Strangely fascinating and, in the cases of those who might have been innocent (e.g., Willingham), sad.
I clicked on one of the names on the list at random. It said the person executed declined to say anything. Shamefully, dark humor hit me upon seeing that when I was expected something profound. I spontaneously chuckled. Obviously though one person doesn't represent the whole list. Nevertheless an interesting overall linked reference. Regarding both Capital Punishment and last words many years ago I posted at GA a variation of an article I wrote and was published in 1995 It was the lead Op-Ed Open Forum article in the Daily Journal, the largest newspaper in the country serving the legal community with the emphasis on California. (Bob: It was the fifth article of mine published by the paper.) All though the article was published in 1995 I added some new additional info in the posted version due to the passage of time and subsequent events. http://www.globalaffairs.org/forum/threads/capital-punishment.336/page-4#post-4248 Not in the article were the last words of Robert Alton Harris. As he was strapped into the gas chamber for the last time, one of the witnesses was the father of one of the two boys Harris was convicted of murdering. (From the time he was arrested up to the time he was led into the gas chamber Harris and his attorney's proclaimed his innocence.) The father sat silently starring hat Harris as he was being prepared. The father was leaning forward his elbows resting on his lap and and both his hand under his chin as he silently stared at Harris. Harris turned his head slightly and made eye contact with the father. He mouthed the words, "I'm sorry." The father silently acknowledged Harris with a nod of his head. By the way I have over the years I've done a 180 on capital punishment and now oppose it in the name of justice and legal practicality.
Not really when those that are sentenced to death are statistically nationwide seldom ever put to death. And both the rate of executions plus the rate of outright bans or moratoriums and case law plus extradition issues slowly grind the execution rate in every state down even more--even in Execution Poster Child, Texas. The 2012 nationwide numbers tell the story: http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/death-row-inmates-state-and-size-death-row-year
