Lesley Gosch #842; April 28, 1998

Gosch declined to make a final statement

Offender Information

For additional information about his crime and execution, please see this Associated Press article

Joseph John Cannon #634; April 22, 1998

I am sorry for what I did to your mom. It isn’t because I’m going to die. All my life I have been locked up. I could never forgive what I done. I am sorry for all of you. I love you all. Thank you for supporting me. I thank you for being kind to me when I was small. Thank you, God.

All right

Offender Information

For additional information on Cannon, executed for a crime he committed when he was 17, please see this Associated Press article

Jerry Lee Hogue #660; March 11, 1998

Mindy, I’m with you, honey. I do not know why, Mindy, you are doing this, but I will still forgive you. You know he is a murderer. Why don’t you support me? He will do it again. Mindy, you are lucky you are still alive.

Give my love to my family. I love them. Mindy, you can stop this.

O.K., I’m ready.

Offender information

For additional information about Hogue and the doubts surrounding his execution, please see this CBS article

Steven Ceon Renfro #999229; February 9, 1998

I would like to tell the victims’ families that I am sorry, very sorry.

I am so sorry. Forgive me if you can.

I know it’s impossible, but try.

Take my hand, Lord Jesus, I’m coming home.

Offender Information

For additional information about Renfro's crime and execution, please see this Associated Press article.

In this piece, the LA Times contrasts this execution with the circus and spectacle that surrounded Karla Faye Tucker's execution six days earlier

Karla Faye Tucker #777; February 3, 1998

Yes sir, I would like to say to all of you – the Thornton family and Jerry Dean’s family that I am so sorry. I hope God will give you peace with this.

Baby, I love you. Ron, give Peggy a hug for me. Everybody has been so good to me.

I love all of you very much. I am going to be face to face with Jesus now. Warden Baggett, thank all of you so much. You have been so good to me. I love all of you very much. I will see you all when you get there. I will wait for you.

Offender Information

For additional information about Karla Faye Tucker's execution, the first woman executed in Texas since 1863, please see the following articles:

Michael Graczyk's coverage of the execution (AP)

On the media sensation (Houston Chronicle)

George W. Bush's moral wrangling in deciding to deny a brief reprieve (Houston Chronicle)

Karla Faye Tucker's Wikipedia entry

Michael Lee Lockhart #917; December 9, 1997

I am deeply sorry. It is my hope my death will give you some kind of comfort. A lot of people view what is happening here as evil, but I want you to know that I found love and compassion here. The people who work here, I thank them for the kindness they have shown me and I deeply appreciate all that has been done for me by the people who work here. That’s all, Warden, I’m ready.

Offender Information

For additional information about Lockhart's long, bloody crime spree (he received death sentences in three states), please see this Associated Press article

Charlie Livingston #802; November 21, 1997

You all brought me here to be executed, not to make a speech. That’s it.

Offender Information

For more information, please see this Associated Press article