The final meal of a death row inmate varies from state to state but in most cases it consists of foods the inmate requests. Interesting facts about last meals:
12 pictures of death row last meals
Texas is the Exception: In 2011, Texas stopped the “last meal” tradition.
Lawrence Russell Brewer, ordered a meal that cost several hundred dollars and then declined to take a single bite. From that point on, death row inmates in that state have been given whatever was being served for dinner throughout the prison that day.
Unusual Request: In 2007, Tennessee death row inmate, Phillip Workman, decided he did not want a last meal. Instead, he made a request for the prison system to purchase a large pizza (vegetarian) and deliver it to a Nashville, Tennessee homeless person.
Last meal video
The prison system declined to honor his request; however, non-prisoners throughout the nation later purchased pizzas and delivered them to the homeless in Workman’s name.
Timing: Some states serve the last meal on the inmate’s last day. Most, including Indiana serve the specially ordered “last meal” a few days before the execution.
Research shows that when it gets closer than that to the execution, the condemned inmate has a loss of appetite.
Can you get anything? What the inmate can order depends on the state that will execute him.
- Some states, such as Virginia, require the chosen foods come from the regular prison meals but that the inmate can choose anything he wants from things the prison serves.
- Other states allow foods from outside the prison, such as steak or fast food to be delivered for the last meal.
What happens at the very end?
Cost: Some states place a dollar amount on how much food the condemned inmate can order and it can vary widely. One state might set a $15 cap and another may let the inmate spend up to $50.
Final thoughts: Part of the public’s fascination with the last meal requests is because to the outside world, it seems incredible that an inmate sentenced to die within the next 72 hours would care about food. In prison, but food is extremely important, and the days often revolve around chow time. This makes it more understandable why the condemned would delight in ordering lavish last foods even if there was no appetite to eat what was ordered.
