13 ms·

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

160 points by bpafonso 12y ago

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
vowelless 12y ago
The title should be " ... of every inmate executed in Texas since 1982." From reddit [1], here is a word cloud: http://imgur.com/t61UIgH http://imgur.com/t61UIgH [1] http://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/26rui7/oc_a_word_cloud_of_all_the_final_words_spoken_and/ http://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/26rui7/oc_a...
- nsxwolf 12y ago
  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""
  - imdsm 12y ago
    You have an additional speech mark at the end of that sentence. > "Help""
    - TallGuyShort 12y ago
      He nested quotes. The entire line was wrapper in quotation marks, as well as the individual quotes inside the line. </ocd>
      - arjunnarayan 12y ago
        My brain is throwing all sorts of parse errors at that quote full of quotes. This is why we have escape characters! (Or, more realistically, two forms of quotation marks for nesting).
        TallGuyShort 12y ago
        Or separate symbols for the beginning and end of a quote, so nesting is unambiguous. You know, something like: (quote Wonder what their victims word cloud would look like? (quote Mercy) (quote Please) (quote I'm begging) (quote I want my Mommy!) (quote Help)) Everyone just needs to learn s-expressions.
        arjunnarayan 12y ago
        A professor collaborator of mine has the habit of saying "that does not parse", or "that does not type-check" to nonsensical sentences uttered by clueless research students (full disclosure, that set includes me). At first I found it somewhat weird, but now I've grown to respect it. It totally makes sense. I remember in high school (when I was already a proficient programmer, but still within-grade in the other sciecnes), struggling with some hard physics problems, and running to my dad for help: he would always say: "dimensional analysis". If only I had connected the dots: doing "dimensional analysis" in your work is _exactly_ the same as type-checking your manually executed paper algorithm. This lightbulb went off in my head approximately a decade too late...
        ArkyBeagle 12y ago
        We repeated dimensional analysis in my first physics class until everybody got it ( all six of us... ).
  - bencollier49 12y ago
    I plugged it into Wordle at http://www.wordle.net http://www.wordle.net It's quite poignant. I deleted it afterwards as it didn't seem right to leave it up in public without more thought.
  - jaredmcateer 12y ago
    Here's from the first hundred or so: http://i.imgur.com/QBo5WWY.png http://i.imgur.com/QBo5WWY.png
- finnh 12y ago
  # 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!
  - jengamaster 12y ago
    I'd wager that it's not even close, unless you're referring to American executions only. China alone has executed in excess of 2000 people each year int the last few years: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_of_capital_punishment_by_country#cite_note-amnesty.org.au-2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_of_capital_punishment_by_c...
    - josephjrobison 12y ago
      Specifically page 31 on the doc - http://www.amnesty.org.au/images/uploads/adp/Death%20Sentences%20and%20Executions%202010.pdf http://www.amnesty.org.au/images/uploads/adp/Death%20Sentenc...
dphnx 12y ago
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=3& http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/opinion/20cameron.html?_r=...
- dfc 12y ago
mherdeg 12y ago
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-last-words 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_grann http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/07/090907fa_fact_... .
- chrisgd 12y ago
  I have read that article several times. It fascinates me every time I see someone mention it. I am inclined to believe he was innocent, but have never read an article from anyone who views him as guilty (besides some links to case files) EDIT: And now I just read the link at awl.com and it is a look for a different angle.
- josai 12y ago
  I find it profoundly dissonant that, while reporting the last words of people who were then legally murdered by the state (an inexcusable, brutal injustice, to my mind), the functionaries responsible yet found prissiness enough to cut out the swear words. State-sanctioned murder? No problemo! A couple of swear words in the victim's dying breaths? Woah, hold it right there - there might be children present. Unbelievable.
  - apta 12y ago
    Children should not be present at executions to begin with.
  - godzilla82 12y ago
    Reminds me of Apocalypse Now. Kurtz: We train young men to drop fire on people, but their commanders won't allow them to write "fuck" on their airplanes because it's obscene!
scrumper 12y ago
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.
- dobbsbob 12y ago
  There's also 2 guys declared 'unfit to execute' yet they are still in solitary on death row since the 70s
abandonliberty 12y ago
>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/death_row/dr_executed_offenders.html&usg=AFQjCNFrs1WvjG4EQEFSlnwgnvW7_8WisA http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us...
moron4hire 12y ago
