Bush approves death sentence for army prisoner

WASHINGTON - US President George W. Bush on Monday approved the execution of an army soldier on death row for murder and rape, in the first such move by a US president in more than 50 years.

Army private Ronald A. Gray was convicted and sentenced to death in 1988 by a military court, which in the United States requires the president's signature of approval in order to go ahead.

Bush granted the army's formal request that he approve the sentence by signing an order from the Oval Office, the White House said.

"President Bush this morning accepted the recommendation of the Secretary of the Army to approve a sentence of death for army private Ronald A. Gray, affirming the sentence that resulted from a general court martial for multiple charges of murder and rape committed while serving as a member of the armed services," press secretary Dana Perino said in a statement.

"While approving a sentence of death for a member of our armed services is a serious and difficult decision for a commander-in-chief, the president believes the facts of this case leave no doubt that the sentence is just and warranted," she said.

“Private Gray was convicted of committing brutal crimes, including two murders, an attempted murder, and three rapes. The victims included a civilian and two members of the army."

Perino said the White House anticipated further appeals in the case and would not comment further.

The last US president to approve a military execution was president Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957. That prisoner was put to death in 1961.

The most recent president to act on a military request for approval of a death sentence was John F. Kennedy, who in 1962 commuted a death sentence to life imprisonment, the White House said.