Thursday, February 12, 2009

BULLET...ALABAMA LAST MEAL--DANNY JOE BRADLEY, February 12, 2009

ALABAMA LAST MEAL
DANNY JOE BRADLEY
February 12, 2009


Bradley had no final meal request. He had two fried egg sandwiches for breakfast and a snack during the day.

Complete skinny coming later in the week.

BULLET...TEXAS LAST MEAL--JOHNNY JOHNSON...2/12/09...

TEXAS LAST MEAL
JOHNNY RAY JOHNSON
February 12, 2009


Johnson had a final meal request of four pieces or fried chicken breast, two chicken fried steaks, 20 fried shrimps, four fried eggs with no yoke, two golden brown biscuits with butter and honey, two gallons of black coffee with cream and sugar and two hand size pieces of peanut brittle candy.

Complete skinny coming later in the week.

BULLET...FLORIDA LAST MEAL--WAYNE TOMPKINS...2/11/09...

FLORIDA LAST MEAL
WAYNE TOMPKINS
February 11, 2009


Tompkins had a final meal request of fried chicken, banana split ice cream and some water.

Complete skinny coming later in the week.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

TEXAS LAST MEAL--RICARDO ORTIZ--01/29/09...

TEXAS LAST MEAL
RICARDO ORTIZ
January 29, 2009


..."Stay strong," he said, although he had no friends or relatives in the death chamber....

Last Meal: Ortiz had no final meal request.

The skinny: Ortiz, 46, a high-ranking prison gang member, was executed for injecting a fatal dose of heroin into a fellow inmate 11 years ago.

More skinny: The victim died of a heroin overdose. The concentration of morphine in his blood was three times higher than the average. A pathologist testified that the absence of track marks meant that the victim was not a heroin addict.

At trial, two witnesses testified that the heroin overdose was involuntary, forced upon the man by Ortiz because Ortiz believed that the victim had revealed Ortiz's role in some bank robberies.

This section of the jail was known as the "Texas Syndicate tank" because it was set aside specifically to contain those associated with the Texas Syndicate. Ortiz was the "tank boss," meaning he exercised de facto authority over the other inmates in the tank.

At trial, defense attorneys unsuccessfully tried to show jurors the victim had a death wish and was considering suicide.

Priors: Ortiz's violent history included an attack on an inmate with a homemade spear. He had a long record that included robbery, aggravated robbery, burglary and possessing deadly weapons in prison. Records show he was known as "Serrucho," Spanish for "Handsaw."

Evidence also showed Ortiz was arrested in 1990 but never tried for the execution-style slayings of two Houston-area parolees whose bodies were found in the desert.

Last words and such: Ortiz expressed love for his family and thanked them for their support. "Stay strong," he said, although he had no friends or relatives in the death chamber. "I'm at peace. I love you and my kids. See you."

Nine minutes later he was pronounced dead.

Factoids: Ortiz was the...

7th murderer executed in U.S. in 2009
1143rd murderer executed in U.S. since 1976
5th murderer executed in Texas in 2009
428th murderer executed in Texas since 1976

BULLET...TEXAS LAST MEAL--DALE DEVON SCHEANETTE...2/10/09...

TEXAS LAST MEAL
DALE DEVON SCHEANETTE
February 10, 2009


Scheanette had a final meal request of two spicy fried leg quarters, french fries and ketchup and two spicy fried pork chops...

Complete skinny coming later in the week.

BULLET...TEXAS LAST MEAL--DAVID MARTINEZ--2/4/09...

TEXAS LAST MEAL
DAVID MARTINEZ
February 4, 2009


Martinez had no final meal request.

Complete skinny coming later in the week.

BULLET...TENNESSEE LAST MEAL--STEVE HENLEY--2/4/09...

TENNESSEE LAST MEAL
STEVE HENLEY
February 4, 2009


Henley had a final meal request of a seafood plate of shrimp, fish, oysters, onion rings and hush puppies.

Complete skinny coming later in the week.

TEXAS LAST MEAL--VIRGIL EURISTI MARTINEZ--January 28, 2009

TEXAS LAST MEAL
VIRGIL EURISTI MARTINEZ
January 28, 2009


...he was recalling the slaying scene when prison officials began pumping in the lethal drugs....

Last Meal: Martinez had a final meal request of two fried chicken breast, two pork chops, seven flour tortillas, avocados and french fries.

The skinny: Martinez, 41, was executed for gunning down four people, including his ex-girlfriend and her two small children, during a 1996 shooting frenzy.

More skinny: One victim, a 27-year old mother of two, dated Virgil Martinez for a short while and then was victimized by his harassment. She told the trailer park landlord that she was afraid of Martinez, and that if the landlord saw him at the trailer park, she ought to call the sheriff's office.

The next month, she was found shot to death in front of her trailer park home, with 14 bullet wounds. Also found in the front yard was an 18-year old man with 7 bullet wounds. Inside, the woman’s two children, ages five and three, were found in their beds, dead from gunshot wounds:

Several close neighbors identified Martinez shooting the two in the yard. Ballistics revealed all four victims were shot by the same gun that was never recovered.

The 18-year old victim also identified the Martinez as the shooter. A police officer asked him, "Did the ex-boyfriend do this? Who did that?" Gomez answered, "Ex-boyfriend." He later died from his wounds.

The capture: The next day, Martinez called 911 from Del Rio, some 400 miles away. He said that he was hearing voices and needed medical attention. He was taken to Kerrville State Hospital for a mental evaluation. Two weeks later, authorities found that he had given them a false name and that he was wanted for the killings.

Police then searched his car and found a gun belt. A box designed to hold a 9mm pistol - the same kind of weapon used for the killings - was found in Martinez's room in his mother's home. The murder weapon was never found.

Prosecutors said Martinez faked the mental illness to avoid police.

Martinez had no priors.

Appeals: In appeals in the courts, lawyers argued unsuccessfully that temporal lobe epilepsy suffered by Martinez was responsible for the shooting spree.

Last words and such: The execution was delayed for about a half hour while Martinez' final appeals were being considered. When he was strapped to the execution gurney, he was asked - as all condemned prisoners are - if he wanted to make a final statement, and advised that he had only two minutes to make it. Martinez first expressed love to his relatives.

Next, he addressed the victim's sister:

"I know what you've been told and that's all a lie. (The 18-year old victim) killed your kids and sister. I know y'all love (him), but he was a violent man. I wish I would have shot him in the leg, then he would be here. Those investigators were just trying to convict somebody. My gun had a hair trigger. (She) told me to come and get my herb book and she went to the back of the closet. Her kids had asthma and I lent her the book. She said she would give it to me next time. She didn't want to break up; we still talked. She told me to come over. (The male victim) said, '(She) does not have the money for your book, so don't come over.' Me being a hot shot I went over there, and I had my gun. I had children and nephews where I lived, so I had to keep my gun in my truck for self defense. (She) invited me in her house, the kids were still awake, fixing to go to bed. I put the gun under my shirt and said hi to (the kids). (He) was there. He told (her) that 'he doesn't love you.' I didn't care ..."

He was recalling the slaying scene when prison officials began pumping in the lethal drugs.

Nine minutes later, he was pronounced dead.

Factoids: Martinez was the...

6th murderer executed in U.S. in 2009
1142nd murderer executed in U.S. since 1976
4th murderer executed in Texas in 2009
427th murderer executed in Texas since 1976