When California released a similar database a few years ago, it completely convinced me of the horrific barbarism that capital punishment is. It is no deterrent to crime, and the risk of killing not just innocent people, but genuinely reformed people, is far, far too great.
- seren 12y ago
  Skimming the list, it seems only few of them are really repentant and understood the consequences of what they did. But, for the few of them, especially those referring to their family and children, it is hard to see what benefits their death will bring. Maybe some closure for the victim's family, but in some case, it sounds like the guy being executed as not much more in common with the criminal.
  - njharman 12y ago
    > really repentant and understood the consequences of what they did. No need to be repentant when you are innocent.
  - giarc 12y ago
    "I don’t think the world will be a better or safer place without me." If they aren't executed, they will spend the rest of their life in jail. So by executing them our gains are two fold. 1. save tax dollars over keeping them in jail long term 2. give victims families peace Something to think about.
    - deleted 12y ago
      [deleted]
    - dmm 12y ago
      There is a reasonable debate surrounding whether an execution is more expensive than simply incarcerating for life, mostly because of the numerous appeals involved with a death sentence. I have no opinion regarding capital punishment.
vaadu 12y ago
Many more should be added. Start with Aldrich Ames, Bernie Madoff and Robert Hanssen.
swatthatfly 12y ago
Can anybody explain why the Race column is stil there? What is the relevancy of this statistic? Why not sex, or religion?
- llamataboot 12y ago
  Because a disproportionate number of people sentenced to death are non-white.
  - lrm242 12y ago
    From the data: White 231 (44.9%) Black 190 (36.9%) Hispanic 92 (17.9%) Other 2 (0.4%)
    - kohanz 12y ago
      As of the 2010 US Census, the racial distribution in Texas was as follows: 70.4% of the population of Texas was White American; 11.8% African American; 3.8%, Asian American; 0.7%, American Indian; 0.1%, native Hawaiian or Pacific islander only; 10.5% of the population were of some other race only; and 2.7% were of two or more races. Hispanics (of any race) were 37.6% of the population of the state, while Non-Hispanic Whites composed 45.3% [0] The Hispanic portion is difficult to parse, but it certainly seems that African-Americans are very over-represented. [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Texas#Racial_and_ancestral_makeup http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Texas#Racial_an...
    - deleted 12y ago
      [deleted]
    - jmacdotorg 12y ago
      Just to clarify: you're providing this data to support the assertion you're replying to, right? Since 36.9% is about triple the proportion of African-Americans among US citizens in general? (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_Stat...)
  - 12y ago
astrodust 12y ago
The title for this is incorrectly applying the public suffix list (https://publicsuffix.org/ https://publicsuffix.org/) and comes up with "tx.us". That's not the registered domain name here.
- dfc 12y ago
  // The registrar notes several more specific domains available in each state, // such as state.*.us, dst.*.us, etc., but resolution of these is somewhat // haphazard; in some states these domains resolve as addresses, while in others // only subdomains are available, or even nothing at all. We include the // most common ones where it's clear that different sites are different // entities.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
triangleman 12y ago
We have a word cloud and a "greatest hits" list posted here. Remember that this is more than 500 separate cases worthy of consideration or at least having enough decency to hit the back button rather than dig into such a heavy topic. What's not cool is turning these words into a Top 10-linkbait list or a variety show or some other mechanism for insulating yourself from the horror of this post.
- JoeAltmaier 12y ago
  Folks have published 'famous epitaph' books before - is this different? Of course its black humor, all such topics are by definition. Is it just too soon? If they had all been pre-1950 would that have softened the horror? Or is it just that the Internet is way too slight of a medium to support Any serious topic? I would tend to agree with that.
- orthecreedence 12y ago
  I appreciate both. I looked around the full list on the site for a while, and came back here to read comments. I like that people were posting summaries and quotes, because most of them I missed while exploring and some of them contain a lot of wisdom (or just speak to me personally). I think if you want to see is as people getting karma off the death of someone else, that's ok and you may be correct in some cases, but I see it as more of a gathering and sharing of information that most people don't have the time to do themselves. Or maybe I'm just not seeing the comments you're responding to and they're truly making a mockery. edit Just saw a word cloud in the shape of a skull. I see what you mean...
mdanger007 12y ago
There are no atheists in foxholes... or on death row apparently.
- javert 12y ago
  There are atheists in foxholes, though.
havo 12y ago
