ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Death Row Killer Offers Disgusting Final Words To Execution Witnesses

Death Row Killer Offers Disgusting Final Words To Execution Witnesses

He murdered the doctor who delivered him as a baby.

James Dawson

James Dawson

A death row inmate in the US state of Georgia used his final words at his execution to insult the witnesses.

JW Ledford Jr, who had an application by his lawyers to be put to death by firing squad turned down, made headlines after he requested a whopping 5,000-calorie meal ahead of meeting his maker at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Georgia, US.

The death row inmate's huge final meal consisted of a filet mignon wrapped in bacon with pepper jack cheese, large french fries, 10 chicken tenders with sauce, fried pork chops, a blooming onion, pecan pie with vanilla ice cream, sherbet and a Sprite.

Ledford robbed and murdered his neighbour, Dr Harry Johnston, stabbing him in the neck at his home on January 31 1992. Dr Johnston had been responsible for delivering Ledford as a baby.

The 45-year-old recorded time of death was 1:17 a.m after an injection of compounded barbiturate pentobarbital.

The parole board rejected a request for clemency on Monday, Ledford's lawyers said he suffered an intellectual disability and a troubled childhood.

Asked if he wished to make a final statement, Ledford quoted the film Cool Hand Luke, reports the BBC.

"What we have here is a failure to communicate," he said, a phrase uttered by the warden in the 1967 prison drama. "Some men you just can't reach."

"I am not the failure. You are the failure to communicate."

Smiling as he spoke, the prisoner added: "You can kiss my white trash ass."

Ledford continued talk after insulting the witnesses, but his microphone was cut off.

According to witnesses, Ledford - who is the first death row inmate to be put to death in Georgia this year - passed away three minutes after the warden had left the room and the injection had been administered.

Ledford's lawyers had asked for US authorities kill their client by firing squad rather than lethal injection, as a number of lethal injections have been botched in the US over the past few years - but this was rejected.

Only three states allow a firing squad to be used as an alternative to death by lethal injection - Oklahoma, Mississippi and Utah.

Featured Image Credit: Georgia Department For Corrections

Topics: Death Row

Choose your content: