Texas publishes last words of death row inmates
'I, at this very moment, have absolutely no fear of what may happen to this body. My fear is for Allah, God only, who has at this moment the only power to determine if I should live or die.'
The last words of hundreds of death row inmates have been revealed for the first time.
Authorities in Texas - where more people have been executed than in any other U.S. state - have published the last statement of everyone put to death since 1982. The list also include details of the crimes that put them on death row.
Each prisoner is allowed to make a final statement before the execution process begins at Huntsville Prison.
Death Row: The Texas death chamber in Huntsville prison, Texas. The last statements of every convict put to death there since 1982 has been published
Not surprisingly, the majority of those about to be killed by lethal injection maintain their innocence. Others show a flash of humour just moments before they are executed.
Murderer Pat Knight, 30, declared: 'I said I was going to tell a joke. Death has set me free. That's the biggest joke.'
Knight, who was executed in June 2007 after 16 years on death row, had asked well wishers to send in jokes he could tell before dying.
'They may execute me but they can't punish me because they can't execute an innocent man'
He received more than 30,000 jokes, but decided against telling any of them when it was time for his last words.
The first statement on the Texas Department of Criminal Justice list is from 40-year-old Charlie Brooks at his 1982 execution.
He said: 'I, at this very moment, have absolutely no fear of what may happen to this body. My fear is for Allah, God only, who has at this moment the only power to determine if I should live or die.'
The most recent is that of Christopher Coleman who was executed last week.
Lethal injection: Christopher Coleman (left) was executed last week. Willie Pondexter (right) was put to death in March but maintained he was innocent
The 38-year-old, who was convicted of shooting three men in a drug deal, simply said: 'Yes, Ain't no way fo' fo', I Love all yall.'
In March this year Willie Pondexter maintained his innocence with his last breath. 'They may execute me but they can't punish me because they can't execute an innocent man,' he said. Pondexter, 35, was convicted of shooting an 85-year-old woman in the head during a burglary.
'I want everybody to know that I hold nothing against them. I forgive them all'
'I am innocent, innocent, innocent,' he said. 'Make no mistake about this: I owe society nothing. Continue the struggle for human rights, helping those who are innocent, especially Mr. Graham. I am an innocent man, and something very wrong is taking place tonight. May God bless you all. I am ready.'
Thomas Barefoot, who was killed in 1984, likened his execution to the burning of witches.
He said: 'I hope that one day we can look back on the evil that we’re doing right now like the witches we burned at the stake. I want everybody to know that I hold nothing against them. I forgive them all.'
But Newton Anderson, who was executed in February 2007, was candid about his crime. He said: 'I am guilty. I don't deny that.They had good evidence. Witnesses saw me. What can I say?' The 33-year-old shot and killed a couple during a burglary at their home in Tyler, Texas.
Joker: Mugshots of Patrick Knight, who was executed in June 2007. He had asked well-wishers to send jokes for him to tell before his death
In the same month James Jackson said: 'See you on the other side. Warden, murder me.'
Texas has already executed 18 people this year and has over 300 inmates on death row.
The publication of the 'last words' comes just a week after the botched execution of 53-year-old Romell Broom in Ohio.
His execution was called off after staff struggled and failed to find a vein to administer the lethal combination of drugs into his body.
His execution was re-scheduled for tomorrow but his lawyers have now managed to get that date postponed.
For the full list of statements see: www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/executedoffenders.htm
SOURCE:
Watch List on 1 January 2011
Even though there are around 300 prisoners on Texas' death row, most of them are ineligible for execution at any given moment because of the status of their appeals. This "watch list" shows the prisoners on Texas' death row whose cases we feel are close to final review, or are likely to become close to final some time in 2011. This list is not official and is not supported or endorsed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the Office of the Attorney General, or any other state entity.
| 999474 | Rodrigo Hernandez | 4/7/2004 |
Scheduled for 1/26/2012.
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