467 > Yes, Tell my sister Tracey, I love you. Nicole, thank you and I love you. Wanda and all of my friends, I love you and thank you for your support. To the State of Texas, I am an innocent man. Never trust a court-appointed attorney. I am ready Warden. Thank you, Brad, I'm sorry. Check that DNA, check Scott. Here we go. Lord Jesus, Jesus.
- baldfat 12y ago
  I know I shouldn't due to work BUT WOW this guy was clearly should have been a death penalty case! You need a murder with a felony being committed. His felony robbery of a day planner ("found" during the trail) and a missing wallet. Medical Examiner clearly showed the man was innocent. The victim defended herself and was violently beaten and wounded. Defendant had zero wounds and no evidence of crime in his home or his car. Sick sick world. http://www.skepticaljuror.com/2011/05/impending-wrongful-execution-of-cary.html http://www.skepticaljuror.com/2011/05/impending-wrongful-exe...
  - baldfat 12y ago
    Clearly shouldn't be a death penalty case!
foxhill 12y ago
that's.. oddly haunting.
dobbsbob 12y ago
Texas you don't get the death penalty for murder, you get it for committing a second felony and murder. Rob Will is on Polunsky DR and likely innocent considering he was handcuffed at the time, zero physical evidence, and his partner confessed to the murder. DA is a stepping stone to governor and senate there is much incentive for DAs to seek the death penalty due to all the media attention these trials receive, propelling the DA into a household name. The more inmates you kill the bigger your public profile.
- baldfat 12y ago
  Wasn't aware of his case: From the judge denying a new trail: “The questions raised during post-judgment factual development about Will’s actual innocence create disturbing uncertainties,” he wrote. “Federal law does not recognize actual innocence as a mechanism to overturn an otherwise valid conviction.” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/us/texas-death-row-appeal-is-more-than-a-matter-of-innocence.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/us/texas-death-row-appeal-...
toblender 12y ago
I may go to hell for this... https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K6LOJ8x1dP85CGAMjDwnM8lSxzMagPNDNj6kDbTQ_ag/edit#gid=1671808171 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K6LOJ8x1dP85CGAMjDwn...
onassar 12y ago
Average age is around 39 var ages = [], sum = 0; $('tr').each(function(a,b) { var age = $(b).find('td:nth-child(7)').text(); if (age !== '') { ages.push(age); sum += parseInt(age); } }); console.log(sum / ages.length); Returns 39.10679611650485
- apta 12y ago
  No need to store a list of ages. A simple counter should suffice.
  - AustinDizzy 12y ago
    Or just count the number of <tr> elements and subtract one to account for the table header. That's what I did to find the average race. $('tr').length-1
- AustinDizzy 12y ago
  And most were White males. Blacks: 190 (36.89%) White: 230 (44.66%) Hispanics: 92 (17.86%) Other: 2 (0.39%) Total: 515
venkasub 12y ago
Some charts from the data : http://theuforce.blogspot.in/2014/05/visualizing-executed-offenders-in-texas.html http://theuforce.blogspot.in/2014/05/visualizing-executed-of...
suthakamal 12y ago
What a disgusting, morally bankrupt society that permits the state to take a life. And then to censor statements? Damn. Nobody is claiming these were good human beings, but disgust isn't nearly strong enough a word.
rohansingh 12y ago
This one really hit me: > The act I committed to put me here was not just heinous, it was senseless. But the person that committed that act is no longer here - I am. I'm not going to struggle physically against any restraints. I'm not going to shout, use profanity or make idle threats. Understand though that I'm not only upset, but I'm saddened by what is happening here tonight. I'm not only saddened, but disappointed that a system that is supposed to protect and uphold what is just and right can be so much like me when I made the same shameful mistake. If someone tried to dispose of everyone here for participating in this killing, I'd scream a resounding, "No." I'd tell them to give them all the gift that they would not give me...and that's to give them all a second chance. I'm sorry that I am here. I'm sorry that you're all here. I'm sorry that John Luttig died. And I'm sorry that it was something in me that caused all of this to happen to begin with. Tonight we tell the world that there are no second chances in the eyes of justice...Tonight, we tell our children that in some instances, in some cases, killing is right. This conflict hurts us all, there are no SIDES. The people who support this proceeding think this is justice. The people that think that I should live think that is justice. As difficult as it may seem, this is a clash of ideals, with both parties committed to what they feel is right. But who's wrong if in the end we're all victims? In my heart, I have to believe that there is a peaceful compromise to our ideals. I don't mind if there are none for me, as long as there are for those who are yet to come. There are a lot of men like me on death row - good men - who fell to the same misguided emotions, but may not have recovered as I have. Give those men a chance to do what's right. Give them a chance to undo their wrongs. A lot of them want to fix the mess they started, but don't know how. The problem is not in that people aren't willing to help them find out, but in the system telling them it won't matter anyway. No one wins tonight. No one gets closure. No one walks away victorious. http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_info/beazleynapoleonlast.html http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_info/beazleynapoleo...
