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[side_show]

From the book I referred to, the most common last meal was KFC chicken, and quite often accompanied by Dr. Pepper.

I've got mine now:

Drink: 2 liter bottle of Evian water

Appetizer:  Fresh calamari, breaded and deep fried, with garlic-herb aioli

Meal: Fettuccine Alfredo

Etc.: One large bag of movie-theatre-style popcorn with hot butter

Basically my favorite food is popcorn.  I'd definitely need the water.  Who knows if I'd eat the rest?

[smick]

Basically my favorite food is popcorn.  I'd definitely need the water.  Who knows if I'd eat the rest?

I'll talk to the warden.  Maybe I could get bumped up, and go before you.

[Doc]

In the vein of Choops original suggestion: Canned asparagus, just because after eating that I don't think I'd care about dying so much.

I don't have a choice of my own but that list has a lot of T-bone steaks on it, kind of unimaginative.

[jough]

Yeah, breakfast food.  I'd probably have bacon and pancakes and stuff.  Maybe some scrapple.

You know, all of that bad stuff that I'm not eating anymore.  But I mean, if I was going to be dying in a few hours anyway, then why not?

[Doc]

For your consideration: This is the guy that only asked for an apple.
Since when is texas letting people wear glasses in mug shots?

[robot_god]

I read some list like that long ago and made a list of my own that was incredibly long and incredibly indulgent.  It centered around rigitoni with vodka sauce and an entire chocolate cake.  But the list was like, rediculously long, like... ludacrious, it was so long.



Maybe I just love(d) food too much, but I think there is a beautiful aspect of humanity in giving a death row inmate a last meal.

It says, like, "I don't even care how bad of a thing you've done... I know what you really want.  Have a last meal on me. :wink:"  As far as honor goes, it's basically the equivalent of a complete pardon.

[AlohaDawg]

The man Texas executed yesterday didn't request a last meal.

Interesting thought about the tradition of the last meal being a humane gesture. I don't see it that way - certainly it's ironic to make a humane gesture before executing someone - but I can't argue with letting a condemned man have something they want that they can't otherwise get before dying.

[jough]

The whole last meal thing is ridiculous, you're right.  The U.S. is the only civilised country in the world that supports state-sponsored executions.  Personally I'd rather not have the government kill people in my name.   Given the current political climate, though, I think I'm in the minority on this issue.

What's next, giving a man a ham sandwich before you bone his wife?

[Hobot]

What's next, giving a man a ham sandwich before you bone his wife?

Well yeah.  I mean, it's the least you could do.

[Doc]

If anything the last meal is an indication that we know there's something fucked about about killing this person. If we really believed they were scum and deserved to die we wouldn't worry about humane treatment or last rights we'd give the bailiff at his trial a shotgun and they'd be ready to fire as soon as they heard guilty.

[Ben-San]

If we don't give the man his last request, his vengeful revenant will seek revenge. It's that simple.

[AlohaDawg]

If anything the last meal is an indication that we know there's something fucked about about killing this person. If we really believed they were scum and deserved to die we wouldn't worry about humane treatment or last rights we'd give the bailiff at his trial a shotgun and they'd be ready to fire as soon as they heard guilty.

Well. yeah, one thing that I was thinking was that in the past, there was a lot less process involved and individuals were mainly responsible for the death decision. Not the carrying out of the sentence, but the decision. I think if you had personal responsibility and you were right there with the individual, you might offer them a request. Not because you think it would make them feel better - but maybe to take the edge off the decision you just made...

On the other hand, now the decisions are made 10 years in advance, and the personhood of the doomed prisoner is reduced to legal briefs and filings throughout the appeals process. That's why, to me, the 'last meal' request is disingenuous to a degree. It's offered, it seems, more out of tradition than any actual human feeling toward the inmate.

Here's a thought - when a man or woman is condemned to death, the jury that came to the capital verdict with the understanding that it was a death penalty case should have to witness the execution, as must the prosecutor and judges involved in the original case and appeals. Making the death penalty more real to those involved in the process will probably work toward changing the process.

[slink]

Making the death penalty more real to those involved in the process will probably work toward changing the process.

Even if it's 10 years away? I guess eventually they'd catch up with you, but I do think if you had 10 years before you watched anyone die, you might not consider in the same way as if you had to watch it tomorrow, and if you had already watched a number of death penalties being carried out.

But then I'm English so I'm comfortably against the death penalty altogether and have to think about it less anyway...

[smick]

What's next, giving a man a ham sandwich before you bone his wife?

I don't eat meat, and am against the institution of marriage.  You cannot win with me sir!

[side_show]

The whole last meal thing is ridiculous, you're right.  The U.S. is the only civilised country in the world that supports state-sponsored executions.  Personally I'd rather not have the government kill people in my name.   Given the current political climate, though, I think I'm in the minority on this issue.

What's next, giving a man a ham sandwich before you bone his wife?

Oh man, could you imagine if a ham sandwich was the specific sign?  You are sitting there, minding your own business, when up walks a government appointed official who hands you a ham sandwich.  And you just know.  And everyone around you knows.  A silence falls over the room.  But you are a man.  You take a bite.  You chew.  You swallow.  You nod.  The official leaves.