May 12, 2008
Dead Man Eating
chronicles the final meal requests of prisoners executed in the United States since 2002, as well as some details about the crimes they were convicted of, and their trials. (Although I can't find the statistic posted on the site now, they did a count finding that the most common request was for a cheeseburger, followed by fried chicken, then steak.)
Historically, the final meal was seen as a way of preventing the spirit of the condemned from returning to take vengeance on his/her accusers.
See also: The Memory Hole Archive of an extensive list of final meal requests that was once maintained by the Texas Department of Justice. Wikipedia article listing the final meal requests of the famous and the fictional. Time Magazine article with the final meal choices of some celebrity chefs. Their choices are surprisingly simple. According to Anthony Bourdain, when having the last meal discussion "If someone comes up with a fancy answer, all the chefs will shout him down, yelling 'You liar!'". As for me, I'd have several pounds of fried potatoes, a large pizza with extra cheese, mushrooms, olives, and onions, and something highly sedating washed down with a bottle of cheap red wine.
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OOo interesting post!
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I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I just don't get Texas. As far as last meals, I think I'd have a full English breakfast.
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I'm from Oklahoma, TUM. We haven't been getting Texas, while at the same time getting way too much of Texas for a hundred years now.
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Is this the one with the guy with the spaghetti-Os? Because that was fuckin unjust, man.
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I'm reminded of this scene from "Blackadder II." "Oh, yes, sir. Provided they ask for sausages..." (Youtube)
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From the Texas list (which I recall stumbling upon several years back): 123 Madden Robert 822 05/28/1997 Asked that final meal be provided to a homeless person A fitting request, if I dare say.
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I find it completely idiotic that we give people whatever they want for a last meal. Is that supposed to somehow make us all feel better about the death penalty? Are we supposed to feel more civilized or believe that we are killing them in a humane manner because we give them a fucking cheeseburger before we kill them? How about a final movie? Maybe a final musical performance? Wouldn't a string quartet playing for a man before we are about to kill him make us all feel much better about ourselves?
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interesting site, but I can't read the crimes, and I can't read the site without reading the crimes. fucking humanity.
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Some day, when my evil plan comes to fruition, I will have all of the people who have wronged me gathered in one large dining hall. Each will have two things: an elaborate menu, and the dark knowledge that they will not live to see another day. I will act as waiter, and will patiently take each of their orders in the most detailed and respectful fashion: And you'd like that done medium rare? What brand of balsamic vinegar? Would the 2004 Chiraz suffice? And then I will serve them all nothing more than a bowl of Cheerios stirred into melted Velveeta and summarily dispense them to the Hell that they deserve. And laugh an evil, satisfying laugh.
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I'm sure any cereal killers on death row gave their victims a choice of menu before offing them.* *low, unfunny, and unworthy snark Gedoverit.
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I knew there was a reason we kept Ralph around.
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It always made a kind of sense to me because in Chinese supernatural belief, someone who died hungry became a hungry ghost, doomed to roam the earth in search of sustenance. Condemned prisoners were allowed a final meal, to eat as much as they could before they died. Food and drink are what keeps us alive. I suppose it's the last bright spark before the flame is extinguished.