The season of Lent is about grief. It is a time to consider what it must have been like for Christ to have realized that he was about to be given over to his oppressors to be executed. Aware of what was coming, Christ grieves. In this season, God calls us to grieve. We are not eternal. We will die. The question thus becomes what are we willing to give so that others might live? In the pages that follow, I engage the words of others who were about to be executed to see what they might offer us in terms of lessons in grief…and, for that matter, lessons in life. Each reflection is from one of the last 40 people to be executed in the United States. Every reflection offers brief information about the execution, a picture of the executed, the final words of the condemned person, words of Christ’s from the Garden of Gethsemane, a response to all previous words and a final prayer. There are italicized words to help guide you on what to do on each page. In these reflections, it is my hope that God might find us in the last words of others so that we might find and advocate for life in the here and now. Salvation comes from giving ourselves so that others might live. May the lessons contained herein manifest in us so that we might manifest life in the lives of those we have condemned.
The Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood
February 22, 2023
Though the circumstances are varied and a few were undoubtedly innocent, the following 40 people were convicted of the murders of over 60 people.
1. 07/17/2020
Federal
Dustin Lee Honken, 52
Concentrate
Meditate
“Hail Mary, Mother of God, pray for me.”
Pray
“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane…”
Reflect
God, I keep reflecting.
God, I am in deep sorrow.
God, I am in the valley of the shadow of death.
God, sustain me.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
2. 08/26/2020
Federal
Lezmond Charles Mitchell, 38
Concentrate
Meditate
“No, I’m good.”
Pray
“Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
Reflect
God, draw us to sit.
God, draw us to wait.
God, draw us to know.
God, draw us to pray.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
3. 08/28/2020
Federal
Keith Dwayne Nelson, 45
Concentrate.
Meditate
No Response.
Pray
“He took his closest friends with him…”
Reflect
God, you are friend.
God, you love us.
God, you never leave us.
God, you never forsake us.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
4. 09/22/2020
Federal
William Emmett Lecroy, Jr., 50
Concentrate
Meditate
“Sister Battista is about to receive in the postal service my last statement.”
Pray
“Jesus became paralyzed with sorrow.”
Reflect
God, cry with us.
God, feel our pain.
God, know our suffering.
God, don’t hide our hope.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
5. 09/24/2020
Federal
Christopher Andre Vialva, 40
Concentrate
Meditate
“I’m ready, Father.”
Pray
“Jesus was deeply troubled.”
Reflect
God, is silent.
God, doesn’t care.
God, I am grieved.
God, I am in tears.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
6. 11/19/2020
Federal
Orlando Cordia Hall, 49
Concentrate
Meditate
“Our justice system has never been fair when it comes to the poor and people of color. On this fact alone, there shouldn’t be a death penalty…”
Pray
“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”
Reflect
God, this is too much.
God, I am overwhelmed.
God, the sorrow is drowning me.
God, I am dead.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
7. 12/10/2020
Federal
Brandon Bernard, 40
Concentrate
Meditate
“I wish I could take it all back, but I can’t.”
Pray
“Stay here and keep watch with me.”
Reflect
God, don’t leave me.
God, just stay right here.
God, just keep watch with me.
God, don’t go.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
8. 12/11/2020
Federal
Alfred Bourgeois, 56
Concentrate
Meditate
“I ask God to forgive all those who plotted and schemed against me, and planted false evidence.”
Pray
“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground…”
Reflect
God, I can’t go any further.
God, I have fallen.
God, I can’t get up.
God, help me.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
9. 01/13/2021
Federal
Lisa Marie Montgomery, 52
Concentrate
Mediate
“No.”
Pray
“Jesus prayed.”
Reflect
God, I pray.
God, I know you hear me.
God, please listen.
God, I need you right now.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
10. 01/14/2021
Federal
Corey Johnson, 52
Concentrate
Meditate
“I am not the same man that I was…The pizza and strawberry shakes were wonderful, but I didn’t get the jelly-filled doughnuts that I ordered. What’s with that?”
Pray
“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.”
Reflect
God, I don’t know what to do.
God, I don’t know where to go.
God, I don’t know how I got here.
