In the modern world, there are but
two post-industrial nations that still exact the death penalty:
Japan and the United States. And in both countries, still practiced
is the age old tradition of offering the condemned a final, special
meal before the time of their execution. There are those that regard
the final meal&sometimes a smorgasbord, sometimes a snack&as
a peek into the mind of those members of our society who have committed
the most heinous of crimes. Is it that, or is it a glimpse into
the psyche of all of us that we should afford a man one last pleasure
before we bring an end to his (or her) life?
There is some consternation as to
where the ritual of the last meal began. Some say it dates back
to the ancient Greeks, a people who hesitated to send a man on his
journey to the afterlife without sufficient nutrition for the trek.
One never knew how long purgatory might last, and it would have
been pointlessly cruel to make a man suffer through that time on
an empty stomach. Of course, there is then perhaps the most famous
meal of all, immortalized in DaVinci's painting, The Last
Supper. Jesus was not served his last meal by the Romans, but
his dinner was simple nonetheless. Bread and wine, in the company
of his apostles.
Today, thirty-eight American states
enforce the death penalty, and in all thirty-eight, the tradition
of the last meal is upheld. Rules for this vary from state to state,
of course. In Florida, there is a generous $40 limit to the
prisoner's request, and it must be locally obtainable. In Texas,
the meal must be prepared within the prison system, and substitutes
will be made for requests outside this mandate. For instance, hamburger
steak will replace a request for filet mignon. For lobster, a filet
of processed fish.
Until 2003, the Texas Department
of Justice maintained a website on which the public could view the
last meals of each prisoner the state put to death. The DOJ took
the website down after complaints that the information was fetishistic
and morbid. However, it should be noted that nearly every newspaper
report on the execution of an inmate across the country includes
this information.
A study of 281 inmates put to death
since 1981 showed that only 7.5% opted for breakfast as their last
meal. Of course, this leaves some room for error, as who is to say
what constitutes a breakfast? Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma
City Bomber, received two pints of Ben & Jerry's Mint Chocolate
Chip ice cream for his final meal. Is this breakfast? Dessert? A
snack? It is known that McVeigh was contacted several times by PETA
in the time leading to his execution, and they implored him to choose
a meatless final meal. Whether this had any bearing on his decision
is unknown.
Ted Bundy was given steak,
eggs over easy, hash browns and coffee. He refused the meal. John
Wayne Gacy requested and received Kentucky Fried Chicken, fried
shrimp, french fries, strawberries, and Diet Coke. Gacy had worked
as a manager for KFC for some times earlier in his life. Did he
choose that final meal because he so enjoyed the taste of fried
chicken, or was it symbolic of a time when he was perhaps more content?
Some prisoners, finally, are altruistic
in their final requests. Philip Workman, convicted in 1982
for the murder of a police officer in the commission of a robbery,
requested in May of 2007 that his final meal be an act of kindness.
He asked that a large vegetarian pizza be given to a homeless man.
The Tennessee authorities refused this request, stating that the
citizenship did not authorize gifts to charity.
