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Contrary to the [[List of common misconceptions|common belief]] that all last meal requests, regardless of their complexity, must be fulfilled, various restrictions are in place over what can be requested.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mikkelson |first=David |date=October 30, 2014 |title=Death Row Inmate Asks for a Child As His Last Meal, Texas DOC Plan to Grant Request? |url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/texas-two-misstep/ |access-date=June 25, 2024 |website=[[Snopes]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Beam |first=Christopher |date=November 10, 2009 |title=I'll Have 24 Tacos and the Filet Mignon |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2009/11/can-a-prisoner-request-anything-for-his-last-meal.html |access-date=June 25, 2024 |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]}}</ref> | Contrary to the [[List of common misconceptions|common belief]] that all last meal requests, regardless of their complexity, must be fulfilled, various restrictions are in place over what can be requested.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mikkelson |first=David |date=October 30, 2014 |title=Death Row Inmate Asks for a Child As His Last Meal, Texas DOC Plan to Grant Request? |url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/texas-two-misstep/ |access-date=June 25, 2024 |website=[[Snopes]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Beam |first=Christopher |date=November 10, 2009 |title=I'll Have 24 Tacos and the Filet Mignon |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2009/11/can-a-prisoner-request-anything-for-his-last-meal.html |access-date=June 25, 2024 |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]}}</ref> | ||
In the [[United States]], most states give the meal a day or two before the actual execution and now use the [[euphemism]] "special meal". [[Alcoholic beverage|Alcohol]] and [[tobacco]] are usually, but not always, denied. Unorthodox or unavailable requests | In the [[United States]], most states give the meal a day or two before the actual execution and now use the [[euphemism]] "special meal". [[Alcoholic beverage|Alcohol]] and [[tobacco]] are usually, but not always, denied. Unorthodox or unavailable requests can be replaced with similar substitutes. Some states place tight restrictions. Sometimes, a prisoner asks to share the last meal with another inmate (as [[Francis Crowley]] did with John Resko in 1932) or has the meal distributed among other inmates (as requested by [[Raymond Fernandez (serial killer)|Raymond Fernandez]] in 1951).<ref name="Bol3">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/peoplesalmanacpr03wall |title=The Book of Lists #3 |publisher=Bantam |year=1983 |isbn=978-0-553-27868-2 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/peoplesalmanacpr03wall/page/85 85–87] |url-access=registration}}</ref> | ||
In [[Florida]], the food for the last meal must be purchased locally and the cost is limited to $40.<ref name="fdoc">{{cite web|title=Death Row Fact Sheet |work=Florida Department of Corrections |url=http://www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/deathrow/index.html |access-date=11 November 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612151254/http://www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/deathrow/index.html |archive-date=12 June 2008 }}</ref> In [[Oklahoma]], the cost is limited to $25. In [[Louisiana]], the [[prison warden]] traditionally joins the condemned prisoner for the last meal. On one occasion, the warden paid for an inmate's lobster dinner.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Allan|date=2011-09-23|title=Last-meal requests come to an end on Texas death row|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Last-meal-requests-come-to-an-end-on-Texas-death-2184484.php|work=Houston Chronicle|access-date=23 September 2011|archive-date=24 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924080519/http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Last-meal-requests-come-to-an-end-on-Texas-death-2184484.php|url-status=live}}</ref> | In [[Florida]], the food for the last meal must be purchased locally and the cost is limited to $40.<ref name="fdoc">{{cite web|title=Death Row Fact Sheet |work=Florida Department of Corrections |url=http://www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/deathrow/index.html |access-date=11 November 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612151254/http://www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/deathrow/index.html |archive-date=12 June 2008 }}</ref> In [[Oklahoma]], the cost is limited to $25. In [[Louisiana]], the [[prison warden]] traditionally joins the condemned prisoner for the last meal. On one occasion, the warden paid for an inmate's lobster dinner.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Allan|date=2011-09-23|title=Last-meal requests come to an end on Texas death row|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Last-meal-requests-come-to-an-end-on-Texas-death-2184484.php|work=Houston Chronicle|access-date=23 September 2011|archive-date=24 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924080519/http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Last-meal-requests-come-to-an-end-on-Texas-death-2184484.php|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