- josai 12y ago
  Man. Thanks for posting that. That hits hard. > Tonight, we tell our children that in some instances, in some cases, killing is right. > a system that is supposed to protect and uphold what is just and right can be so much like me when I made the same shameful mistake.
massysett 12y ago
This list is yet another example of how the condemned receive something that neither their victims nor most other convicts get: a ceremonial death. They get last words. A last meal. Last rites with the clergy. Candlelight vigil by those against capital punishment. Final appeals to the courts and to the governor for clemency. Witnesses to the execution. To rot in obscurity would be greater punishment for these people. Instead they get to go out as celebrities, complete with profiles on an official government website. Disgusting.
- happyscrappy 12y ago
  This is how opposition to the death penalty should be sold instead of pretending that the perp is the victim.
  - brlewis 12y ago
    Sometimes the convict is not the perp.
- jacquesm 12y ago
  Some of them get to go out as innocents. What's disgusting is a nation that sinks to the level of those it holds the most in contempt. The death penalty is wrong on so many levels. And all those safeguards aside there are still innocent people murdered by the state. It's funny how you'd use 'candle lit vigil by those against capital punishment' in the same list as 'witnesses to the execution'. And 'to rot in obscurity would be greater punishment for these people' lumps you right in with those against the death penalty.
- gambiting 12y ago
  Disgusting as it may be, there are only a few options here, and none of them are going to make everyone happy. If you leave them to rot in prison like you suggested, people are going to be upset that the society is paying to keep them alive(surely it would be better to get rid of them?) If you eventually execute them like some countries do now, some people(like you) are upset that we make a show out of it - we don't. If one occurs it's a result of a judicial system that takes years to reach a final decision,and then we are "too humane" to just shoot people in the head without giving them the last meal. And of course there is the last option of executing people on the spot - caught a child molester during the act? Why not shoot them right there, it is literally saving the taxpayer millions in costs of trials, judges,lawyers etc. No one can argue that it would not be a huge saving for the society. But I think we can do better than dispensing justice on a whim. As much as I enjoy Judge Dredd comics, I would not like to live in his universe. Also, one could argue that a much better system would be about rehabilitation,not punishment, and in such system death sentence is simply not needed.
bruceb 12y ago
One of the best: "Somebody needs to kill my trial attorney." George Harris Executed in Missouri on September 13, 2000 for a murder. http://wgrd.com/the-weirdest-last-words-by-death-row-inmates/ http://wgrd.com/the-weirdest-last-words-by-death-row-inmates... Clearly he didn't get a good lawyer.
- mikeash 12y ago
  Maybe he scared away the good lawyers by threatening to murder them.
wuliwong 12y ago
The first one I read was already interesting. He talks about being at peace and says a few nice things to his family and friends. The striking thing is that he never mentions the murders he committed. He killed a 51 year old woman, a 24 year old woman (daughter) and a 3 year old child (grandchild). All were stabbed to death. I believe the 24 year old woman was his girlfriend at the time. Saying your sorry, not sorry, or that you were innocent, I'd expect that. But not saying anything at all it really odd. http://murderpedia.org/male.V/v/villegas-jose-luis.htm http://murderpedia.org/male.V/v/villegas-jose-luis.htm
wbharding 12y ago
Last statements are endlessly fascinating things. I hope that by the time I die that tombstones will have flash storage built into them. You'll push a button on the tombstone and out pops a holograph that projects whatever message the person would like to share. I'd spend days in the cemetery.
nwardez 12y ago
Here are some visualizations of this data set: http://vis.berkeley.edu/courses/cs294-10-fa13/wiki/index.php/Assignment_1:_Visualization_Design http://vis.berkeley.edu/courses/cs294-10-fa13/wiki/index.php... This was an assignment in a Berkeley visualization class taught by Maneesh Agrawala.
spang 12y ago
Absolutely chilling. It disgusts me that we're still killing people for killing people in the 21st century. I hope our descendants look back on this the same way we look back at slavery today.
erik_landerholm 12y ago
Execution #492 http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2012-11-02/framing-the-guilty/all/ http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2012-11-02/framing-the-g... Regardless of the truth, there are a lot of open questions and this man was put to death with all these questions still not answered. This is not who we should be.

