HOUSTON — After a Texas senator requested that the Texas Department of Criminal Justice stop reciting the last written statements of death row inmates to the public, the TDCJ announced they will only relay to the public the last verbal statement given in the execution chamber.
Houston Senator John Whitmire asked that the TDCJ end its policy of reading the last written words of a prisoner to the public through the media.
This recently happened after John William King was executed for murdering James Byrd Jr. back in 1998.
King's written last words were read to and published in the Houston Chronicle.
Senator Whitmire said it is disrespectful to the victim's family and the state of Texas.
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In a letter sent from Senator Whitmire to the executive director of the TDCJ, Whitmire wrote, "If a death row inmate has something to say to the public or victims, let him or her say it while they are strapped to the gurney."
TDCJ Executive Director Bryan Collier responded to Senator Whitmire on Tuesday with the statement below:
I appreciate and understand your concerns regarding the practice of reciting the written final statements of executed offenders.
The agency has traditionally offered the condemned the option of verbally speaking their last words while in the chamber or writing them out prior to the execution and in turn sharing it with the media.
Moving forward, should the offender choose to write a statement, it will be inventoried with their belongings and given to their pre-determined designee after their execution. The agency will only relay to the public the last verbal statement given in the execution chamber.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with future questions or concerns.
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