Cleve Foster's Long Last Meal Lag

Many death row inmates get to pick a special last meal, which is then eaten 8 to 12 hours before their execution in most cases. But in a rare set of circumstances, Texas convict Cleve Foster chose and ate his "last meal" over 18 months before his execution.

Foster's first date with death was in January of 2011. He had already eaten his special last meal request (two whole fried chickens, French fries, and a five-gallon bucket of peaches) and was just minutes away from execution when he was granted a stay. Foster was given two more execution dates in 2011, but got another stay each time. He wasn't served a last meal on either of those occasions, although he came awfully close to getting a plate of chicken and nachos at the third failed execution attempt.

Today, however, Foster's luck finally gave out. Foster was finally executed in Texas, and since the state did away with special last meal requests in September 2011, he was unable to order another mountain of chicken and peaches. Instead, Foster was given the same meal as everyone else on the cell block - barbecue sandwiches, Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, and sliced bread.