DEATH ROW WEDNESDAY
Death Row Wednesday is a weekly post that explores the macabre issue of Capital Punishment – not in terms of thumbs up or thumbs down, but rather, what would you choose as your last words if you found yourself on death’s door?
This week, you’re invited to post a comment consistent with the theme of the week. So blog in and be sure to tell us what final utterance would burst forth from your pie-hole if you were about to meet your fate! For inspiration, you can check out some famous last words uttered by some notorious criminals. My favorite reads as follows: “When his attorney came into the witness room, he said, "Tell Mom I love her." The attorney said back to him, "I love you, too." Now we know why this guy got the chair. Enough cannot be said about being able to afford a good lawyer.
Here are some more favorites!!!
“I love you all. I do not know all your names. And I don't know how you feel about me.”
Really? He doesn’t know? Did he notice the I.V. drip in his arm about to deliver $87.00 worth of fatal narcotics? (see last week’s post).
You gotta love this guy:
“Statement to the Media:
I, at this very moment, have absolutely no fear of what may happen to this body. My fear is for Allah, God only, who has at this moment the only power to determine if I should live or die...As a devout Muslim, I am taught and believe that this material life is only for the express purpose of preparing oneself for the real life that is to come...Since becoming Muslim, I have tried to live as Allah wanted me to live.
Spoken:
Yes, I do.
I love you.
Asdadu an la ilah illa Allah,
Asdadu an la ilah illa Allah,
Asdadu anna Muhammadan Rasul Allah,
Asdadu anna Muhammadan Rasul Allah.
I bear witness that there is no God but Allah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
Inna li-Allah wa-inna ilayhi rajiun.
Verily unto Allah do we belong, Verily unto him do we return.
Be strong.”
I’d have pulled the switch at the first “Asdadu” whether he was finished or not.
Here’s a good one.
Warden: “Son, you gots any last words ferun we do this thing?”
Convict: “I have no last words. I am ready.”
Warden: “Dagnabit now there Son! You jest said some last words even though you said you ain’t got no last words! Yous gonna screw up my last words website with that remark! Why I oughta kill you!”
And lastly, this one deserves an honorable mention:
“I don’t think so. That’s all. Go ahead. Start things rolling. (Mouthed "Hi, Mom" to his mother.)”
I call this one, Dial “M” for Murder - Our Death Row spotlight this week is cast upon Clifford X. Phillips for not knowing the difference between a mishap and Capital Murder. In his final statement, he states: “I want to express my feelings regarding the mishap of the deceased Mrs. Iris Siff. That was a very unfortunate incident and only God knows why it was an unintentional situation that took place.”
Here’s a summary of the offense committed by Mr. Mishap:
Clifford X. Phillips – Convicted in the January 1982 strangulation death of 58-year old Iris Siff, managing director of the Alley Theater in Houston. Phillips had gone into Siff’s office to rob her, but was forced to kill her in self-defense when she allegedly attacked him. Siff was found dead in her office. She had been strangled to death with a telephone cord. Phillips stole Siff’s television, fur coat, jewelry, tote bag and Lincoln Continental after the killing.
Whew! Glad that was just an accident!
If you like reading the last words of the famous and not so famous – criminal and not so criminal, then click on these links for more. Innocent Last Words and Audio Last Words . Do their final words sound muffled? Perhaps it’s the black bag over their head. And just in case you can’t get enough, here’s one more link for you. This web page is chock full of historical executions culled from the Library of Congress . Lots of way-cool stuff in here. Enjoy! One last thing – if you have a topic you’d like to see me butcher here on Death Row Wednesday, please feel free to let me know.
By D.Tkon
posted by File Boy & D.Tkon at 3:21 PM
7 Comments:
Oops! I forgot to post what my last words would be. First of all, its hard to imagine that I'd ever find myself on death row. Wait a minute! I WAS on death row. I remember it vividly. My last words were, "I do."
Hmmmm, I guess its possible that I could find myself at the end of a terrorist's gun under some set of circumstances. So in the event I were given the opportunity I think I'd say the following:
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make
"I almost got away with it."
First, I checked all of my family names to see if any of my relatives were there and it looks like their appeals are still on-going.
Second, "I do" -- good one, right on point!
Last, "...sleep, perchance to dream -- ay, there's the rub"
I was reading through a bunch of the last statements, and I just didn't like it at all. Its fascinating, but its also so sad to me. One I thought I would share (with some editorial comments) follows:
Jason Eric Massey , Executed April 3 2001 , Age 28 , Age at time of offence 20, Crime: Murder of two children, aged 13 and 14 said: “…And I want you to know that Christina, she did not suffer as much as you think she did. I promise you that. I give you my word. I know you guys want to know where the rest of her remains are. I put her remains in the Trinity river…". John went on to say: “ You too, Granny. I love y'all and you know, I want to apologize to y'all too for what I have done. For all the pain that I have caused, but all this pain has brought us closer together and all this suffering that we have been through has brought us all closer to the Lord and in the end that is what counts. Isn't it? That's what counts in the end; where you stand with Almighty God." Yes, thank you John for doing what you did. You brought us closer to the Lord by murdering two children and putting at least some of the remains in the Trinity river. Now we get it, you chose the “Trinity” river because of its spiritual reference. John, your murdering talents are transcendent and we just want to thank you for bringing us closer to the Lord, because that is what counts here.
I'd be doing the fastest back-peddling that anyone has ever witnessed. I'd begin the repenting in fourth grade when I took (stole) a sticker out of a friend's sticker book and then lied about it. (It was a fuzzy bunny and I NEEDED it.) And I'd list every sin, every minor infraction through the date of the execution asking, nay- BEGGING, PLEADING for forgiveness from God and then the family of my victim(s). I'm talking sobbing, runny nose, hiccups, The Ugly Cry, all of it.
Screw trying to make a statement or make people "think" or change the world or make people feel sorry for me. The only worry I would have would be getting into heaven, that's why I'd do it publicly. I want witnesses. I wouldn't take any chances.
And when I finished, I'd say, "I'm at peace." And I would try not to add, "All of you should do the same you bunch of sinners."
Its not a funny response (you're thinking: "Then why post it?") but to be honest I'd apologize to my loved ones and the family I had hurt. I'd ask God's forgiveness and then right in the middle of my soliloquy I'd start jerking around and frothing at the mouth like I was dying. Then I'd say, "just kidding. I'm ok." Then I'd tell the warden to hit it.
Christ! Look at these comments! We're all poets in the end. (alright - most of us are poets, one of us is a juggler). And Bravo Addgirl on your description of "The Ugly Cry" What a great image.
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