Local reaction to the execution of Ted Bundy, described as "the living devil" because of his possible, alleged involvement in up to 36 deaths, appeared yesterday to match reaction in the state of Florida.

Bundy was executed early yesterday for the kidnapping, rape and murder of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach of Lake City, Fla., and had also accumulated death sentences for the killing of two Chi Omega sorority members at Florida State University in 1978. Yesterday was the fourth scheduled execution date following three appeals.

Students at Penn State, mostly natives of Pennsylvania -- a state where a prisoner has not been executed since April 1962, appeared to support Bundy's execution yesterday.

"From the little I know about the case, I guess it was justified. I'm a supporter of capital punishment but I'm cynical about the judicial system," said Rich Iovanna (senior-economics). However, he added the system may be unfair because others who committed similar crimes could get off because of loopholes or technicalities.

"I think he should have been executed," said Beth Bucher (junior-exercise and sport science) "He was guilty; he murdered many people. He's a poor example of the human race."

Lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union have said that even people morally opposed to the death penalty make an exception for Bundy because of the severity and magnitude of his crimes.

Campus Amnesty International President Shashi Ajmani said brutal murder cases such as Bundy's often serve to desensitize people to the death penalty.

"Look at the arguments supporting the penalty. They center around the brutality of the nature of the crime," Ajmani said. "People's emotions are really played that way.

"When people support the death penalty, it's not based on rational reasons. You can tell people about the cost, the legal proceedings, the racial bias, but they turn to the emotional aspect, the revenge aspect. They get back to the person who committed the heinous crime."

State College ACLU representative William Meikrantz said the ACLU at all levels opposes the death penalty, which it calls "the supreme violation of citizens' civil liberties. We deplored it this morning as we would in any case which it appears."

The local ACLU organization, Meikrantz said, has supported other groups opposing the death penalty in protests against the State Correctional Institution at Rockview near Bellefonte -- the site of the state's only electric chair.

"I didn't follow the case specifically, but if that was the decision in court, he should have been executed," said Robert Dodge (junior-administration of justice).

"I thought it was justice," said Heidi Sprankle (senior-exercise science). "He deserved to die after taking so many lives. I don't see why we as United States citizens should support him living in jail for the rest of his life. Under the circumstances, he was well deserving of it. If somebody takes the life of others, intentionally, they deserve to die as well," he said.

One student interviewed, Donna Bell (senior-sociology), said she was unsure about the morality of capital punishment.

"I've read reports about capital punishment saying that it does not deter murder or homicide. But for the murders he committed, (Bundy) had to be punished in some way," she said. "I'm not sure if capital punishment is the best way. I'm not sure if it's right in my own mind."

Bell said people should work toward a legal system that could "prove without a doubt that a person has committed a crime. If we could prove it without a reasonable doubt, then I feel the punishment could be justified." She said publicity about the Bundy case, especially in its later stages, could have swayed judgment against him in court.

Currently, 100 Pennsylvania prisoners sentenced to death are being held at state correctional institutions at Graterford, Huntingdon and Pittsburgh, corrections department press secretary Ken Robinson said.

The Associated Press said that unlike previous Florida executions, such as that of Willie Jasper Darden in March, supporters of Bundy's execution were far more vocal than those who were opposed.

"Calls and letters are very, very favorable toward executing this man as quickly as possible," Brian Ballard, director of operations for Florida Gov. Bob Martinez, told the AP. "I've heard . . . of a few against capital punishment, but we have not gotten one saying Ted Bundy is innocent."

About 100 death penalty supporters also appeared outside the Florida State Prison at the time of the execution, AP reports indicated.

Bundy was executed at 7:06 a.m. and pronounced dead ten minutes later, according to AP reports.