As a postscript to my last (below), apparently Texas is no longer letting prisoners choose their last meal before they're executed. It seems that some of them have been making exorbitant demands (how dare they?), and in any case (says Texas) they don't deserve a special meal. They're criminals. Let them eat the same as the other prisoners.
It's good to know that compassion and humanity are still alive and well in Texas, even if 400+ prisoners (since the 1980s) are not.
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The version I heard on the news was that there have been a couple of instances of condemned prisoners who lost their appetites and so "wasted" the food.(It was chicken dinners, not lobster.
ReplyDeleteHow petty and mean-spirited do you have to be to wish to diminish still further the existence of one who's minutes are counting down to the end.
Power play or political attention grabbing? Shameful, either way.
I didn't think it could get any worse!
ReplyDeleteWhat? I won't get my perfect mango? (which would be my last meal of choice)
ReplyDeleteSeriously though - the Troy Davis case got coverage here as well and it's very distressing. The death penalty is a useless and outmoded form of punishment. It's too easy for innocents to die because of a flawed law (or corrupt systems) and for those few truly evil people letting them live (with their conscience) is a greater punishment than death. Who are we to judge anyway? Sorry. I'll get off my soapbox now. :(
Judy, South Africa
English Rider, the prisoner this week was certainly taking the micky, since he ordered an enormous quantity of luxury food. But it shows he managed to maintain a sense of humour; a laudable achievement, under the circumstances!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that it can, Rosemary. Apparently when George W. Bush was governor, he did away with the 'last cigarette' for health reasons. Yes, really.
No - please stay on your soapbox, Judy, or you can share mine. It's certainly big enough for two!
When 7 of the 9 "eye" witnesses change their stories and one of the two that didn't was a possible suspect you've got to question the decision to keep the man in prison let alone execute him. A total travisty in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteMy son just told me about the last meal thing a few minutes ago and I thought he was making it up - clearly not.
Colette, the whole system seems to be corrupt. I really hope, though, that the death penalty is on the way out in the US. But it's taking it time, and a lot of people are still dying.
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