Robert Jones Not Jonesing for Anything Special

Some people don't get excited on their birthdays. Others don't make a big deal about Christmas. But most of us would make a pretty big deal about our final day on Earth.

That wasn't the case for Robert Glen Jones Jr, who was executed today by the state of Arizona. Despite the freedom to order just about anything he wanted, Jones turned down the offer of a special last meal. "It's just another meal, and there's nothing special about the day to me," he said.

The final meal that Jones ate--making it his technical "last meal"--was Tuesday night's standard dinner of beef patties, mashed potatoes with gravy, carrots, two slices of wheat bread, a slice of glazed cake, and a powdered juice drink.

Jones was convicted of killing a total of seven people, including four at a social club robbery, two in a smoke shop, and one in a home invasion. Jones used some of his stolen loot to buy pizza and cowboy boots, but a clerk became suspicious when Jones and an accomplice tried to restock their supply of ammunition at a gun store. A high-speed chase soon ensued and Jones was apprehended and convicted of all seven murders.

No Death by Chocolate for William Happ

Forrest Gump said "Life is like a box of chocolates," but sometimes death is like a box of chocolates, too. At least that was the case for William Happ, executed today by the state of Florida for a rape and murder committed in 1986. 

For his last meal, Happ asked for a 12-ounce box of assorted chocolates and one and a half quarts of German chocolate ice cream. If his intention was to induce the often joked about "Death by Chocolate," Happ's plan was unsuccessful. Instead, he was later executed by lethal injection using a new cocktail of drugs which made their debut for the first time today.

Texas Completes Execution Double-Header

October is here, and baseball fever is in the air. To commemorate the Fall Classic, Arizona and Texas hosted a special day/night execution double-header. 

Arizona began the day by executing Edward Schad, and Texas performed the nightcap with the execution of Michael Yowell. Yowell, who was given the death sentence for killing his parents, also caused an explosion that left his grandmother dead as well. As he lay strapped to the lethal injection table, Yowell commanded the prison warden to "punch that button."

Since Texas no longer allows special last meal requests, Yowell was given the same food as the other prisoners in his unit. Sometimes condemned inmates are served lunch and dinner at the same time and can pick and choose what they want from each tray. This was the case with Yowell, who was served chicken patties, a hamburger steak, mashed potatoes with gravy, squash, pinto beans, peas, carrots, macaroni and cheese, sliced bread, and cornbread. He had a choice of tea, punch, or water to drink.

Edward Schad Has a 12-Inch...Sandwich

In some ways, Edward Schad was not your typical death row resident. The 71-year-old man, who spent nearly half his life in an Arizona prison cell, liked to spend his jail time crocheting and illustrating children's books. But in other ways, Schad was very typical. In two separate trials, he was convicted of strangling two male lovers to death--supposedly "accidents" that happened during their intense bouts of sex.

Schad was executed by the state of Arizona this morning by lethal injection.

For his last meal, Edward Schad asked for 12 inches--and got it. He requested a 12-inch meatball submarine sandwich, french fries with catsup, two ears of corn on the cob, cranberry sauce, a slice of apple pie, and a vanilla milkshake.

Four for Gore, But No More

The fourth time was a charm for Marshall Lee Gore, a repeat killer who was executed tonight in Florida after three previous execution dates were cancelled at the last minute.

Gore was found guilty of murdering two different women, and was given a death sentence for each homicide. Gore tried to escape his fate several times by claiming insanity, but his rants about Satan, the Illuminati, human sacrifices, and an unnamed senator who wanted to kill Gore and rip out his eyeballs failed to sway the legal system in his favor.

Because of his on-again, off-again execution schedule, Gore actually received multiple last meals. Back in July, he was served a steak, baked potato, and a Coke. For his last meal today, Marshall Gore asked for a sausage and pepperoni pizza and a Coke. He drank the Coke but left the pizza untouched.