Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982 • Hacker News Board

Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982

#1

Post by bpafonso » Fri, May 30, 2014, 2:22 PM UTC

Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982
tdcj.state.tx.us

Re: Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982

#2

Post by [deleted] » Fri, May 30, 2014, 2:38 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982

#3

Post by vowelless » Fri, May 30, 2014, 2:39 PM UTC

The title should be " ... of every inmate executed in Texas since 1982."

From reddit [1], here is a word cloud:

http://imgur.com/t61UIgH

[1] http://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/26rui7/oc_a...

Re: Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982

#4

Post by dphnx » Fri, May 30, 2014, 2:40 PM UTC

The New York Times ran an article[1] on this in 2009. Here are the last words they picked out -

---

Go ahead?

Nothing I can say can change the past.

I done lost my voice.

I would like to say goodbye.

My heart goes is going ba bump ba bump ba bump.

Is the mike on?

I don’t have anything to say. I am just sorry about what I did.

I am nervous and it is hard to put my thoughts together. Sometimes you don’t know what to say.

Man, there is a lot of people there.

I have come here today to die, not make speeches.

Where’s Mr. Marino’s mother? Did you get my letter?

I want to ask if it is in your heart to forgive me. You don’t have to.

I wish I could die more than once to tell you how sorry I am.

Could you please tell that lady right there — can I see her? She is not looking at me — I want you to understand something, hold no animosity toward me. I want you to understand. Please forgive me.

I don’t think the world will be a better or safer place without me.

I am sorry.

I want to tell my mom that I love her.

I caused her so much pain and my family and stuff. I hurt for the fact that they are going to be hurting.

I am taking it like a man.

Kick the tires and light the fire. I am going home.

They may execute me but they can’t punish me because they can’t execute an innocent man.

I couldn’t do a life sentence.

I said I was going to tell a joke. Death has set me free. That’s the biggest joke.

To my sweet Claudia, I love you.

Cathy, you know I never meant to hurt you.

I love you, Irene.

Let my son know I love him.

Tell everyone I got full on chicken and pork chops.

I appreciate the hospitality that you guys have shown me and the respect, and the last meal was really good.

The reason it took them so long is because they couldn’t find a vein. You know how I hate needles. ... Tell the guys on Death Row that I’m not wearing a diaper.

Lord, I lift your name on high.

From Allah we came and to Allah we shall return.

For everybody incarcerated, keep your heads up.

Death row is full of isolated hearts and suppressed minds.

Mistakes are made, but with God all things are possible.

I am responsible for them losing their mother, their father and their grandmother. I never meant for them to be taken. I am sorry for what I did.

I can’t take it back.

Lord Jesus forgive of my sins. Please forgive me for the sins that I can remember.

All my life I have been locked up.

Give me my rights. Give me my rights. Give me my rights. Give me my life back.

I am tired.

I deserve this.

A life for a life.

It’s my hour. It’s my hour.

I’m ready, Warden.

---

[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/opinion/20cameron.html?_r=...

Re: Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982

#5

Post by mherdeg » Fri, May 30, 2014, 2:40 PM UTC

Note that this text is in some cases censored. See Cameron Todd Willingham's statement:

"Yeah. The only statement I want to make is that I am an innocent man - convicted of a crime I did not commit. I have been persecuted for 12 years for something I did not do. From God's dust I came and to dust I will return - so the earth shall become my throne. I gotta go, road dog. I love you Gabby. [Remaining portion of statement omitted due to profanity.]"

The full text is in fact pretty profane; see http://www.theawl.com/2009/12/cameron-todd-willinghams-real-... .

The New Yorker article which lays out the case for Willingham's innocence omits the latter half of the statement entirely — see last paragraph of http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/07/090907fa_fact_... .

Re: Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982

#6

Post by nsxwolf » Fri, May 30, 2014, 2:45 PM UTC

vowelless wrote: post #3

The title should be " ... of every inmate executed in Texas since 1982." From reddit [1], here is a word cloud: http://imgur.com/t61UIgH [1] http://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/26rui7/oc_a...

Interesting comment on that word cloud:

"Wonder what their victims word cloud would look like? "Mercy" "Please" "I'm begging" "I want my Mommy!" "Help""

Re: Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982

#7

Post by scrumper » Fri, May 30, 2014, 2:47 PM UTC

I haven't got that far yet, but only one of the five statements I've read has made any kind of apology, and he was already in prison at the time he committed the crime for which he was executed (running over a corrections officer in a stolen truck while trying to escape).

Also surprising to me was how many murders were committed for very little potential gain: theft, escaping from a police officer while under arrest for a petty crime; there's less headline-grabbing evil than I expected here (though there is its share); it's mostly just a mixture of reflexive stupidity, greed, and violence.

All in all quite an unsettling read.

Re: Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982

#8

Post by abandonliberty » Fri, May 30, 2014, 2:50 PM UTC

>Oops! Google Chrome could not connect to www.tdcj.state.tx.us

I hope we did that.

>Try reloading: www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_executed_offenders.html

Wow, chrome actually thinks that out to google.com. Sneaky.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us...

Re: Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982

#9

Post by imdsm » Fri, May 30, 2014, 2:52 PM UTC

nsxwolf wrote: post #6

vowelless wrote: post #3

The title should be " ... of every inmate executed in Texas since 1982." From reddit [1], here is a word cloud: http://imgur.com/t61UIgH [1] http://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/26rui7/oc_a...

Interesting comment on that word cloud: "Wonder what their victims word cloud would look like? "Mercy" "Please" "I'm begging" "I want my Mommy!" "Help""

You have an additional speech mark at the end of that sentence.

> "Help""

Re: Death Row – Last words of every Texas inmate executed since 1982

#10

Post by finnh » Fri, May 30, 2014, 2:56 PM UTC

vowelless wrote: post #3

The title should be " ... of every inmate executed in Texas since 1982." From reddit [1], here is a word cloud: http://imgur.com/t61UIgH [1] http://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/26rui7/oc_a...

# of executions in Texas since 1982 is probably a fair percentage of the total number of executions since that time. Don't have time to look it up, sorry!