We often hear about notorious criminals meeting their end after years on death row, and sometimes, the tragic stories of innocent individuals wrongly executed surface as well.
However, the details of an inmate’s final hours before execution are less commonly discussed.
While it is understood that a last meal is offered as a final gesture, the specifics beyond that remain largely unknown.
Many nations that still enforce the death penalty permit prisoners to select a final meal, a practice even observed by countries that have since abolished capital punishment.
In the state of Texas, however, this privilege was revoked due to the actions of Lawrence Brewer in 2011. Brewer, a convicted murderer, ordered an extravagant meal that he ultimately refused to eat, stating he wasn’t hungry.
As a result, State Senator John Whitmire pushed for the tradition to be discontinued, a decision supported by prison officials.
Brewer’s requested meal consisted of two chicken fried steaks with gravy and onions, a triple-patty bacon cheeseburger, and a cheese omelet with various toppings including ground beef and jalapeños.
Additionally, he ordered a bowl of fried okra with ketchup, a pound of barbecued meat with a half loaf of white bread, three fajitas, a meat-lover’s pizza, a pint of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, peanut-butter fudge with peanuts, and three root beers.
So, what else happens during those final hours?
Journalist Michelle Lyons, who has witnessed nearly 300 executions at the Texas State Penitentiary Huntsville Unit, provides insight in her book ‘Death Row: The Final Minutes: My life as an execution witness in America’s most infamous prison’.
“On the day of an execution, the inmate is given four hours to meet with their family and friends in the morning. Then, once those visits conclude they are loaded into a van and taken from the Polunsky Unit in Livingston, which is where all of Texas death row for men [are housed],” Lyons writes.
Upon arrival at the ‘death chamber,’ inmates undergo a strip-search, receive new clothing, and have their fingerprints taken.
“The inmate is then given tea, coffee, and a big plate of cookies, while they’re also allowed to call anyone in the continental United States before their death. They usually meet with a chaplain, who speaks to them about their spiritual beliefs,” she adds.
During the final moments, guards escort the inmate to the execution chamber, securing them to a gurney. Above their head is a microphone, allowing them to deliver a final statement if they choose.
That’s a closer look at the procedures.