In Texas, the tradition of customized last meals is thought to have been established around 1924.<ref>{{cite web |date=2011-09-22 |title=Last-meal requests off death row menu |work=San Antonio Express-News |url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Last-meal-tradition-for-death-row-inmates-2184368.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925012525/http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Last-meal-tradition-for-death-row-inmates-2184368.php |archive-date=25 September 2011 |access-date=25 September 2011}}</ref> However, in September 2011, the state of [[Texas]] abolished all special meal requests after condemned prisoner [[Murder of James Byrd Jr.#Lawrence Brewer|Lawrence Brewer]] requested a large and expensive meal, but did not eat any of it, stating that he was not hungry.<ref name="auto"/> Since then, the prisoner's last meal is the | In Texas, the tradition of customized last meals is thought to have been established around 1924.<ref>{{cite web |date=2011-09-22 |title=Last-meal requests off death row menu |work=San Antonio Express-News |url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Last-meal-tradition-for-death-row-inmates-2184368.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925012525/http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Last-meal-tradition-for-death-row-inmates-2184368.php |archive-date=25 September 2011 |access-date=25 September 2011}}</ref> However, in September 2011, the state of [[Texas]] abolished all special meal requests after condemned prisoner [[Murder of James Byrd Jr.#Lawrence Brewer|Lawrence Brewer]] requested a large and expensive meal, but did not eat any of it, stating that he was not hungry.<ref name="auto"/> Since then, the prisoner's last meal is the same as that being served in the [[Huntsville Unit]] cafeteria on the day of execution.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z13UwA9UzeY&t=621s | title=Death Row the Final 24 Hours Documentary & Discovery HD Channel Official | website=[[YouTube]] | date=24 April 2015 }}</ref> | ||
==Documented last meal requests== | ==Documented last meal requests== | ||
Latest revision as of 00:57, 19 June 2025
Template:Short description Template:Worldwide view Template:Use dmy dates Script error: No such module "redirect hatnote". A condemned prisoner's last meal is a customary ritual preceding execution. In many countries, the prisoner may, within reason, select what the last meal will be.
Contemporary restrictions in the United States
Contrary to the common belief that all last meal requests, regardless of their complexity, must be fulfilled, various restrictions are in place over what can be requested.[1][2]
In the United States, most states give the meal a day or two before the actual execution and now use the euphemism "special meal". Alcohol and tobacco are usually, but not always, denied. Unorthodox or unavailable requests can be replaced with similar substitutes. Some states place tight restrictions. Sometimes, a prisoner asks to share the last meal with another inmate (as Francis Crowley did with John Resko in 1932) or has the meal distributed among other inmates (as requested by Raymond Fernandez in 1951).[3]
In Florida, the food for the last meal must be purchased locally and the cost is limited to $40.[4] In Oklahoma, the cost is limited to $25. In Louisiana, the prison warden traditionally joins the condemned prisoner for the last meal. On one occasion, the warden paid for an inmate's lobster dinner.[5]
In Texas, the tradition of customized last meals is thought to have been established around 1924.[6] However, in September 2011, the state of Texas abolished all special meal requests after condemned prisoner Lawrence Brewer requested a large and expensive meal, but did not eat any of it, stating that he was not hungry.[5] Since then, the prisoner's last meal is the same as that being served in the Huntsville Unit cafeteria on the day of execution.[7]
Documented last meal requests
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See also
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References
Further reading
- Treadwell, Ty and Vernon, Michelle (2011) Last Suppers: Famous Final Meals from Death Row
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External links
- Greene, Bob (12 June 2001). They didn't get to choose their last meals. Jewish World Review. Retrieved on 2007-08-17.
- Karon, Tony (10 August 2000). Why We're Fascinated by Death Row Cuisine. TIME Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-08-17.
- Stein, Joel (18 October 2007). You Eat What You Are. TIME Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-11-11.
- Famous Last Meals. Portraits of Last Requests. Retrieved on 2010-09-17.
- Final Meal Requests. Texas Department of Criminal Justice (12 September 2003). Archived from the original on 2003-12-02. Retrieved on 2011-03-17.
- Last Meals Template:Webarchive. rotten dot com. Retrieved on 2007-08-17.
- Last Meals: What Would You Order? Seattle Weekly (18 June 2010). Retrieved on 2010-06-24.
- Last Meals on Death Row (since 2002). Dead Man Eating. Retrieved on 2007-08-17.
- Top 10 Death Row Last Meal Requests from Texas Template:Webarchive. Zombie Popcorn (9 October 2008) Retrieved on 2010-09-29.
Template:Capital punishment Template:CapPun-US
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