Texas man executed for rape and murder of girl, 12

A Texas man convicted of raping and murdering a girl, 12, was executed by lethal injection Wednesday – the 10th inmate to be put to death this year.

The execution of Jonathan Green, at 10.45pm last night, followed several failed last-minute appeals on the grounds of mental illness, the Los Angeles Times reported.

As the lethal injection was administered, Green said: "I'm an innocent man. I never killed anyone. Y'all are killing an innocent man. It's hurting me bad."

ABC News reported the 44-year-old was convicted of kidnapping and killing 12-year-old girl Christina Neal as she walked home on June 21, 2000. 

The court was told he snatched the girl and took her to his home where he sexually assaulted her. He strangled her and buried her in his backyard. 

According to the Daily Mail, the girl's parents watched the execution.

Green was the 10th Texas inmate executed this year, and there are three more scheduled for this month. Almost 490 inmates have been put to death row since the State began lethal injections in 1982. 

The Huffington Post said Green's lawyer applied for a stay, submitting his client's hallucinations made him ineligible for the death penalty.

At his competency hearing, the court heard Green told a psychiatrist that false evidence was used against him. He said he did not kill Christina.

But the appeals court rejected the appeal and that it was reasonable to find Green competent for the death penalty.