Posted on 09/22/2011 1:46:21 PM PDT by Red Badger
Death-row inmates headed to their executions will no longer be able to pick what they’d like for their last meal.
Brad Livingston, executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, issued this statement in response to concerns from Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire:
“I believe Senator Whitmire’s concerns regarding the practice of allowing death row offenders to choose their last meal are valid. Effective immediately, no such accommodations will be made. They will receive the same meal served to other offenders on the unit.”
Here’s the original post about Whitmire’s concerns: Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire, D-Houston, wants to end the practice of providing death-row inmates with whatever they’d like for their last meal.
Whitmire – in a Thursday letter to Brad Livingston, executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice — said he’s long been concerned about the practice and that the last straw was the Houston Chronicle’s report of Lawrence Russell Brewer ordering a huge last meal that he failed to eat.
The senator recounted Brewer’s order of two chicken fried steaks, a triple meat bacon cheeseburger, a cheese omelet, a large bowl of fried okra, three fajitas, a pint of Blue Bell ice cream, and a pound of barbecue with a half loaf of white bread, calling it “ridiculous.”
“I am asking that you end this practice immediately or I am prepared to do so by statute next session,” Whitmire wrote. “Death row inmates before execution should be fed the same meal as any other inmate on the unit the day of the scheduled execution.”
I’ve emailed TDCJ’s spokeswoman to ask for a comment.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.chron.com ...
I’d feed them a Tombstone Pizza along with some fried mush and burnt toast.
We're Texas. Those that hate us will still hate us, those that love us will still love us. Publicity can KMA.
/johnny
I’ve actually read that, that most death row inmates don’t even eat their last meal. If you read what they “request” it’s fascinating. For the most part they ask for what we would call comfort food. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, greens, cake, etc. One guy asked for a six pack of Dr Pepper. That’s the last thing I’d ask for. Something to make me ultra alert with all of the caffeine, plus making me want to pee like a racehorse.
...Should have wheeled it in after they strapped him to the gurney...
So?
If they really have a problem, then just limit the size of the last meal: a main dish, three side items, 1 desert, 1 beverage.
Ending what is a several centuries old tradition that is followed in countries around the world hardly seems like a smart PR move.
just give them $16 govt muffins
“. . .order of two chicken fried steaks, a triple meat bacon cheeseburger, a cheese omelet, a large bowl of fried okra, three fajitas, a pint of Blue Bell ice cream, and a pound of barbecue with a half loaf of white bread . . .”
I was unaware that Michael Moore was on death row (not that I object, mind you) . . .
Federal court practices have a lot to do with this. It can take years for them to get around to looking at these kinds of cases.
Yes, let the family pay for it, or just put a limit on it. Give them a little menu to choose from (one meat, 2-3 side dishes, a dessert or 2). I think it is a humane gesture, and should be continued.
Bummer, that’ll remove all the incentive to get on death-row.
I mean, if you can’t score a good dinner, what’s the point?
Exactly. The last meal thing is kinda nostalgic and poetic. I like a little wistfulness in my executions. They should let them have a fiddle or banjo player too, for the last walk down the hall.
Just tell them they have a hundred dollar limit so they don't get too stupid.
But I'm with you on the prisoner's food cost going to the family. All of it. Every day. Wanna eat? Convince your brother or sister you won't rape another 90 year old to death. Maybe they will send you some food.
Prisoners (or their family) paying for their food is also a long established custom.
/johnny
“Death-row inmates headed to their executions will no longer be able to pick what they’d like for their last meal. “
About time. If you deserve the death penalty, you should just get a piece of stale bread and lukewarm water. Their victims couldn’t even get that.
If you go to the Texas prison website you can see what passed - oops bad word - previous inmates had as their last meal. Your list wasn’t too far off.
I agree with this decision.
Sounds like Moochelle was ordering!!
Save money by standardizing. Each death row inmate gets a McDonald’s Happy Meal as his last meal.
a new food network cooking show! “Death Row Cook-off”
the condemned gets teams of friends and fam to cook for them. each team gets $25 of ingredients and an hour to cook.
the panel of judges are the executioners and witnesses .
whoever gets the best rating gets a family style meal together with the condemned and Gordon Ramsey comes in to be special guest executioner.
wait till the UK gets wind of this ... if they were aghast at Perry’s heartless response to the death penalty, THIS will really get ‘em.
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