Last meals on death row

[CatWoman]

I'm struck by the fact the Troy Davis wanted no last meal. I don't know why I find this interesting. I just do.

LAWRENCE BREWER (2011): chicken fried steaks, a triple bacon cheeseburger, a bowl of fried okra, a cheese omelette, barbeque, fajitas, pizza and peanut butter fudge with crushed peanuts.

GARY GILMORE (1977): Hamburgers, eggs, potatoes, coffee and whisky

HENRY PORTER (1985): Tortillas, steak, beans, tossed salad, jalapeno peppers, ice cream and chocolate cake

TED BUNDY (1989): Steak, eggs, toast, milk, coffee, juice, butter, jelly and hash browns

JAMES SMITH (1990): Yogurt (after asking for dirt)

ROBERT HARRIS (1992): Chicken bucket, two large pizzas, Pepsi six-pack, jelly beans and Camel cigarettes

TERESA LEWIS (2010): Fried chicken, sweet peas and German chocolate cake




Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2040000/Lawrence-Russell-Brewer-execution-White-supremacist-gets-death-penalty-1998-killing.html#ixzz1YhjU0stj

[smokey nj]

1. I think the cigarettes were an interesting choice for a last meal.

Did he sprinkle the tobacco on the pizzas like oregano?

[jmowreader]

51. They don't let them smoke in prison anymore

If you look at http://drongomala.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/final-meal-requests-from-death-row-prisoners-in-texas/ you'll see a LOT of guys who requested cigarettes as part of their last meals, and it's always refused as being against Texas Department of Criminal Justice policy. One guy asked for bubble gum, and that's banned too.

[EOTE]

2. I'm thinking he might have turned it down because he thought accepting it would be validation.

He turned down the last meal before during the prior times it looked like he was going to die. He insisted it wasn't going to be his last meal. I think in a way to him it would be somewhat of an admission of guilt. So incredibly sad.

[CatWoman]

3. ....

:(

right there with you :cry:

[WingDinger]

4. Tainted calteloupe, E-coli spinach, Alar apples, ill prepared blowfish.

[TexasProgresive]

5. Brewer ordered that huge meal yesterday but is reported that he did not eat n/t

[hlthe2b]

6. Actually it seems bizarre to me that anyone would be able to down a last meal...

I really can't imagine anything less conducive to appetite than the thought of being killed in a mere few hours.

I guess they don't let them, but somehow I'd think more would be asking for alcohol, if given the choice.

[Drale]

7. Gilmore got Whiskey so

I'm guessing they can get alcohol. I agree, I would want as much alcohol as possible and get really really drunk.

[RebelOne]

16. If I thought I was going to die in a few hours,

I'd down as much alcohol as I could.

[pipi_k]

32. Same here...

I can't even eat if I've had an argument with someone or if I see something disturbing.

[Posteritatis]

39. I imagine a lot of them would be feeling pretty numb by that point

I think the meal's a full day before, too.

[H2O Man]

8. One story that

struck me as sad was when a mildly retarted man was having his "last meal," before being executed. He set aside the piece of cake. A guard asked him why he didn't eat it? He said that he was saving it until later. True story.

[CatWoman]

9. i'm not rendered speechless very often

............. :(

[OneGrassRoot]

10. +1 :( n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. ...

:-(

[Bunny]

18. Ricky Ray Rector

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Ray_Rector

Controversy over executionRector was subject to a unique overlap of controversies in 1992 during his execution in Arkansas. A question of the morality of killing someone who was functionally retarded. An oft-cited example of his mental insufficiency is his decision to save the dessert from his last meal for after his execution.<5> In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court banned the execution of people with mental retardation in Atkins v. Virginia, ruling that the practice constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

[gratuitous]

23. Ricky Ray Rector in Arkansas

Executed in 1992 by then Governor William Jefferson Clinton, who was running for president that year. Rector's special crime was shooting up a nightclub and going on the run. A couple of days later, he shot the cop who came to arrest him at a relative's house. After shooting the cop, Rector ran out and turned the gun on himself, but succeeded only in giving himself irreversible brain damage. Rector, though no longer able to assist in his own defense according to his attorneys, was tried anyway and sentenced to death for the shootings at the nightclub.

[hlthe2b]

28. that is a heart-breaking story.... n/t

[Abin Sur]

49. I won't shed a tear for him. What's heartbreaking

Is the death of the innocent man that Rector killed, followed by the death of the policeman that he shot in the back.

The only reason Rector was mentally disabled was that he then botched a suicide attempt, causing brain damage.

