It seems the tradition of giving condemned prisoners their choice of a last meal before their execution has gone out the window in Texas.
State senator John Whitmire demanded an end to the practice after learning of the meal request of Lawrence Brewer, who was executed this week. Brewer asked for two chicken fried steaks, a triple-meat bacon cheeseburger, fried okra, a pound (450 grams) of barbecue meat, three fajitas, a meat lover’s pizza, a pint of ice-cream and a slab of peanut butter fudge with crushed peanuts.
"It is extremely inappropriate to give a person sentenced to death such a privilege," Whitmire wrote in a letter to the State Corrections department, which quickly agreed with his views, and determined that the last meal choice by the prisoner would cease immediately. From now on they are just going to get whatever meal is on offer to the other inmates that day.
So no longer can a prisoner try to cheat the executioner by clogging his arteries. Others have tried just as hard as Lawrence Brewer.
Last week, inmate Steven Woods’s request included two pounds (one kilogram) of bacon, a large four-meat pizza, four fried chicken breasts, two drinks each of Mountain Dew, Pepsi, root beer and sweet tea, two pints (one litre) of ice-cream, five chicken fried steaks, two hamburgers with bacon, fries and a dozen garlic bread sticks with marinara on the side.
Another one went for two fried chickens, French fries and a five-gallon (19-litre) bucket of peaches.
No wonder there’s an obesity problem in America!
I wonder if its possible for a prisoner to delay his death by:
- ordering shitloads of food and eating it very slowly, savouring every bite
- ordering obscure foreign foods that take ages to find
- sending the meal back and complaining to the cook that its over or undercooked?
I can understand the sentiment behind stopping the last meal privilege, but it strikes me as petty.
On the subject of executions, that of Troy Davis by the State of Georgia leaves me feeling uncomfortable. From what I’ve read of the case there seems to be plenty of doubt over the verdict. I’d have thought the condemned prisoner gets the benefit of any doubt – considering the execution is irreversible. Hey, but what do I know … much better to pretend the justice system is infallible than admit something may have gone wrong.
IMHO there’s plenty wrong with the whole death penalty scenario. As for the last meal, how long prior to the actual deed is it laid on? I’m thinking it could be a great way for the condemned to have one last shot at revenge. I’d be ordering prunes, chilli and a nice big glass of OJ with 3 spoons of Metamucil. Get that into you, screws!