Marshall Gore: Fed But Not Dead

When is a last meal not a last meal? When dinner is served but the execution is cancelled. That's what happened to Marshall Gore, a two-time killer who was due to be executed by the state of Florida today. Instead of a stake in the heart, the viscous murderer got a steak on a plate; a rib-eye, that is, along with a frosty Coke. Gore had already eaten his last meal and was less than an hour away from execution when his lawyers won him a last-minute appeal. Oral arguments are scheduled for later this week, and the execution might still go forward as planned.

DeRosa Declines Distinct Dinner

Fast food might not be gourmet cuisine, but it sure beats the heck out of prison food. Why, then, would James DeRosa--executed tonight by the state of Oklahoma--fail to order a special last meal? Oklahoma only allows its condemned inmates to order from local fast food restaurants, with a meager $15 spending limit, but DeRosa apparently wasn't hungry. The convicted killer, who was given a death sentence for his part in the robbery and murder of an elderly couple, also had no last words.

Van Poyck Apparently Not Peckish

Our faithful readers already know that Florida serves up one of the best last meals in the country. The state allows a generous $40 spending limit, and the only rule is that the ingredients for the meal must be available at local stores. Steak is allowed. The same with lobster. Appetizers, salad, desserts? No problem. Prison chefs do the shopping then lovingly craft a tasty, succulent last meal for the condemned prisoner. But every once in a while, one of the death row inmates says "thanks but no thanks." Such was the case today before William Van Poyck was executed.

Van Poyck--which is pronounced "Van Poyk," according to countless news reports--so thanks for clearing that up--was convicted as the mastermind of a failed plot to free another inmate who was being transported in a prison van. One of the guards was killed, but Van Poyck always denied pulling the trigger himself and blamed the guard's death on his accomplice.

His final words were "set me free."

Chops for Chester

Sometimes "good" and "bad" are subjective terms. For proof, just look at the last words of Elroy Chester, executed tonight by the state of Texas.

Chester confessed to five killings but was executed for the murder of a fireman which took place during a six-month crime spree that involved rapes, robberies, and multiple homicides. In his last statement, however, Chester announced "Elroy Chester wasn't a bad man. I don't care what anybody says." he then told the execution witnesses, "I'll see you later."

Since Texas did away with special last meal requests in 2011, Chester was served the same food as everyone else in his prison unit. His last meal included baked pork chops, mashed potatoes with gravy, and green beans.

The Sunny Side of Capital Punishment

Executions are normally a dreary business, but there was a "sunny side" to today's execution of Elmer Leon Carroll by the state of Florida. Two, actually. The first came when Carroll ordered his last meal; sunny-side-up eggs, bacon, sliced tomatoes, biscuits, avocados, a fruit salad of strawberries, papaya, peaches, and pineapple, and with canned milk to drink. The second "sunny moment" came when this barbaric child killer was finally removed from the earth.

Carroll was apparently a troublemaker to the end, and not even prison confinement could dampen his penchant for misbehaving. Over his 21 years on death row, Carroll was written up by prison officials 20 times for infractions ranging from making threats to attempted arson. 

What Did Williams Wolf Down?

Jeffrey Williams was executed by the state of Texas tonight for killing a Houston police officer in 1999.

Back in 2011, Texas did away with special last meals for its condemned inmates. The men and women on death row are now served the same food as everyone else in their prison unit prior to their execution. For his last meal, Jeffrey Williams was served baked chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, great northern beans, apple crisp, and punch, tea, and water to drink.

For his last words, Williams called the police "clowns" and accused them of murdering innocent children. "Y'all are getting away with murder all the time," he said. "When I kill one or pop one, y'all want to kill me." Williams finished by adding "I love everyone that loves me. I ain't got no love for anyone that don't love me."