God, please save me.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
11. 1/16/2021
Federal
Dustin John Higgs, 48
Concentrate
Meditate
“I’d like to say I am an innocent man…I did not order the murders”
Pray
“Not as I will, but as you will.”
Reflect
God, I trust you.
God, I don’t know what is next.
God, I don’t know how this will work out.
God, I just want to do your will.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
12. 05/19/2021
Texas
Quintin P. Jones, 41
Concentrate
Meditate
“I hope I left everyone a plate of food, full of happy memories…”
Pray
“Then he returned and found them sleeping.”
Reflect
God, the hour is difficult.
God, help me not to sleep.
God, help me to know.
God, help me to be.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
13. 06/30/2021
Texas
John Hummel, 45
Concentrate
Meditate
“I love each and every one of you.”
Pray
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
Reflect
God, I am watching.
God, I can see.
God, evil is close.
God, keep me from temptation.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
14. 09/28/2021
Texas
Rick Allan Rhoades, 57
Concentrate
Meditate
No Statement.
Pray
“The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Reflect
God, hold my spirit.
God, keep me strong.
God, death is near.
God, I am weak.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
15. 10/05/2021
Alabama
Willie B. Smith III, 51
Concentrate
Meditate
Silent prayer.
Pray
“…if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it…”
Reflect
God, take this cup.
God, I’m not thirsty.
God, don’t force me.
God, show me another way.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
16. 10/28/2021
Oklahoma
John Marion Grant, 60
Concentrate
Meditate
“Let’s go, Let’s go, Let’s go!”
Pray
“…may your will be done.”
Reflect
God, I don’t know.
God, I might know.
God, I know.
God, help me.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
17. 11/17/2021
Mississippi
David Neal Cox, Sr., 50
Concentrate
Meditate
“And don’t ever read anything but the King James Bible…”
Pray
“So he left them and went away once more…”
Reflect
God, don’t leave.
God, please stay.
God, death is so close.
God, I am yours.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
18. 12/09/2021
Oklahoma
Bigler Jobe Stouffer, Jr., 79
Concentrate
Meditate
“My request is that my father forgive them.”
Pray
“My Father…”
Reflect
God, I am calling.
God, can your hear me.
God, answer me.
God, hear my cries.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
19. 01/27/2022
Oklahoma
Donald Anthony Grant, 46
Concentrate
Meditate
“Yo, God I got this…”
Pray
“… if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it…”
Reflect
God, don’t stop.
God, please be near.
God, help me..
God, I am here to do your will.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
20. 01/27/2022
Alabama
Matthew Reeves, 44
Concentrate
Meditate
“Don’t allow the state to use me or u as escape goat…”
Pray
“…may your will be done.”
Reflect
God, I don’t know you.
God, I just want to know you.
God, you are strange.
God, you are the way.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
21. 02/17/2022
Oklahoma
Gilbert Ray Postelle, 35
Concentrate
Meditate
“No.”
Pray
“Then he returned to the disciples…”
Reflect
God, where is everyone.
God, you said I wouldn’t be alone.
God, I am afraid.
God, there is no one but me.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
22. 04/21/2022
Texas
Carl Wayne Buntion, 78
Concentrate
Meditate
“I am ready to go to Heaven, warden.”
Pray
“Are you still sleeping?”
Reflect
God, is asleep.
God, needs to wake up.
God, I am counting on you.
God, this doesn’t feel right.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
23. 05/03/2022
Missouri
Carman L. Deck, 56
Concentrate
Meditate
“Please give love, show love, BE LOVE!”
Pray
“Look, the hour has come…”
Reflect
God, I am dying.
God, I can feel the last breathes.
God, you weren’t supposed to leave.
God, the hour of my death is here.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
24. 05/11/2022
Clarence Dixon, 66
Concentrate
Meditate
“Now, let´s do this shit.”
Pray
“…the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.”
Reflect
God, my feet are heavy.
God, my mind is full.
God, my soul longs to escape.
God, save me.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
25. 06/08/2022
Arizona
Frank Jarvis Atwood, 65
Concentrate
Meditate
“I pray the Lord will have mercy on all of us and that the Lord will have mercy on me.”
Pray
“Arise!”
