled after a holdup at an ice cream store and later killed David Roberts, a 23-year-old Paris, Texas police officer. Rogers and Willis Cooper robbed Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Store in Paris, Texas around 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, 1985.

During the robbery, Rogers and Cooper made the four female employees of the store go into the back cooler, while Cooper held the gun. County Attorney Kerye Ashmore said: “Rogers was telling him to shoot the women the whole time, but he wouldn’t fire,”

After the robbery, one of the women telephoned 911 and Roberts responded to the call. When Roberts pulled over the two suspects, Rogers got out of the truck and shot Roberts through the windshield of the police car. Rogers then opened the door and shot Roberts five more times. Rogers and Cooper returned to the truck and drove off.

While fleeing from police, Rogers and Cooper entered the home of a 50-year-old handicapped woman. They handcuffed her and stole the family car. They tried to kidnap two other elderly ladies and then held a man hostage while fleeing in his truck.

Investigation

Public Information Officer Todd Varner was the first to arrive on the scene, and he described how he coordinated backup after being called. Varner said: “He had already called me for backup and I was on my way,” and “I got there a minute after he was shot.”

Varner said the murder weapon was never found and that Rogers kept changing his story about where he threw the gun. Varner said: “Rogers kept changing his story of where he threw the gun,”

Arrest

Rogers and Cooper were arrested around 5 p.m. 12 to 15 miles north of Paris.

Trial

During the trial, Rogers admitted to firing the gun toward the police car.

In the punishment phase of the trial, Ashmore had Rogers re-enact his actions. Ashmore said: “He fired all shots toward the driver’s side of the windshield,”

Ashmore said Rogers showed no remorse during the trial. Ashmore said: “He has an anti-social personality,” and “He is manipulative, controlling, and without a conscience.”

Rogers’ defense attorney and witness of the execution, Susan Karmanian, said the case involved a lack of evidence presented and that Rogers’ first defense attorney did not make serious efforts to locate witnesses. Karmanian said: “Patrick’s first defense attorney made no serious effort to locate people willing to testify on Patrick’s behalf,” and “We located 40 people.”

Karmanian also said the jury was not given the right to look at Rogers’ state of mind. Karmanian said: “He was in a drug induced stupor,” and “The jury was not given the right to look at that aspect.”

Rogers blamed his actions on drugs he was taking, PCP.

Sentencing

Rogers was sentenced to death and remained on death row.

Appeals

Rogers’ case was appealed five times. Rogers’ last appeal was overruled on June 3, 1996.

Outcome

Patrick Rogers was executed by lethal injection in Texas on June 2, 1997. Rogers’ last meal consisted of a Coke. He made several final statements while praying to Allah and addressing fellow death row inmates and his family.

Rogers’ last statement included prayers and remarks to others, including:

• “I would like to praise Allah and I am praying to Allah. Allah is most gracious. I will ask Allah for forgiveness because he created me and he will forgive me. All of the brothers on the row stay strong. ( Some words about Allah that I couldn’t understand .) I love my family, my mother. I will see her sooner or later. Life goes on. Don’t let these people break ( couldn’t understand ) you. Keep true to nature. You do not have to act like them. Rise above it. ( couldn’t understand ) Praise Allah – ( some more Allah mumbling )”

His final words were “kind of bad, isn’t it.” Rogers was announced dead at 6:17 p.m. on June 2, 1997. Roberts’ mother and brother also witnessed the execution.

As reported in the account, to his fellow death row inmates Rogers said: “life goes on, you all stay strong.” To the victim’s family he said: “What you want to see, you’re going to get.”

Aftermath

Danny Roberts, whose brother was killed, described the execution and his desire to see Rogers suffer. Danny Roberts said: “After it was done, we came out, and it was like, `Is that it?' ”

Danny Roberts also said: “My brother suffered terribly when he died. I really wanted to see them bring [Patrick Rogers] into the room and strap him down. They should have let us see a little bit of the terror in Rogers's face that my brother must have felt.”

Danny Roberts questioned his own feelings about Rogers and said: “Do I hate Patrick Rogers?” and “The first few years after my brother died, yeah. But I don't know the man. I just know what he did.”

David Roberts was a 23-year-old Paris, Texas police officer killed Sept. 21, 1985, when he pulled Rogers over to question him about a robbery. Before Roberts opened his police cruiser door, Rogers fired a stolen pistol.

Roberts’ widow later gave birth to his son. The Roberts family watched as Rogers was executed June 2.