Larry White #640; May 22, 1997

I would like to apologize for all of the hurt, pain and disappointment I caused to my family and all my friends. I hope all the veterans and teenagers out there who have a drug problem will get help. I hope the lord will forgive me of all of my sins. I thank Jack and Kathy for being with me. I hope that those who support the Death Row inmates will continue to work and maybe we can get this resolved and do away with the Death Penalty. I hope this is a lot better place where I am going.

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Bruce Callins #717; May 21, 1997

I want to let all of my people know and everybody who is here and supported me that I love them and wish them all the best.

Offender information

When the Supreme Court denied to hear an appeal in Callins' case, Justice Harry A. Blackmun filed his now famous dissent, in which he declared that "the death penalty experiment has failed." See here for a NYT article on the dissent, and for the full text please see this link.

Clarence Lackey #591; May 20, 1997

I would like to thank my Lord Jesus Christ for keeping me strong all these years. I would also like to thank my mother for standing by me all these years. I would also like to thank my pen pals, Joe and Camille Tilling and JoAnn for helping me stay strong all these years. I also thank my two lawyers, Rita and Brent, for fighting to keep me alive. I love you, Mom -

Offender information

For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Richard Drinkard #846; April 19, 1997

No sir

Offender information

For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Clifton E. Belyeu #841; May 16, 1997

[The following was distributed as a typed, signed statement]

First of all I want to thank the LORD, my family and my wife Nora for all the support and encouragement they’ve shown me through all this. I love you!! Now I want to thank all of you that came here today to be with me. I know most of you are here to see me suffer and die but you’re in for a big disappointment because today is a day of joy. Today is the day I’ll be set free from all this pain and suffering. Today I’m going home to HEAVEN to live for all eternity with my HEAVENLY FATHER JESUS CHRIST, and as I lay here taking my last breath, I’ll be praying for all of you because you’re here today with anger and hatred in your hearts letting Satan deceive you into believing that what you’re doing is right and just. GOD help you, because what you’re doing here today and what’s in your hearts here today makes you no better than any man or woman on death-rows across this country. Today you’re committing murder too!!! I pray on my own behalf for forgiveness for any and all of the pain I’ve caused you, I pray that some day you’ll realize your own mistakes and ask GOD to forgive you as I have, because there is no peace without GOD’s forgiveness.

Amen.

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Anthony Westley #797; May 13, 1997

I want you to know that I did not kill anyone. I love you all.

Offender information

For additional information, please see this Houston Press article

Terry Washington #884; May 6, 1997

Washington declined to make a final statement

Offender information

We've had trouble locating contemporaneous reporting about Washington's execution, but his and other death row inmates' mental retardation became a campaign issue in the 2000 election and beyond. Please see this Atlantic Magazine article that makes reference to Washington's case

Ernest Baldree #855; April 29, 1997

No, sir

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Benjamin Boyle #853; April 21, 1997

Boyle declined to make a final statement

Offender Information

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

Kenneth Gentry #760; April 16, 1997

Thank the Lord for the past 14 years that have allowed me to grow as a man –

To J.D.’s family, I am sorry for the suffering you have gone through the past 14 years. I hope you can get some peace tonight.

To my family, I am happy to be going home to Jesus.

Sweet Jesus, here I come. Take me home. I am going your way.

Offender Information

For more information, please see this Associated Press article

Billy Joe Woods #552; April 14 1997

Woods declined to make a final statement

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this LA Times article, which uses the Woods execution as a focal point to discuss the death penalty in Texas

David Spence #773; April 3, 1997

Yes, I do. First of all, I want you to understand I speak the truth when I say I didn’t kill your kids. Honestly I have not killed anyone. I wish you could get the rage from your hearts and you could see the truth and get rid of the hatred.

I love you all – (names of children) – Corey, Steve (garbled) – This is very important. I love ya’ll and I miss ya’ll. O.K., now I’m finished.

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this NYT article, as well as these Houston Chronicle articles, and this true crime book

David Herman #999003; April 2, 1997

It was horrible and inexcusable for me to take the life of your loved one and to hurt so many mentally and physically. I am here because I took a life and killing is wrong by an individual and by the state, and I am sorry we are here but if my death gives you peace and closure then this is all worthwhile. To all of my friends and family, I love you and I am going home -

Offender Information

For more information, please see this Mike Graczyk article

John K. Barefield #844; March 12, 1997

Tell Mama I love her.

Offender information

Please see these Houston Chronicle and New York Times articles for more information about the crime, the execution, and the later days of one of Barefield's accomplices

Richard Brimage, Jr. #899; February 10, 1997

Not from me but I have a message to you from God. Save the children. Find one who needs help and make a small sacrifice of your own wealth and save the innocent ones. They are the key for making the world a better place.

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Joe F. Gonzales, Jr. #999177; September 18, 1996

There are people all over the world who face things worse than death on a daily basis, and in that sense I consider myself lucky.

I cannot find the words to express the sadness I feel for bringing this hurt and pain on my loved ones.

I will not ask forgiveness for the decisions I have made in this judicial process, only acceptance.

God bless you all.

Offender Information

For additional information about Gonzales's short stay on the Walls Unit, please see this Associated Press article

Kenneth Granviel #533; February 27, 1996

No

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this Houston Chronicle article

Leo Jenkins #967; February 9, 1996

I just want to say I believe in Jesus Christ. I'm sorry for the Kelleys' loss, but this will not bring their children back. The state is wrong to execute me. There is no way to justify this. Tell mama I love her. I'm ready, man.

[The dying man coughed and breathed heavily. He mouthed ""I love you" to his girlfriend]

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this Houston Chronicle article

James Briddle #711; December 12, 1995

Briddle declined to make a final statement

Offender information

For more information about Briddle's crime and his life in prison, please see this Houston Chronicle article