David Brewer was the seventh death row inmate to be executed under Gov. Bob Taft’s administration. He received a lethal injection at the Lucasville Correctional Facility at 10 a.m. yesterday.

In 1985 Brewer was found guilty of raping and murdering 21-year-old Sherry Byrne, the wife of his former fraternity brother.

Brewer – a resident of Centerville, Ohio – raped, beat and choked Byrne before stabbing her multiple times. Brewer put Byrne in the trunk of his car, where she managed to hang a help sign out of his trunk, which was allegedly seen by motorists.

Brewer pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

After recently denying Brewer’s request for clemency, the Ohio Parole Board unanimously voted against granting mercy to Brewer. This was Brewer’s last oppurtunity to escape the death penalty because all previous chances for appeal had been exhausted.

Taft deliberated on the decision of whether to grant Brewer’s request.

“These cases are never easy decisions for the governor,” said Orest Holubec, Taft’s press secretary. “The governor reviews cases to ensure justice is served.”

One prosecutor agreed that Taft made the right decision.

“Justice for the victim, Sherry Byrne, was served because the penalty was carried out, which is required to be done by law,” said Suzanne Schmidt, first assistant prosecutor.

A grand jury is responsible for seeking the death penalty and will seek it if a case meets certain specifications in the law, Schmidt said.

It is then up to the prosecutor to decide to pursue the death penalty.

“It’s not a decision any prosecutor takes lightly,” Schmidt said. “All elements were met for the death penalty to be imposed.”

G. Jack Davis served as Brewer’s defense attorney in the original case, before the appeals.

“There was a feeling of sadness whether it’s justified or not justified,” said attorney Trisha Duff. Duff, a lawyer in Davis’ office, said Davis did not attend yesterday’s execution.

“It would be too emotional, too troubling for him,” Duff said of Davis.

The Cleveland Coalition Against the Death Penalty held two protests – one Monday and one yesterday – in an attempt to prevent Brewer’s execution.

“We’re about 10th in the country in terms of execution,” said Kathy Soltis, convener of CCADP. “It’s a factory – you take one person add three chemicals and produce a corpse.”

The protests were called “Vigils for the Life of David Brewer.” Soltis said the coalition hopes to get media attention.

“The media doesn’t care because execution is so common,” Soltis said.

The victim’s husband – Joe Byrne – Byrne’s mother and William Schenck, the original prosecutor of the case, were the only people permitted to witness the execution.