Frankly, I'm glad he's dead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Ray_Rector

[hlthe2b]

50. That adds a very different set of elements to the story...

I thought he had been born mentally challenged.

[11 Bravo]

37. Ricky Ray Rector. He wasn't mildly retarded ...

Enraged when a friend was denied entrance to a nightclub until a cover charge was paid, Rector pulled a gun and shot three people, killing one instantly. He then went into hiding, but after three days agreed to turn himself into one specific police officer whom he had known for years. He met with the officer and at some point, when the policeman turned to speak to Rector's mother, Rector shot the officer in the back of the head, killing him. Rector then went inside his home and shot himself in the head. He survived the gunshot, but it effectively lobotomized him. The State of Arkansas maintained, against the pleas of his defense team, that Rector was still competent to stand trial. He was tried and sentenced to death. Governor Bill Clinton refused to intervene, and Rector, after saving part of his last meal to consume later, was executed.

[chrisa]

38. Odd and sad at the same time. I'm not familiar with the case,

but it seems like he really did have no idea what was about to happen if he said something like that.

[Cali_Democrat]

11. Many of these folks have terrible taste...pizza and fried chicken?

What about king crab legs? A medium rare porter house steak? Lobster? Chocolate souffle? Kobe beef burger with blue cheese crumbles? Scallops with pasta and a nice garlic sauce?

Lobster bisque soup? Salad with roasted duck and foie gras? Escargot? That's what I would be eating, if I could eat at all.

[CatWoman]

12. you arugula eating, latte sipping liberal, you!!!

:rofl:

[Cali_Democrat]

13. ...

:)

[Arugula Latte]

15. Excuse me?!

:D

[CatWoman]

17. LOLOL!!!!!

:hi:

:rofl:

[Papagoose]

22. Have you ever known anyone who spent a significant amount of time in prison

Tastes change and cravings are often for "simple pleasures". My father spent 11 years in prison...he would have walked over broken glass for a slice of real pizza or homemade fried chicken.

[Saphire]

27. There are limitations to the requests.

[Dreamer Tatum]

29. How many murderers do you think ate like that before landing on death row?

Most people on death row are not exactly gourmands. Sheesh.

[Cali_Democrat]

31. Who says you have to eat like that previously?

But you gotta figure that they know there's better food out there than pizza and fried chicken.

I'm sure they've heard of things like lobster, steak and roast duck.

People have different tastes and, as the above poster mentioned, there are probably limits anyways.

[JI7]

36. but they don't know if they would like it , they probably crave things they already had before

there is no way i would pick roast duck which i never had before. maybe the steak . i'm not big on seafood so i wouldn't pick lobster.

the things you mention are things one who isn't going to die might pick for a free meal.

[JI7]

35. they probably want something familiar , something they know they like

[MerryBlooms]

48. Comfort food. n/t

[Horse with no Name]

55. I would guess that it is a remembrance of a better time in their life

and not the food.

Perhaps the memories of going on a first date as a teenager (or something along those lines) supersede the ACTUAL gastronomic experience.

That would be my best guess as to why that would be chosen.

However, I like your last meal better!

[nomb]

19. Has anyone released from Death Row been close enough to ask for a "last meal"? What was it, if so?

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

20. What? No McDonald's "Happy Meal"?

Sarcasm abounds. The last thing a corporation would want is to have its brand name associated with something as hideous and gruesome as an execution.

[Papagoose]

21. I can't imagine how anyone could eat under the circumstances

I couldn't even eat my own dinner last night.

[rainbow4321]

24. The guy in TX ordered it but didn't eat it

Per our local news...and now some repub wants to pass a new law that bans last meals for TX death row inmates

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/09/whitmire-on-last-meal-for-deat.html

[Posteritatis]

40. That's impressively petty, all things considered; ugh. (nt)

[Horse with no Name]

54. As they should

I mean seriously?

Why should the taxpayers lay out $100 for food when they have already spent $2.3 million dollars to kill someone?


I mean, if we only put them in prison for life it would have cost less than $1 million and THEN we could have probably sprung for a cheeseburger!

But since we already spent all that money to satisfy our blood lust...what fucking nerve to be forced to give THEM something they might enjoy!


http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/costs-death-penalty

[kctim]

25. Foolish and wasteful

They should get the exact same meal as every other prisoner got that night.

[ohheckyeah]

41. Really?

You're worried about the money? Some food being wasted?

[kctim]

47. It's not worry

as much as it's that they don't deserve it.