160 points by bpafonso 12y ago

deleted 12y ago

[deleted]

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

nsxwolf 12y ago
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""
- imdsm 12y ago
  You have an additional speech mark at the end of that sentence. > "Help""
  - TallGuyShort 12y ago
    He nested quotes. The entire line was wrapper in quotation marks, as well as the individual quotes inside the line. </ocd>
    - arjunnarayan 12y ago
      My brain is throwing all sorts of parse errors at that quote full of quotes. This is why we have escape characters! (Or, more realistically, two forms of quotation marks for nesting).
      - TallGuyShort 12y ago
        Or separate symbols for the beginning and end of a quote, so nesting is unambiguous. You know, something like: (quote Wonder what their victims word cloud would look like? (quote Mercy) (quote Please) (quote I'm begging) (quote I want my Mommy!) (quote Help)) Everyone just needs to learn s-expressions.
        arjunnarayan 12y ago
        A professor collaborator of mine has the habit of saying "that does not parse", or "that does not type-check" to nonsensical sentences uttered by clueless research students (full disclosure, that set includes me). At first I found it somewhat weird, but now I've grown to respect it. It totally makes sense. I remember in high school (when I was already a proficient programmer, but still within-grade in the other sciecnes), struggling with some hard physics problems, and running to my dad for help: he would always say: "dimensional analysis". If only I had connected the dots: doing "dimensional analysis" in your work is _exactly_ the same as type-checking your manually executed paper algorithm. This lightbulb went off in my head approximately a decade too late...
        ArkyBeagle 12y ago
        We repeated dimensional analysis in my first physics class until everybody got it ( all six of us... ).
- bencollier49 12y ago
  I plugged it into Wordle at http://www.wordle.net http://www.wordle.net It's quite poignant. I deleted it afterwards as it didn't seem right to leave it up in public without more thought.
- jaredmcateer 12y ago
  Here's from the first hundred or so: http://i.imgur.com/QBo5WWY.png http://i.imgur.com/QBo5WWY.png
finnh 12y ago
# 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!
- jengamaster 12y ago
  I'd wager that it's not even close, unless you're referring to American executions only. China alone has executed in excess of 2000 people each year int the last few years: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_of_capital_punishment_by_country#cite_note-amnesty.org.au-2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_of_capital_punishment_by_c...
  - josephjrobison 12y ago
    Specifically page 31 on the doc - http://www.amnesty.org.au/images/uploads/adp/Death%20Sentences%20and%20Executions%202010.pdf http://www.amnesty.org.au/images/uploads/adp/Death%20Sentenc...

dphnx 12y ago

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=3& http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/opinion/20cameron.html?_r=...

dfc 12y ago

mherdeg 12y ago

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-last-words 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_grann http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/07/090907fa_fact_... .

chrisgd 12y ago
I have read that article several times. It fascinates me every time I see someone mention it. I am inclined to believe he was innocent, but have never read an article from anyone who views him as guilty (besides some links to case files) EDIT: And now I just read the link at awl.com and it is a look for a different angle.
josai 12y ago
I find it profoundly dissonant that, while reporting the last words of people who were then legally murdered by the state (an inexcusable, brutal injustice, to my mind), the functionaries responsible yet found prissiness enough to cut out the swear words. State-sanctioned murder? No problemo! A couple of swear words in the victim's dying breaths? Woah, hold it right there - there might be children present. Unbelievable.
- apta 12y ago
  Children should not be present at executions to begin with.
- godzilla82 12y ago
  Reminds me of Apocalypse Now. Kurtz: We train young men to drop fire on people, but their commanders won't allow them to write "fuck" on their airplanes because it's obscene!

scrumper 12y ago

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.

dobbsbob 12y ago
There's also 2 guys declared 'unfit to execute' yet they are still in solitary on death row since the 70s

abandonliberty 12y ago

>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/death_row/dr_executed_offenders.html&usg=AFQjCNFrs1WvjG4EQEFSlnwgnvW7_8WisA http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us...

moron4hire 12y ago

When California released a similar database a few years ago, it completely convinced me of the horrific barbarism that capital punishment is. It is no deterrent to crime, and the risk of killing not just innocent people, but genuinely reformed people, is far, far too great.