Reflect
God, I didn’t sign up for this.
God, I am walking alone.
God, there are so many people.
God, no one will listen.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
26. 07/28/2022
Alabama
Joe Nathan James Jr., 50
Concentrate
Meditate
Silence.
Pray
“Let’s go!”
Reflect
God, I hear you.
God, I don’t want to move.
God, I’m trying.
God, I’m standing now.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
27. 08/17/2022
Texas
Kosoul Chanthakoummane, 41
Concentrate
Meditate
“I hope my death will bring them peace…”
Pray
“Here comes my betrayer!”
Reflect
God, I trusted you.
God, evil surrounds me.
God, you brought this to me.
God, I am trapped.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
28. 08/25/2022
Oklahoma
James Allen Coddington, 50
Concentrate
Meditate
“Governor Stitt, I don’t blame you and I forgive you…”
Pray
“While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived.”
Reflect
God, that was my friend.
God, I loved him.
God, I feel abandoned.
God, I am betrayed.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
29. 10/05/2022
Texas
John Henry Ramirez, 38
Concentrate
Meditate
“Just know that I fought a good fight, and I am ready to go.”
Pray
“With him was a large armed crowd…”
Reflect
God, there are guns everywhere.
God, there is no escape.
God, I am doomed.
God, I asked for another way.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
30. 10/20/2022
Oklahoma
Benjamin R. Cole, 57
Concentrate
Meditate
“I forgive everyone that I have done wrong…”
Pray
“Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them…”
Reflect
God, you made the signal.
God, you sealed my fate.
God, you have left me.
God, you kissed me.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
31. 11/09/2022
Texas
Tracy Lane Beatty, 61
Concentrate
Meditate
“See you on the other side…”
Pray
“Judas went straight to Jesus…”
Reflect
God, I know them.
God, they smiled at me yesterday.
God, they were supposed to be my friends.
God, they are here to kill me.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
32. 11/16/2022
Arizona
Murray Hooper, 76
Concentrate
Meditate
“It’s all been said. Let it be done…”
Pray
“Judas kissed him”
Reflect
God, I can smell your breathe.
God, I can hear your lies
God, I know what you are doing.
God, death is close this night.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
33. 11/16/2022
Texas
Stephen Barbee, 55
Concentrate
Meditate
“God knows the truth. He is the truth, the way, and the life.
Pray
“”Do what you came here for…”
Reflect
God, I am not afraid.
God, I am in your hands.
God, I will not turn back.
God, I am yours.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
34. 11/17/2022
Oklahoma
Richard Fairchild, 63
Concentrate
Meditate
“Do not grieve for me.”
Pray
“Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.”
Reflect
God, I feel their hands.
God, I feel your hands.
God, I feel the world’s hands.
God, these hands are going to kill me.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
35. 11/29/2022
Missouri
Kevin Johnson, 37
Concentrate
Meditate
“I apologize…”
Pray
“Put your sword back in its place…all who draw the sword will die by the sword.”
Reflect
God, I see the sword.
God, it cuts deep.
God, I am bleeding now.
God, I thought the sword would save me.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
36. 12/14/2022
Mississippi
Thomas Edwin Loden, Jr., 58
Concentrate
Meditate
“I love you.” *in Japanese
Pray
“Do you think I cannot call on God to stop this?”
Reflect
God, I am doing what you told me to do.
God, I am being who you told me to be.
God, I am following your will.
God, tell me what to do.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
37. 01/03/2023
Missouri
Amber McLaughlin, 49
Concentrate
Meditate
“I am sorry for what I did, I am a loving and caring person.”
Pray
“It must happen this way.”
Reflect
God, you forced me here.
God, there is no way out.
God, don’t leave me.
God, you can make another way.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
38. 01/10/ 2023
Texas
Robert Alan Fratta, 65
Concentrate
Meditate
“No.”
Pray
“Am I of any danger to you?”
Reflect
God, I am weak.
God, you are strong.
God, I didn’t do anything.
God, they are determined to kill me.
Pray
God, don’t execute me.
39. 01/12/2023
Scott J. Eizember, 62
Concentrate
Meditate
“I’m at peace. My conscience is clear, completely.”
