[JURIST] Connecticut serial killer Michael Ross [advocacy website] was executed by lethal injection early Friday morning in New England's first execution in 45 years, made possible after the state Supreme Court ruled earlier this week that he was competent to end his appeals [JURIST report]. Ross, convicted for raping and killing eight women in the 1980s, had previously chosen to waive his right to death row appeals [JURIST report] despite objections from his lawyer and family members. Both Ross' father and sister attempted to appeal his case in his stead, claiming that Ross was too narcissistic and had difficulties changing his mind after making a decision and that he suffered from "death row syndrome," leading to mental incompetency after 18 years on death row. A last-minute plea to the state governor [press release] by anti-death penalty activists seeking to have the execution halted was unsuccessful. AP has more.