seren 12y ago
Skimming the list, it seems only few of them are really repentant and understood the consequences of what they did. But, for the few of them, especially those referring to their family and children, it is hard to see what benefits their death will bring. Maybe some closure for the victim's family, but in some case, it sounds like the guy being executed as not much more in common with the criminal.
- njharman 12y ago
  > really repentant and understood the consequences of what they did. No need to be repentant when you are innocent.
- giarc 12y ago
  "I don’t think the world will be a better or safer place without me." If they aren't executed, they will spend the rest of their life in jail. So by executing them our gains are two fold. 1. save tax dollars over keeping them in jail long term 2. give victims families peace Something to think about.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
  - dmm 12y ago
    There is a reasonable debate surrounding whether an execution is more expensive than simply incarcerating for life, mostly because of the numerous appeals involved with a death sentence. I have no opinion regarding capital punishment.

vaadu 12y ago

Many more should be added. Start with Aldrich Ames, Bernie Madoff and Robert Hanssen.

swatthatfly 12y ago

Can anybody explain why the Race column is stil there? What is the relevancy of this statistic? Why not sex, or religion?

llamataboot 12y ago
Because a disproportionate number of people sentenced to death are non-white.
- lrm242 12y ago
  From the data: White 231 (44.9%) Black 190 (36.9%) Hispanic 92 (17.9%) Other 2 (0.4%)
  - kohanz 12y ago
    As of the 2010 US Census, the racial distribution in Texas was as follows: 70.4% of the population of Texas was White American; 11.8% African American; 3.8%, Asian American; 0.7%, American Indian; 0.1%, native Hawaiian or Pacific islander only; 10.5% of the population were of some other race only; and 2.7% were of two or more races. Hispanics (of any race) were 37.6% of the population of the state, while Non-Hispanic Whites composed 45.3% [0] The Hispanic portion is difficult to parse, but it certainly seems that African-Americans are very over-represented. [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Texas#Racial_and_ancestral_makeup http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Texas#Racial_an...
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
  - jmacdotorg 12y ago
    Just to clarify: you're providing this data to support the assertion you're replying to, right? Since 36.9% is about triple the proportion of African-Americans among US citizens in general? (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_Stat...)
- 12y ago

astrodust 12y ago

The title for this is incorrectly applying the public suffix list (https://publicsuffix.org/ https://publicsuffix.org/) and comes up with "tx.us". That's not the registered domain name here.

dfc 12y ago
// The registrar notes several more specific domains available in each state, // such as state.*.us, dst.*.us, etc., but resolution of these is somewhat // haphazard; in some states these domains resolve as addresses, while in others // only subdomains are available, or even nothing at all. We include the // most common ones where it's clear that different sites are different // entities.
deleted 12y ago
[deleted]

triangleman 12y ago

We have a word cloud and a "greatest hits" list posted here. Remember that this is more than 500 separate cases worthy of consideration or at least having enough decency to hit the back button rather than dig into such a heavy topic. What's not cool is turning these words into a Top 10-linkbait list or a variety show or some other mechanism for insulating yourself from the horror of this post.

JoeAltmaier 12y ago
Folks have published 'famous epitaph' books before - is this different? Of course its black humor, all such topics are by definition. Is it just too soon? If they had all been pre-1950 would that have softened the horror? Or is it just that the Internet is way too slight of a medium to support Any serious topic? I would tend to agree with that.
orthecreedence 12y ago
I appreciate both. I looked around the full list on the site for a while, and came back here to read comments. I like that people were posting summaries and quotes, because most of them I missed while exploring and some of them contain a lot of wisdom (or just speak to me personally). I think if you want to see is as people getting karma off the death of someone else, that's ok and you may be correct in some cases, but I see it as more of a gathering and sharing of information that most people don't have the time to do themselves. Or maybe I'm just not seeing the comments you're responding to and they're truly making a mockery. edit Just saw a word cloud in the shape of a skull. I see what you mean...

mdanger007 12y ago

There are no atheists in foxholes... or on death row apparently.

javert 12y ago
There are atheists in foxholes, though.

havo 12y ago

467 > Yes, Tell my sister Tracey, I love you. Nicole, thank you and I love you. Wanda and all of my friends, I love you and thank you for your support. To the State of Texas, I am an innocent man. Never trust a court-appointed attorney. I am ready Warden. Thank you, Brad, I'm sorry. Check that DNA, check Scott. Here we go. Lord Jesus, Jesus.

