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Texas Records All Inmates Last Words Before Execution And Puts Them All Online

tdcj.texas.gov

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Re: Texas Records All Inmates Last Words Before Execution And Puts Them All Online

#42

Post by dilap »

I was amused by the Texan racial categories: White, Black, Hispanic, Other

Spot checking a handful of statements, it seems like most people executed found God, peace, and remorse at the end.

Though at least one person never stopped proclaiming innocence:

> I’m not the one that killed Christina, so whatever makes ya’ll happy.

I wonder how many on the list were, in fact, innocent.

Re: Texas Records All Inmates Last Words Before Execution And Puts Them All Online

#43

Post by thinking4real »

dionidium wrote: post #9

Hard to reconcile some of these last words with the reality of their crimes: Juxtapose: I was so glad to leave this world a better, more positive place. It’s not an easy life with all the negativities. ... I hope I left everyone a plate of food full of happy memories, happiness and no sadness. [0] With this: > On September 11, 1999, Jones murdered his great aunt, 83-year-old Berthena Bryant, bludgeoning her to death…

“On 12/15/98, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Mathis shot three victims in the head with a .45 caliber pistol at a known drug house in Fort Bend County, Texas. One of the victims, a 15-year-old Hispanic female survived the shooting, paralyzed from the chest down. Mathis reportedly turned the gun on two other intended victims, however, when he attempted to pull the trigger, the gun either misfired or had been jammed.”

“Yes, sir. I just want to say to all my supporters, family and friends; I love y'all and appreciate y'all. To the ones representing me today, thank you for everything. The system has failed me. This is a miscarriage of justice. There are people on death row that need help. I love my family. I love you too, Mom. I am alright. I asked the Lord to have mercy on me and I hope He has mercy on these people carrying out this mass slaughter. They have no respect for humanity. To Melanie, I never meant to hurt you. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am not asking for your forgiveness. All I have to worry about is God forgiving me. I hope you get better and for the doctors to continue to take care of you. Take care of my mother for me. To everybody, know that I love you and I am OK. Lord, have mercy on my soul. Lord, have mercy on my soul. Lord, have mercy on these peoples' soul. Life is not supposed to end this way. No more pain and frustration. When I knock at the gates, they will open up and let me in. To my mom and everybody, I love you. I can feel it right now. My life, my life.”

Interesting seeing the visualization someone else linked that “love” was the most common word.

This person used the word love 4 times, while simultaneously denying his responsibility and saying that it’s the rest of the world that’s bad.

Re: Texas Records All Inmates Last Words Before Execution And Puts Them All Online

#45

Post by nailer »

TechBro8615 wrote: post #21
dionidium wrote: post #9

Hard to reconcile some of these last words with the reality of their crimes: Juxtapose: I was so glad to leave this world a better, more positive place. It’s not an easy life with all the negativities. ... I hope I left everyone a plate of food full of happy memories, happiness and no sadness. [0] With this: > On September 11, 1999, Jones murdered his great aunt, 83-year-old Berthena Bryant, bludgeoning her to death…

[flagged]

> I'd be asking what it is about Christ that turns people into murderous psychopaths...

That's a reasonable question. Christianity does have an emphasis on forgiveness, which I suspect these prison chaplain programs emphasize - so it's more a matter of murderers turning themselves into Christians.

However murder is considered a mortal sin that separates one's soul from god and that cannot regularly be forgiven.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_sin, scroll to 'Actions constituting grave matter' for the list.

My grandmother was devout and spent her last few weeks convinced she was going to hell for something I do not know.

Re: Texas Records All Inmates Last Words Before Execution And Puts Them All Online

#47

Post by thinking4real »

namdnay wrote: post #20
dionidium wrote: post #9

Hard to reconcile some of these last words with the reality of their crimes: Juxtapose: I was so glad to leave this world a better, more positive place. It’s not an easy life with all the negativities. ... I hope I left everyone a plate of food full of happy memories, happiness and no sadness. [0] With this: > On September 11, 1999, Jones murdered his great aunt, 83-year-old Berthena Bryant, bludgeoning her to death…

The crime was when he was deeply addicted and drugged out of his mind 22 years earlier. I don't find it shocking that he's had another life since. Killing him in 2021 just seems so... pointless

[flagged]

Re: Texas Records All Inmates Last Words Before Execution And Puts Them All Online

#48

Post by jrockway »

TechBro8615 wrote: post #21
dionidium wrote: post #9

Hard to reconcile some of these last words with the reality of their crimes: Juxtapose: I was so glad to leave this world a better, more positive place. It’s not an easy life with all the negativities. ... I hope I left everyone a plate of food full of happy memories, happiness and no sadness. [0] With this: > On September 11, 1999, Jones murdered his great aunt, 83-year-old Berthena Bryant, bludgeoning her to death…

[flagged]

I think it looks good on your parole application to have converted to one of the major religions while in prison. Maybe people really believe, but just from a getting-out-ASAP standpoint, pretending to be religious is good business in prison.

Now if you're on death row, I don't know if it matters or not. That might just be legitimate fear, and Jesus has been known to give people second chances where the court system hasn't. Few people spend every day thinking about their own death, but on death row, that's pretty much the only recreational activity available. I can certainly understand why people would go looking for a higher power.

What coreleation this has to recidivism, I don't know, but it's probably a positive signal. (If you believe scripture, you probably don't mind adding a few other rules and regulations on top. Follow those extra rules and regulations and you don't go to prison again.) On the other hand, a lot of priests seemed to skip seminary on the day they had the "don't fuck children" lesson, so I have no idea how it all works out in the end.

Re: Texas Records All Inmates Last Words Before Execution And Puts Them All Online

#50

Post by escapedmoose »

JamesBarney wrote: post #7
pmdulaney wrote: post #2

I hope these last words are posted with the inmate's prior permission.

I don't think you need someone's permission to write down words they say.

But it’s pretty shitty to share someone’s speech on the internet without getting their consent first. A dick move if nothing else. Fortunately that doesn’t seem to be the case here.
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