Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Leon King #624; March 22, 1989



I would like to tell Mr. Richard that I appreciate all he has done for me. I love you all. God bless. Goodbye, David.




Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Raymond Landry, Sr #738; December 13, 1988



Landry made no last statement, but information about his crime and execution can be found here.

Incidentally, two years ago I interviewed an AP reporter named Mike Graczyk, who has been present at more than 300 executions in Texas as a media witness. In the interview he told the remarkable, startling story of Landry's execution. This blog owes quite a bit to Mr. Graczyk, both in spirit, and for pointing me in the direction of these resources.




Friday, August 26, 2011

Robert Streetman #746; January 1, 1988



Streetman made no last statement, replying to the prompting for last words with "No, sir". Information on his execution can be found here and here.



Wednesday, August 24, 2011

John R. Thompson #610; July 8, 1987



Thompson made no last statement, but "a prison chaplain who talked with Thompson said he planned to pray rather than talk to the gathered witnesses. 'He wanted his last words to be with God and not anybody here.'" [Source]






Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Elliot Johnson #739; June 24, 1987



No official information available through the TDCJ, but information on his crime and execution can be found in this Houston Chronicle article. His last statement was "First of all I'd like to say I'm very sorry for bringing all the hurt and pain to everyone who loved me so much. I hope all my friends find it in my heart to forgive me. Mom, don't worry about me too much because I'm on my way home. Just remember one thing: I love you, Mom."





Martin Robles, #999457; August 10, 2011



I love you Israel.




Monday, August 22, 2011

Anthony Williams #619; May 28, 1987



Mother, I am sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you. Please forgive me. Take good care of yourself. Ernest and Otis, watch out for the family. Thank all of you who have helped me.




Friday, August 19, 2011

Eliseo Moreno #759; March 4, 1987



No official last statement is recorded on the TDCJ website, but a sense of it can be gleaned from this Houston Chronicle article: "He jumped on the table with a smile and said he was ready for the rocket to take off so he could finally go home," said [AG Jim] Mattox, who was present in the death chamber. "And he did."


Offender Information




Thursday, August 18, 2011

Ramon Hernandez #667; January 30, 1987



No information on the TDCJ website, but information about Hernandez's crime and execution can be found in this Houston Chronicle article. His last statement was, "Only to my wife. I love her. And to my kids, I'll always love you; you know that. That's it."


Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Richard Andrade #774; December 18, 2986



No official information from the TDCJ, but some information about Andrade's crimes and execution can be found in this Houston Chronicle story. It appears that he declined to make a last statement



Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Michael Wayne Evans #608; December 4, 1986



I want to say I’m sorry for the things I’ve done and I hope I’m forgiven. I don’t hold nothing against no one – Everyone has treated me well and I know it’s not easy for them – That’s all, I’m sorry.



Monday, August 15, 2011

Chester Wicker #678; August 26, 1986



No last words or offender information are posted to the Texas DCJ website, but some information about Wicker's crime and last moments can be found in this UPI article, courtesy of the Chicago Tribune. Wicker's last words, it appears, were "I love you," directed to his spiritual adviser.


Friday, August 12, 2011

Larry Smith #643; August 22, 1986


Tell my mother I love her and continue on without me. God bless her. Tell the guys on death row to continue their struggle to get off death row. That’s about it.




Thursday, August 11, 2011

Randy L. Woolls #646; August 20, 1986


Goodbye to my family; I love all of you, I’m sorry for the victim’s family. I wish I could make it up to them. I want those out there to keep fighting the death penalty.



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Kenneth A. Brock #522; June 19, 1986


I have no last words. I am ready.


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No official offender information available, but a Houston Chronicle with some information about his crime can be found here


Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Rudy Ramos Esquivel #606; June 9, 1986



Goodbye to all my friends; be cool. Thank you for being my friends. Give my love to everybody.

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No official offender information available, but click here for a newspaper article from the time, behind the NYT paywall. Esquivel was the first non-white prisoner executed after the Supreme Court ruled that jurors could not be excluded solely based on race, though that decision was not applied retroactively in this case.


Monday, August 8, 2011

Jay Kelly Pinkerton #686; May 15, 1986


"Be strong for me," Pinkerton told his father, Gene Pinkerton, as witnesses entered the execution chamber. "I want you to know I’m at peace with myself and with my God," Pinkerton said. He recited a prayer to Allah, the supreme being of Islam. "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah. With your praise I ask for forgiveness and I return unto you," Pinkerton said. "I love you, Dad."




Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Charles Rumbaugh #555; September 11, 1985


D.J., Laurie, Dr. Wheat, about all I can say is goodbye, and for all the rest of you, although you don’t forgive me for my transgressions, I forgive yours against me. I am ready to begin my journey and that’s all I have to say.




Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Henry Porter #551; July 9, 1985


I want to thank Father Walsh for his spiritual help. I want to thank Bob Ray (Sanders) and Steve Blow for their friendship. What I want people to know is that they call me a cold-blooded killer when I shot a man that shot me first. The only thing that convicted me was that I am a Mexican and that he was a police officer. People hollered for my life, and they are to have my life tonight. The people never hollered for the life of the policeman that killed a thirteen-year-old boy who was handcuffed in the back seat of a police car. The people never hollered for the life of a Houston police officer who beat up and drowned Jose Campo Torres and threw his body in the river. You call that equal justice. This is your equal justice. This is America’s equal justice. A Mexican’s life is worth nothing. When a policeman kills someone he gets a suspended sentence or probation. When a Mexican kills a police officer this is what you get. From there you call me a cold-blooded murderer. I didn’t tie anyone to a stretcher. I didn’t pump any poison into anybody’s veins from behind a locked door. You call this justice. I call this and your society a bunch of cold-blooded murderers. I don’t say this with any bitterness or anger. I just say this with truthfulness. I hope God forgives me for all my sins. I hope that God will be as merciful to society as he has been to me. I’m ready, Warden.



Monday, August 1, 2011

Charles Milton #628; May 25, 1985


There’s no God but Allah, and unto thy I belong and unto thy I return. I want to continue to tell my brothers and sisters to be strong.