October 2005 and the execution date subsequently set for November 18, 2005. An appeal for clemency was denied by Governor Mike Easley on November 17. Execution Syriani was pronounced dead at 2:12 a.m. on November 18, 2005 at the Central Prison. None of his children witnessed the execution, though they did meet him during the previous day, leaving about 11 p.m. In his final statement he said: I want to thank God first for everything that happened in my life. I want to thank my children. I want to thank my family, especially my sister, Odeet. I want to thank all the beautiful friends who share with me my sufferings for 15 years and four months and they so encouraged me, specifically Mr. and Mrs. Meg Eggleston who become a sister to me. She helped me a lot to accept everything. I thank everyone from the staff, nurses, chaplains. I thank everyone. It was the 997th execution in the United States since the Gregg v. Georgia decision. See also Capital punishment in North Carolina Capital punishment in the United States List of people executed in North Carolina List of people executed in the United States in 2005 References General references Elias Hanna Syriani. The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney. Unpublished decision (PDF) for Syriani v. Polk, 2004 WL 2944041 by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (December 21, 2004) Report from the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Offender Data Screen from North Carolina Department of Correction 1938 births 2005 deaths People executed for murder 21st-century executions of American people 21st-century executions by North Carolina People executed by North Carolina by lethal injection People convicted of murder by North Carolina American people of Assyrian descent People from Jerusalem Jordanian emigrants to the United States