Foolish to treat them special and wasteful to feed them like that when they could feed at least ten people who deserve it.

[immoderate]

52. It's not for them. It's for us. Cause we're all real nice. No one starves because of this.

:)

--imm

[Horse with no Name]

56. Are you fucking serious?

WHO THE FUCK CARES if he wasted a cheeseburger???

As I said before--the state just spent $2.3 million TO KILL HIM...they can fucking spring for $100 meal. I really don't care if they piss in it. But surely we can muster one SMALL act of compassion.

[kctim]

59. Very serious.

The murderer had no compassion and deserves no compassion. The state also does not have to spend 2.3 million to kill a murderer and they sure as hell don't need to spend a hundred to feed one.

[Horse with no Name]

60. This is why the big tent doesn't work

because you and I share nothing in common and your views don't even begin to come close to mine.

[kctim]

61. On this issue, but not all issues

You're not suggesting you would rather be in a party that requires all views to be in lockstep, are you?

[Horse with no Name]

62. No I am suggesting that I would like to be in a party that

is socially progressive and those that aren't socially progressive would be kicked to the curb.

Supporting human rights isn't in lockstep...it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Not supporting human rights IS a lockstep mentality...kind of like the "Pro-Life" movement. You can slap an elephant on the ass and call it a donkey...but just because you call it a donkey doesn't change the fact that it is STILL an elephant.

[kctim]

63. Oh, ok. In that case

I am sorry to inform you that the reason you are not in a Party that is in lockstep with only socially progressive views is because there are not enough people who believe the same.

You wish to require that people believe and support EVERYTHING you do, in the exact same way. Not supporting human rights as defined by YOU, IS lockstep thinking...exactly like the Pro-Life movement does.

I'm not sure how much you know about donkeys, but you can slap one of them things on the ass and call him an elephant as many times as you want, but the stubborn fella will still know he is a freaking donkey and be damn proud of it to.

[my2sense]

26. I think it's odd that it's even

reported what someone ate before they are murdered. It's as twisted as Palin's brain.

[PlanetBev]

30. My sentiments exactly

This is a weird-ass country.

[LeftinOH]

33. Mine: Durian fruit and beer -lots of it.

[CatWoman]

34. Durian fruit

the one fruit that scares the shit out of Andrew Zimmern!! :rofl:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VuXoX3Wt08

[Abin Sur]

42. Here are 10 more death row meals

As per http://blog.chron.com/texaspolitics/2011/09/senate-criminal-justice-chair-enough-is-enough-on-last-meals-for-death-row-inmates/#1133-28

Adolph Eichmann (1962): A bottle of Israeli wine

Perry Smith and Richard Hickock (1965): Shrimp, fries, garlic bread, ice cream, strawberries and whipped cream

Ronald Clark O'Bryan (1984): T-bone steak (medium to well done), fries with ketchup, whole kernel corn, sweet peas, a lettuce and tomato salad with egg and French dressing, iced tea, sweetener, saltines, Boston cream pie, and rolls.

John Wayne Gayce (1994): Fried shrimp, a bucket of KFC original recipe chicken, fries and a pound of strawberries.

William George Bonin (1996): Two pepperoni and sausage pizzas, three servings of chocolate ice cream, and three six-packs of Coca-Cola and Pepsi

Karla Tucker (1998): Garden salad with Ranch dressing, plus a banana and peach.

Timothy McVeigh (2001): Two pints mint chocolate chip ice cream

Dennis Bagwell (2005): Steak, fried chicken, BBQ ribs,fries, onion rings, bacon, a dozen scrambled eggs with onions, fried taters with onions, sliced tomatoes, a salad with ranch dressing, two hamburgers with everything, peach pie, milk and coffee, ice tea with real sugar.

John Allen Muhammad (2009): Chicken with red sauce and cake

Ronnie Lee Gardner (2010): Lobster tail, steak, apple pie, vanilla ice cream, 7-Up

[CatWoman]

45. Israeli wine?

???

[Abin Sur]

46. Well, he was executed in Israel.

He may have simply asked for wine and not specified its origin.

[malaise]

43. I agree with him

Murder by the state disgusts me

[Abin Sur]

44. The Wikipedia article on last meals lists 58 of them

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_meal

[Mimosa]

53. Is booze allowed? I'd like a cocktail and a bottle of wine with my last meal. n/t

[CatWoman]

58. with a user name like yours

who would expect any different? :)

[Horse with no Name]

57. I'd be afraid if they asked for liver, fava beans and a nice chianti! n/t