Capital Punishment

The last words of the 376 prisoners executed in Texas since 1982 are faithfully recorded on the state justice department's website.

Henry Porter

Executed July 9 1985

Age 43

Age at time of offence 33

Crime Killing a police officer

Last statement "What I want people to know is that they call me a cold-blooded killer when I shot a man that shot me first. The only thing that convicted me was that I am a Mexican and that he was a police officer. People hollered for my life, and they are to have my life tonight.

"The people never hollered for the life of the policeman that killed a 13-year-old boy who was handcuffed in the back seat of a police car. The people never hollered for the life of a Houston police officer who beat up and drowned Jose Campo Torres and threw his body in the river. You call that equal justice. This is your equal justice. This is America's equal justice.

"A Mexican's life is worth nothing. When a policeman kills someone he gets a suspended sentence. When a Mexican kills a police officer this is what you get. From there you call me a cold-blooded murderer. I didn't tie anyone to a stretcher. I didn't pump poison into anybody's veins from behind a locked door [ ... ] I hope God will be as merciful to society as he has been to me. I'm ready, Warden."

Jason Eric Massey

Executed April 3 2001

Age 28

Age at time of offence 20

Crime Murder of two children, aged 13 and 14

Last statement "Yes, first I would like to speak to the victims' family. First of all, I would like to say that I do not know any of y'all and that is unfortunate, because I would like to apologise to each and every one of you individually. I can't imagine what I have taken from y'all, but I do want to apologise and I want to let you know that I did do it. You guys know that I am guilty and I am sorry for what I have done.

"I apologise and I know that you may not be [ ... ] able to forgive me in this life and in this world, but I hope sometime in the future you will be able to find it in you to forgive me. And I want you to know that Christina, she did not suffer as much as you think she did. I promise you that. I give you my word. I know you guys want to know where the rest of her remains are. I put her remains in the Trinity river. I have said that since I have come to death row. I want to apologise to you again. I hope sometime in the future you can forgive me.

"OK, now I want to speak to my mom and my family. Brother Anderson, Kathy, I want you to know that I appreciate all these years that you have been coming to see me on death row and Daddy, I love you. I appreciate y'all being here and being strong for me, and Mama, you know I love you, and I appreciate all these visits, the letters and everything y'all have done for me. Y'all have been wonderful. You too, Granny. I love y'all and you know, I want to apologise to y'all too for what I have done. For all the pain that I have caused, but all this pain has brought us closer together and all this suffering that we have been through has brought us all closer to the Lord and in the end that is what counts. Isn't it? That's what counts in the end; where you stand with Almighty God."

Jeffery Doughtie

Executed August 16 2001

Age 39

Age at time of offence 31

Crime Murder of an elderly couple in their antique shop

Last statement "For almost nine years I have thought about the death penalty, whether it is right or wrong, and I don't have any answers. But I don't think the world will be a better or safer place without me. If you had wanted to punish me you would have killed me the day after, instead of killing me now. You are not hurting me now. I have had time to get ready, to tell my family goodbye, to get my life where it needed to be."

Napoleon Beazley

Executed May 28 2002

Age 25

Age at time of offence 17

Crime "Carjacking murder" of 63-year-old John Luttig

Last statement "The act I committed to put me here was not just heinous, it was senseless. But the person that committed that act is no longer here - I am.

"I'm not going to struggle physically against any restraints. I'm not going to shout, use profanity or make idle threats. Understand, though, that I'm not only upset, but I'm saddened by what is happening here tonight. I'm not only saddened, but disappointed that a system that is supposed to protect and uphold what is just and right can be so much like me when I made the same shameful mistake.

"If someone tried to dispose of everyone here for participating in this killing, I'd scream a resounding, "No." I'd tell them to give them all the gift that they would not give me [ ... ] and that's to give them all a second chance.

"I'm sorry that I am here. I'm sorry that you're all here. I'm sorry that John Luttig died. And I'm sorry that it was something in me that caused all of this to happen to begin with.

"Tonight we tell the world that there are no second chances in the eyes of justice [ ... ] Tonight, we tell our children that in some instances, in some cases, killing is right [ ... ] No one wins tonight. No one gets closure. No one walks away victorious."

Cameron Todd Willingham

Executed February 17 2004

Age 36

Age at time of offence 23

Crime Killing his three children in a house fire

Last statement "The only statement I want to make is that I am an innocent man - convicted of a crime I did not commit. I have been persecuted for 12 years for something I did not do. From God's dust I came and to dust I will return - so the earth shall become my throne. I gotta go, road dog. I love you, Gabby."

Kelsey Patterson

Executed May 18 2004

Age 50

Age at time of offence 38

Crime Murder of an oil-company owner and his business secretary. Was standing naked in the street, not far from the murder scene, at the time of his arrest.

Last statement "Statement to what. State what. I am not guilty of the charge of capital murder. Steal me and my family's money. My truth will always be my truth. There is no kin and no friend; no fear what you do to me. No kin to you undertaker. Murderer. [Portion of statement omitted due to profanity] Get my money. Give me my rights. Give me my rights. Give me my rights. Give me my life back."

Dominique Green

Executed October 26 2004

Age 30

Age at time of offence 18

Crime Aggravated robbery

Last statement "I am not angry, but I am disappointed that I was denied justice. But I am happy that I was afforded you all as family and friends. You all have been there for me; it's a miracle. I love you [ ... ] I am not as strong as I thought I was going to be. But I guess it only hurts for a little while. You all are my family. Please keep my memory alive."

Billy Vickers

Executed January 28 2004

Age 58

Age at time of offence 47

Crime Murder

Last statement "Tell Mama and the kids I love you; I love all of you. And I would like to clear some things up if I could. Tommy Perkins, the man that got a capital life sentence for murdering Kinslow - he did not do it. I did it. He would not even have had anything to do with it if he had known I was going to shoot the man. He would not have gone with me if he had known. I was paid to shoot the man. And Martin, the younger boy, did not know what it was about. He thought it was just a robbery. I am sorry for that.

"It was nothing personal. I was trying to make a living. A boy on Eastham doing a life sentence for killing Jamie Kent - I did not do it, but I was with his daddy when it was done. I was there with him and down through the years there were several more that I had done or had a part of. And I am sorry and I am not sure how many - there must be a dozen or 14 I believe all total. One I would like to clear up is Cullen Davis - where he was charged with shooting his wife. And all of these it was never nothing personal. It was just something I did to make a living. I am sorry for all the grief I have caused. I love you all. That is all I have to say."

Derrick O'Brien

Executed July 11 2006

Age 31

Age at time of offence 18

Crime Sexual assault and strangling of two girls

Last statement "I am sorry. I have always been sorry. It is the worst mistake that I ever made in my whole life. Not because I am here, but because of what I did and I hurt a lot of people [ ... ] I love you all [ ... ] All right."