baldfat 12y ago
I know I shouldn't due to work BUT WOW this guy was clearly should have been a death penalty case! You need a murder with a felony being committed. His felony robbery of a day planner ("found" during the trail) and a missing wallet. Medical Examiner clearly showed the man was innocent. The victim defended herself and was violently beaten and wounded. Defendant had zero wounds and no evidence of crime in his home or his car. Sick sick world. http://www.skepticaljuror.com/2011/05/impending-wrongful-execution-of-cary.html http://www.skepticaljuror.com/2011/05/impending-wrongful-exe...
- baldfat 12y ago
  Clearly shouldn't be a death penalty case!

foxhill 12y ago

that's.. oddly haunting.

dobbsbob 12y ago

Texas you don't get the death penalty for murder, you get it for committing a second felony and murder. Rob Will is on Polunsky DR and likely innocent considering he was handcuffed at the time, zero physical evidence, and his partner confessed to the murder. DA is a stepping stone to governor and senate there is much incentive for DAs to seek the death penalty due to all the media attention these trials receive, propelling the DA into a household name. The more inmates you kill the bigger your public profile.

baldfat 12y ago
Wasn't aware of his case: From the judge denying a new trail: “The questions raised during post-judgment factual development about Will’s actual innocence create disturbing uncertainties,” he wrote. “Federal law does not recognize actual innocence as a mechanism to overturn an otherwise valid conviction.” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/us/texas-death-row-appeal-is-more-than-a-matter-of-innocence.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/us/texas-death-row-appeal-...

toblender 12y ago

I may go to hell for this... https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K6LOJ8x1dP85CGAMjDwnM8lSxzMagPNDNj6kDbTQ_ag/edit#gid=1671808171 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K6LOJ8x1dP85CGAMjDwn...

onassar 12y ago

Average age is around 39 var ages = [], sum = 0; $('tr').each(function(a,b) { var age = $(b).find('td:nth-child(7)').text(); if (age !== '') { ages.push(age); sum += parseInt(age); } }); console.log(sum / ages.length); Returns 39.10679611650485

apta 12y ago
No need to store a list of ages. A simple counter should suffice.
- AustinDizzy 12y ago
  Or just count the number of <tr> elements and subtract one to account for the table header. That's what I did to find the average race. $('tr').length-1
AustinDizzy 12y ago
And most were White males. Blacks: 190 (36.89%) White: 230 (44.66%) Hispanics: 92 (17.86%) Other: 2 (0.39%) Total: 515

venkasub 12y ago

Some charts from the data : http://theuforce.blogspot.in/2014/05/visualizing-executed-offenders-in-texas.html http://theuforce.blogspot.in/2014/05/visualizing-executed-of...

suthakamal 12y ago

What a disgusting, morally bankrupt society that permits the state to take a life. And then to censor statements? Damn. Nobody is claiming these were good human beings, but disgust isn't nearly strong enough a word.

rohansingh 12y ago

This one really hit me: > The act I committed to put me here was not just heinous, it was senseless. But the person that committed that act is no longer here - I am. I'm not going to struggle physically against any restraints. I'm not going to shout, use profanity or make idle threats. Understand though that I'm not only upset, but I'm saddened by what is happening here tonight. I'm not only saddened, but disappointed that a system that is supposed to protect and uphold what is just and right can be so much like me when I made the same shameful mistake. If someone tried to dispose of everyone here for participating in this killing, I'd scream a resounding, "No." I'd tell them to give them all the gift that they would not give me...and that's to give them all a second chance. I'm sorry that I am here. I'm sorry that you're all here. I'm sorry that John Luttig died. And I'm sorry that it was something in me that caused all of this to happen to begin with. Tonight we tell the world that there are no second chances in the eyes of justice...Tonight, we tell our children that in some instances, in some cases, killing is right. This conflict hurts us all, there are no SIDES. The people who support this proceeding think this is justice. The people that think that I should live think that is justice. As difficult as it may seem, this is a clash of ideals, with both parties committed to what they feel is right. But who's wrong if in the end we're all victims? In my heart, I have to believe that there is a peaceful compromise to our ideals. I don't mind if there are none for me, as long as there are for those who are yet to come. There are a lot of men like me on death row - good men - who fell to the same misguided emotions, but may not have recovered as I have. Give those men a chance to do what's right. Give them a chance to undo their wrongs. A lot of them want to fix the mess they started, but don't know how. The problem is not in that people aren't willing to help them find out, but in the system telling them it won't matter anyway. No one wins tonight. No one gets closure. No one walks away victorious. http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_info/beazleynapoleonlast.html http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_info/beazleynapoleo...

