Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Unjust Desserts For Lisa Coleman

Lisa Coleman was executed by the state of Texas tonight for her part in the horrific death of a 9-year-old boy. Together with her roommate, the boy's mother, Coleman physically abused and starved the boy to death. How dreadfully ironic, then, that Coleman herself was served a tasty-sounding last meal before her execution.

Because Texas no longer allows special last meal requests, Coleman was given the same food as others in her unit. For her last meal, Lisa Coleman was served a fried pork chop, macaroni and cheese, carrots, green beans, navy beans, sliced bread, and pineapple orange cake, with a choice of tea, punch, or water to drink.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Willie Trottie Has Expired...But What About His Drugs?

Willie Trottie was executed by the state of Texas tonight, although the execution nearly encountered a last-minute snag when Trottie's lawyers complained that the lethal injection drugs used in the procedure might have expired. The appeal was overturned, however, when Texas officials showed that the drugs had an expiration date of September 30, meaning they were still "safe" enough to kill a man with.

Because Texas no longer allows special last meals, Trottie was served the same food as others in his unit. For his last meal, Willie Trottie had baked chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, bread, and a choice of tea, punch, or water to drink.

A Hard Day's Night for Ringo

Shortly after midnight, the state of Missouri executed Earl Ringo Jr. for a double murder committed during a 1998 restaurant robbery. 

We couldn't help wondering if Ringo's last meal might include an Apple, or some fancy dessert with a name like Strawberry Shortcake Forever, but such was not the case. Ringo actually didn't order a last meal at all, and was served the prison's "daily special" of Salisbury steak, macaroni and cheese, salad, vegetables, and cake.

Ringo's last words were also a topic of curiosity. Perhaps the condemned man would utter something clever like "I Feel Fine," or "Hello Goodbye," or simply "Help!" Would he talk about his upcoming journey on "The Long and Winding Road," or mention how he got by with a little help from his friends during his years in prison? Beatlemanicas were once again crushed, however, when Ringo simply offered up a passage from the Quran instead.

As Ringo's story draws to a close, one other case of irony cannot be ignored; he committed his double murder at a Ruby Tuesday restaurant---named, of course, after a song by the Rolling Stones.