No Small Meal for Smulls

Apparently, nothing builds up an appetite like repeated rejections from the Supreme Court. Or at least that was the case with Missouri death row inmate Herbert Smulls, who was executed late yesterday evening after the nation's top court shot down his last minute appeals three different times in the space of a few hours. For his last meal, Smulls had steak, fried chicken, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, candied yams, corn bread, chocolate cake, and cola.

Smulls earned his death sentence for his part in a jewelry store robbery that ended in the death of the owner.

Hogan Goes Hog Wild

The alibi of Kenneth Hogan, executed tonight by the state of Oklahoma, was always a little sketchy. Hogan was convicted of killing a 21-year-old female who was a friend of the family, but he claimed it wasn't his fault. According to Hogan's account, he and the girl had been smoking marijuana together when she suddenly began pressuring him to go out and steal a stereo for her. When Hogan refused, the girl got angry and grabbed a knife. Hogan took the knife from her and accidentally stabbed her in self-defense--over 25 times.

Sure, it could happen.

But now back to the main question: What did Hogan order for his last meal? In Oklahoma, all last meals are ordered from local restaurants and must cost under $15. That normally means fast food. Because of his eerie resemblance to a certain colonel, I thought Hogan might request some KFC...but I was wrong.

For his last meal, Kenneth Hogan asked for a 2/3-pound cheeseburger, 3 large orders of french fries, a 10-oz block of sharp cheddar cheese, one bag of BBQ corn nuts, and a 20-oz Pepsi.

Hogan's last words were "There's a chemical taste in my mouth," followed by, "I'm going, I'm going, I'm going."

International Protest Poster Boy, or Just a Rotten Tamayo?

Ironically, it was a Mexican stand-off that delayed the execution of Edgar Tamayo by the state of Texas tonight. Condemned for killing a police officer 20 years ago, Tamayo—a Mexican national—sparked a brief legal flurry between the United States and Mexico regarding whether or not it would be neighborly for us to execute him. But the US Supreme Court denied a final stay, and Tamayo was finally executed by lethal injection in the late evening.

Since Texas no longer allows special last meals, Tamayo was served the same food as others in his unit. For his last meal, Tamayo had a grilled pork chop, corn, Spanish rice, refried beans, mixed greens, and cornbread, with a choice of punch, tea, or water to drink.  

Why a Whole Book About Last Meals?

Ever wonder where the inspiration for Last Suppers came from? 

Click the photo to hear the story first hand!

Murderer McGuire Has Massive Meal Before Mystery Medication

A man who brutally killed a pregnant woman was executed today by the state of Ohio. Dennis McGuire was given a lethal injection using two new, untested drugs because supplies of the regular execution drugs ran out.

Although McGuire seemed nervous on his final day in jail, his appetite obviously wasn't hampered. For his last meal, McGuire ate roast beef, fried chicken, a bagel with cream cheese and onion, potato salad, fried potatoes with onion, butter pecan ice cream, and Coca-Cola.

Final Justice, with a Cherry on Top

The convicted killer who planned the brutal death of a co-worker nearly two decades ago was executed tonight by the state of Oklahoma. Michael Lee Wilson was the mastermind who, along with three other men, bludgeoned a convenience store clerk to death in 1995. Two of the other killers have already been executed, while another is serving life in prison.

For his last meal, Michael Wilson requested a stuffed-crust meat lover's pizza with parmesan cheese, a pomegranate, one Cherry Dr. Pepper, and Cherry Mash candy, a locally-made Oklahoma candy bar that combines chocolate and peanuts with a chewy cherry-flavored center.

In his final statement, Wilson said, "I love everybody. Free is free. I am going home. I'm ready to go. I love you, world. Love my daughters for me. I'm going to miss you always." Then, after a brief pause, "I feel my whole body burning."

Thomas Knight Gets Just Desserts

Nobody can say that triple murderer Thomas Knight, executed today by the state of Florida, didn't get his just desserts. For his last meal, Knight asked for sweet potato pie, coconut cake, banana nut bread, vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream, butter pecan ice cream, and Fritos corn chips, with Sprite to drink.

Knight, who changed his name to Askari Abdullah Muhammad while in prison, earned his most recent death sentence for fatally stabbing a corrections officer with a sharpened spoon while he was already on death row for another double homicide. He expressed no remorse for any of his crimes and declined to give any last words.