josai 12y ago
Man. Thanks for posting that. That hits hard. > Tonight, we tell our children that in some instances, in some cases, killing is right. > a system that is supposed to protect and uphold what is just and right can be so much like me when I made the same shameful mistake.

massysett 12y ago

This list is yet another example of how the condemned receive something that neither their victims nor most other convicts get: a ceremonial death. They get last words. A last meal. Last rites with the clergy. Candlelight vigil by those against capital punishment. Final appeals to the courts and to the governor for clemency. Witnesses to the execution. To rot in obscurity would be greater punishment for these people. Instead they get to go out as celebrities, complete with profiles on an official government website. Disgusting.

happyscrappy 12y ago
This is how opposition to the death penalty should be sold instead of pretending that the perp is the victim.
- brlewis 12y ago
  Sometimes the convict is not the perp.
jacquesm 12y ago
Some of them get to go out as innocents. What's disgusting is a nation that sinks to the level of those it holds the most in contempt. The death penalty is wrong on so many levels. And all those safeguards aside there are still innocent people murdered by the state. It's funny how you'd use 'candle lit vigil by those against capital punishment' in the same list as 'witnesses to the execution'. And 'to rot in obscurity would be greater punishment for these people' lumps you right in with those against the death penalty.
gambiting 12y ago
Disgusting as it may be, there are only a few options here, and none of them are going to make everyone happy. If you leave them to rot in prison like you suggested, people are going to be upset that the society is paying to keep them alive(surely it would be better to get rid of them?) If you eventually execute them like some countries do now, some people(like you) are upset that we make a show out of it - we don't. If one occurs it's a result of a judicial system that takes years to reach a final decision,and then we are "too humane" to just shoot people in the head without giving them the last meal. And of course there is the last option of executing people on the spot - caught a child molester during the act? Why not shoot them right there, it is literally saving the taxpayer millions in costs of trials, judges,lawyers etc. No one can argue that it would not be a huge saving for the society. But I think we can do better than dispensing justice on a whim. As much as I enjoy Judge Dredd comics, I would not like to live in his universe. Also, one could argue that a much better system would be about rehabilitation,not punishment, and in such system death sentence is simply not needed.

bruceb 12y ago

One of the best: "Somebody needs to kill my trial attorney." George Harris Executed in Missouri on September 13, 2000 for a murder. http://wgrd.com/the-weirdest-last-words-by-death-row-inmates/ http://wgrd.com/the-weirdest-last-words-by-death-row-inmates... Clearly he didn't get a good lawyer.

mikeash 12y ago
Maybe he scared away the good lawyers by threatening to murder them.

wuliwong 12y ago

The first one I read was already interesting. He talks about being at peace and says a few nice things to his family and friends. The striking thing is that he never mentions the murders he committed. He killed a 51 year old woman, a 24 year old woman (daughter) and a 3 year old child (grandchild). All were stabbed to death. I believe the 24 year old woman was his girlfriend at the time. Saying your sorry, not sorry, or that you were innocent, I'd expect that. But not saying anything at all it really odd. http://murderpedia.org/male.V/v/villegas-jose-luis.htm http://murderpedia.org/male.V/v/villegas-jose-luis.htm

wbharding 12y ago

Last statements are endlessly fascinating things. I hope that by the time I die that tombstones will have flash storage built into them. You'll push a button on the tombstone and out pops a holograph that projects whatever message the person would like to share. I'd spend days in the cemetery.

nwardez 12y ago

Here are some visualizations of this data set: http://vis.berkeley.edu/courses/cs294-10-fa13/wiki/index.php/Assignment_1:_Visualization_Design http://vis.berkeley.edu/courses/cs294-10-fa13/wiki/index.php... This was an assignment in a Berkeley visualization class taught by Maneesh Agrawala.

spang 12y ago

Absolutely chilling. It disgusts me that we're still killing people for killing people in the 21st century. I hope our descendants look back on this the same way we look back at slavery today.

erik_landerholm 12y ago

Execution #492 http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2012-11-02/framing-the-guilty/all/ http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2012-11-02/framing-the-g... Regardless of the truth, there are a lot of open questions and this man was put to death with all these questions still not answered. This is not who we should be.