Many of you probably read about, if not actually read, Melanie Duena’s book, My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals by now.
Well, a post on The Grinder directed us to a similar, but way more real and definitely more disturbing site, on which the state of Texas lists the last meal requests of the 310 inmates it executed between Dec. 7, 1982 and Sept. 10, 2003.
Each meal connects the reader on a literally “gut” level with the inmate. In addition, you can look up offender information. For example, John William Elliot, 42 at the time of his death in February, 2003, was convicted of raping and beating a woman to death with a motorcycle chain under an overpass in East Austin. He ordered a cup of tea, from teabags, and six chocolate-chip cookies.
Many inmates wanted loads of fried food and lots of meat, including fried chicken and steak. However, William Wesley Chappell, 66 at the time of his death, requested the “same meal that is served to all other offenders in the main dining room.” He was convicted in the revenge killing of the grandmother and aunt of a 3-year-old girl he was previously convicted molesting.
And so on. It’s disturbing, compelling stuff and, if you are any kind of crime buff or even just the curious type, may be detrimental to the health of your working day. Be warned.
Real Meals on Death Row [The Grinder]
Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Final Meal Requests
