Poetry
Courtesy of the State of Texas
Well, my friends in my heart, I’m ready –
James Carl Lee Davis
killed September 9, 1997
Statement to what. State What. I am not guilty of the charge of capital murder. Steal me and my family's money. My truth will always be my truth. There is no kin and no friend; no fear what you do to me. No kin to you undertaker. Murderer. [Portion of statement omitted due to profanity] Get my money. Give me my rights. Give me my rights. Give me my rights. Give me my life back.
Kelsey Patterson
killed May 18, 2004
When asked if he had a last statement, he replied, "Yes, I do.
"I hope that one day we can look back on the evil that we’re doing right now like the witches we burned at the stake. I want everybody to know that I hold nothing against them. I forgive them all. I hope everybody I’ve done anything to will forgive me. I’ve been praying all day for Carl Levin’s wife to drive the bitterness from her heart because that bitterness that’s in her heart will send her to Hell just as surely as any other sin. I’m sorry for everything I’ve ever done to anybody. I hope they’ll forgive me.
"Sharon, tell all my friends goodbye. You know who they are: Charles Bass, David Powell…" Then he coughed and nothing else was said.
Thomas Barefoot
killed October 30, 1984
Ah, just ah sorry ya'll. I think of tried everything I could to get in touch with ya'll to express how sorry I am. I, I never was right after that incident happened. I sent a letter to somebody, you know a letter outlining what I feel about everything. But anyway I just wanted, right after that apologize to you. I'm real sorry for it. I was raised by the California Youth Authority, I can't really pin point where it started, what happened but really believe that's just the bottom line, what happened to me was in California. I was in their reformatory schools and penitentiary, but ah they create monsters in there. That's it, I have nothing else to say. Thanks for coming Jack.
David Long
killed December 8, 1999
I am innocent, innocent, innocent. Make no mistake about this; I owe society nothing. Continue the struggle for human rights, helping those who are innocent, especially Mr. Graham. I am an innocent man, and something very wrong is taking place tonight. May God bless you all. I am ready.
Leonel Torres Herrera
killed May 12, 1993
The statement that I would like to make is, none of this should have happened and now that I'm dying, there is nothing left to worry about. I know it was a mistake. I have no one to blame but myself. It's no big deal about choosing right from wrong. I pray that everyone involved overlooks the stupidity. Everybody has problems and I won't be a part of the problem anymore. I can quit worrying now, it was all a mistake. That's all I want to say.
James Colburn
killed March 26, 2003
Yes, I do. First of all, I want you to understand I speak the truth when I say I didn’t kill your kids. Honestly I have not killed anyone. I wish you could get the rage from your hearts and you could see the truth and get rid of the hatred.
I love you all – (names of children) – Corey, Steve (garbled) – This is very important. I love ya’ll and I miss ya’ll. O.K., now I’m finished.
David Spence
killed April 3, 1997
I want to thank Father Walsh for his spiritual help. I want to thank Bob Ray (Sanders) and Steve Blow for their friendship. What I want people to know is that they call me a cold-blooded killer when I shot a man that shot me first. The only thing that convicted me was that I am a Mexican and that he was a police officer. People hollered for my life, and they are to have my life tonight. The people never hollered for the life of the policeman that killed a thirteen-year-old boy who was handcuffed in the back seat of a police car. The people never hollered for the life of a Houston police officer who beat up and drowned Jose Campo Torres and threw his body in the river. You call that equal justice. This is your equal justice. This is America’s equal justice. A Mexican’s life is worth nothing. When a policeman kills someone he gets a suspended sentence or probation. When a Mexican kills a police officer this is what you get. From there you call me a cold-blooded murderer. I didn’t tie anyone to a stretcher. I didn’t pump any poison into anybody’s veins from behind a locked door. You call this justice. I call this and your society a bunch of cold-blooded murderers. I don’t say this with any bitterness or anger. I just say this with truthfulness. I hope God forgives me for all my sins. I hope that God will be as merciful to society as he has been to me. I’m ready, Warden.
Henry Porter
killed July 9, 1985
Mindy, I’m with you, honey. I do not know why, Mindy, you are doing this, but I will still forgive you. You know he is a murderer. Why don’t you support me? He will do it again. Mindy, you are lucky you are still alive.
