Alabama has executed a death row inmate for the 1988 shooting death of his estranged wife as he held their 17–month–old daughter in one of his arms.

Fifty–two–year–old Leroy White died by lethal injection Thursday night despite a plea by the daughter, now grown, that his life be spared.

He was pronounced dead at 9:10 p.m. Central time. He had no last words.

White was sentenced to die for the shooting death of Ruby White, a first grade teacher in Huntsville. Her relatives, including 23–year–old daughter Latonya White, asked Gov. Bob Riley to grant clemency. But Riley, along with federal and state courts, refused to halt the execution.

The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily halted the execution before denying his plea for a stay.