Death Row inmates in Texas no longer get a last meal because of one man

Death Row prisoners locked up in Texas no longer get an infamous 'final meal' anymore because of one man.

The US state banned the 87-year tradition in 2011, but the reasoning behind it is quite bizarre.

The idea of a final meal is a fascinating aspect of the US justice system, being locked up for years on death row, with the only thing to look forward to being your last meal.

Though, it must be said that a lot of facilities will not meet every request put forward, sometimes giving inmates a substitute instead.

I guess serial killers don't get first pick when it comes to wagyu steak.

But the idea is a death row inmate asks for a meal, and depending how nice they're feeling, the prison will serve it to them one to two days before their execution.

So it's not really a 'final' meal.

But there's a certain US state where a final meal isn't a thing at all anymore.

That state is none other than Texas, though the reason for this is because of one man.

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That man is Lawrence Russell Brewer, who was white supremacist murderer, jailed along with three other men for dragging James Byrd Jr. three miles up a road behind a pick-up truck, eventually killing him.

Brewer and John King were the first white men to received the death penalty for killing a black man in modern Texas, prompting the state to introduce new laws around hate crimes.

Accomplice Shawn Berry was sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement.

Prior to Brewer's execution, he was asked what he wanted as his final meal, and he wanted A LOT of grub.

Brewer asked for a bowl of fried okra with ketchup, two chicken steaks with gravy and onions, and a cheese omelette with ground beef, jalapenos and bell peppers.

He also wanted: "A triple-meat bacon cheeseburger, three fajitas, one pound of barbecue and a half loaf of white bread, pizza meat lover's special, one pint of 'homemade vanilla' Blue Bell ice cream, one slab of peanut butter fudge with crushed peanuts and three root beers."

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But when the meal was put before him, he refused to eat any of it.

This 'smart' move prompted Texas senator John Whitmire to end the 87-year old tradition of a last meal to inmates in Texas.

Now, everyone on death row in the state eats what everyone else eats, which makes more sense.

The day before his execution, even after Byrd's family asked for his life to be spared, Brewer said: "As far as any regrets, no, I have no regrets.

"No, I'd do it all over again, to tell you the truth."

Evil, evil bloke.

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