Give my love to my family. I love them. Mindy, you can stop this.
O.K., I’m ready.
Jerry Lee Hogue
killed March 11, 1998
Yes. Man, I just want you to know how much I love them. I want you to be strong and get through this time. Do not fall back. Keep going forward. Don't let this hinder you. Let everybody know I love them (several names listed), Kevin - as well as everyone else in the family. Tell them that I love them and stay strong. This is kind of hard to put words together; I am nervous and it is hard to put my thoughts together. Sometimes you don't know what to say; I hope these words give you comfort. I don't know what to say. I want you to know I love you; just stay strong and don't give up. Let everybody know I love them...and love is unconditional, as Mama has always told us. I may be gone in the flesh, but I am always with you in spirit. I love you.
Shannon Charles Thomas
killed November 16, 2005
I would like to say to the Magee family and the Cadena family that I was friends with David and Virginia and I did not commit this offense.
I have tried to do something to compensate the families by writing a book. I would like for the proceeds to go to the Magee family and the Cadena family.
There is someone who will be contacting them or they can get in touch with my attorney.
I would like to thank you for standing by me and loving me and carry my best to my "sun," my butterfly.
Goodbye, sun, I love you.
Eddie Johnson
killed June 17, 1997
This execution
is not justice. This execution is an act of revenge! If this is
justice, then justice is blind.
Take a borderline retarded young
male
who for the 1st time ever in his life committed a
felony
then contaminate his TRUE tell all confession
add a
judge who discriminates
plus an ALL-WHITE JURY
pile on an
ineffective assistance of counsel
and execute the option of
rehabilitation
persecute the witnesses
and you have created a
death sentence for a family lasting over 10 years.
I will say once again…..This execution isn’t justice – but an act of revenge. Killing R.J. will not bring Anil back, it only justifies "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." It’s too late to help R.J., but maybe this poem will help someone else out there.
"Seeing Through the Eyes of a Death Row Inmate"
Sometime I wonder why, why he? Why did he go out into the world to see? To be out there and see what really did exist, now his name is written down on the Death Row list. I can only imagine how lonesome he was all by himself. We both knew he had no future left! His hopes and dreams became a fantasy. He often said, "There’s nothing left of me." I have asked myself, why did he get involved with drugs? He could never explain why he hung around with thugs? Did it really make him feel like a king – Did he actually think he was capable of getting away with anything? He knew the thought of life wasn’t ticking in his head. There’s nothing left but the memory of those who lay dead. What was did, cannot be undone. He was confessed, he was one of the guilty ones. What would he say to the victim’s family? – I’m sorry and my head wasn’t on straight. I hope you will accept my apology, even though it’s too late. I never knew I would take a life and commit a crime. I regret it because now I have to face the lethal injection while doing death row time. I knew I would pay with struggle and strife, but I never thought the cost would be me losing my life.
Richard J. Wilkerson (written through his sister Michelle Winn)
killed August 31, 1993
As the ocean always returns to itself, love always returns to itself. So does consciousness, always returns to itself. And I do so with love on my lips. May God bless all mankind.
James Ronald Meanes
killed December 15, 1998
I want to express my feelings regarding the mishap of the deceased Mrs. Iris Siff. That was a very unfortunate incident and only God knows why it was an unintentional situation that took place. I want to express my remorse to the family and the discomfort and pain I caused in their lives. Only God will determine if I am truly guilty or innocent of being the type of person I have been drawn up to be by the press and media. I have given my wife the power and energy to be a disciple of Islam. I rescued her from a wretched life in Ireland. I thank Allah for sending her to me. Certainly murder cannot be an instrument of Allah. My wife is very devoted.
Clifford Phillips
killed December 15, 1993
I wish everybody a good life. Everything is O.K.
Jerome Butler
killed April 21, 1990
I just want everyone to know that the prosecutor and Bill Scott are sorry sons of bitches. To his family he added that he loved them all.
Edward Ellis
killed March 3, 1992
I want to start out by acknowledging the love that I've had in my family. No man in this world has had a better family than me. I had the best parents in the world. I had the best brothers and sisters in the world. I've had the most wonderful life any man could have ever had. I've never been more proud of anybody than I have of my daughter and my son. I've got no complaints and no regrets about that. I love everyone of them and have always been loved all of my life. I've never had any doubts about that. Couple of matters that I want to talk about since this is one of the few times people will listen to what I have to say. The Unites States has gotten to a now where they zero respect for human life. My death is just a symptom of a bigger illness. At some point the government has got to wake up and stop doing things to destroy other countries and killing innocent children. The ongoing embargo and sanctions against places like Iran and Irag, Cuba and other places. They are not doing anything to change the world, but they are harming innocent children. That's got to stop at some point. Perhaps more important in a lot of ways is what we are doing to the environment is even more devastating because as long as we keep going the direction we're going the end result is it won't matter how we treat other people because everybody on the planet will be on their way out. We have got to wake up and stop doing that. Ah, one of the few ways in the world the truth is ever going to get out, or people are ever going to know what's happening as long as we support a free press out there. I see the press struggling to stay existent as a free institution One of the few truly free institutions is the press in Texas. People like the Texas Observer and I want to thank them for the job they've done in keeping me and everybody else informed. I hope people out there will support them, listen to them and be there for them. Without it, things like this are going to happen and nobody will even know. I love all of you. I always have I always will. I would like to address the State of Texas and specially Joe Price, the District Attorney who put me here. I want to remind Mr. Price of the mistake he made at Gene Hawthorn's trial when he said that Gene Hawthorn was telling the truth at my trial. Mr. Price is a one-eyed hunting dog. He in fact is not a one-eyed hunting dog, and in fact Gene Hawthorn lied at my trial. Everybody knew it. I'm dying tonight based on testimony, that all parties, me, the man who gave the testimony, the prosecutor he used knew it was a lie. I am hoping somebody will call him to the floor for recent comments he's made in the newspaper. It's bad enough that a prosecutor can take truth and spin on it and try to re-doctor it. But when they actually make facts up and present to the public as trial's evidence. That goes beyond fail, that's completely unforgivable and I hope somebody makes Mr. Price account for or explain the tennis shoes he is talking about that put me here. I'm still completely lost on that and I'm hoping that somebody will go back and verify the trial record and make him accountable for lying to the public and the press that way. That's really all I have to say except that I love my family. and nobody, nobody has got a better family than me. I love you booger bear. I love doodle bug, too. Don't let them ever forget me. I'll never forget them. I'll see you on the other side, okay. Bye bye Debbie. Bye bro, bye booger bear. Father Mike, Father Walsh, love you all. That's all, sir.
James Beathard
killed December 9, 1999
You all brought me here to be executed, not to make a speech.
That’s it.
Charlie Livingston
killed November 21, 1997
Yes sir, I do. Well, here we are. I apologize for your loss and your pain, but I didn’t kill those people.
Hopefully we will all learn something about ourselves and about each other and we will learn enough to stop the cycle of hate and vengeance and come to value what is really going on in this world.
We can’t look back.
I forgive everyone for this process, which seems to be wrong. We all end up doing experiences which we create.
That is all I have to say about that.
Robert Madden
killed May 28, 1997
Tell Beth and them I am sorry, truly sorry for the pain that I caused your family. I truly mean that too. She was a friend of mine and I betrayed her trust. I love you all. Tell momma I love her.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righeousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Our Father, who are in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen
All right Warden, let's give them what they want.
Melvin White
killed November 03, 2005
I deserve this. Tell everyone I said goodbye.
Charles William Bass
killed April 12, 1986
I am the sinner of all sinners.
I was responsible for the ’75 and ’79 cases. My trial was not just; it was not fair; they lied against me.
I love all of those on Death Row, and I will always hold them in my hands. Those who stood by me, I will always love you. Jim and Judy Peterson and Chaplain Lopez, I thank you for staying by my side.
Markum Duff-Smith
killed June 29, 1993
Let’s do it, man. Lock and load. Ain’t life a [expletive deleted]?
G.W. Green
killed November 12, 1991
I just love everybody, and that’s it.
Jessie Gutierrez
killed September 16, 1994
I love you, Mom. Goodbye.
Jeffery Motley
killed February 7, 1995
(Mumbled.) Tell Mama I love her.
John K. Barefield
killed March 12, 1997
I’m going to a beautiful place. O.K., Warden, roll ‘em.
Ignacio Cuevas
killed May 23, 1991
@ 1976-2814 Alan Emerson