Killer scheduled to die tonight in Reno execution

Thursday, June 9, 2005 | 9:24 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Reno killer Robert McConnell says he's ready to be executed at 9 tonight at the Nevada State prison, but prison officials think he will call it off.

McConnell, 32, talked to the press Wednesday and said, "I've been harassed and if everything goes smoothly, I will go through." But he indicated he might change his mind if he doesn't get a last hug from his mother.

Michael Budge, warden at the prison, said McConnell is "very manipulative and I think he will go right to the wire and call it off."

Howard Skolnik. assistant director of the state corrections department, said, "I think he is looking for a reason to call it off."

There have been 12 inmates executed since 1977 -- 11 of them voluntarily.

McConnell pleaded guilty to murder in the death of Brian Pierce, 25, who was shot 10 times and stabbed three times on Aug. 7, 2002. McConnell then called the victim's mother and left a message on her answering machine, "Your son died like a coward."

Pierce was living with McConnell's ex-girlfriend. He raped the woman, forced her into a car and drove to California where she was able to escape. He was later arrested in San Francisco.

Six relatives including Pierce's mother are expected to witness the execution.

Budge considers McConnell a high security risk and the inmate was handcuffed with leg chains and guarded by two correctional officers when he appeared at the press conference. Budge said he stopped contact visits between McConnell and his mother.

"He blames his mother and there is no telling what would happen," he said.

Both Budge and Skolnik said McConnell "compromised" some officers. But they refused to give details.

"He (McConnell) threatened staff and he threatened me," the warden said.

McConnell said he has been a model inmate. He has not asked for anything special for a last meal.

He was scheduled to have a visit this morning with his mother but there would be a glass partition between the two to prevent contact.

He said he doesn't deserve to die and this is "state sanctioned murder."

Asked if would appeal if he doesn't get a visit from his mother, McConnell replied "Yes."

The warden said that after McConnell was arrested and was being extradited to Nevada, officers found a handcuff key on him. Budge said McConnell said he wanted to escape, steal and airplane and crash it killing others.

"Nobody has the right to take a life,' said McConnell, who has been on death row for three years.

In an interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal published last weekend, McConnell last week said he had intended to kill his girlfriend but after he raped her, he could not go through with the murder. He said if he could take it back, he would kill her and let the boyfriend live.

He has since apologized to Pierce's mother.