• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Death row inmate who killed police officer had surprising ‘good deed’ for final meal request

Home> News> US News

Updated 14:13 21 Nov 2024 GMTPublished 14:14 21 Nov 2024 GMT

Death row inmate who killed police officer had surprising ‘good deed’ for final meal request

Philip Workman made an unexpected request for his final meal before being executed but it was denied by prison officials

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck

A death row inmate's unexpected request being denied led to widespread outrage and members of the public rallying around in support.

Philip Ray Workman was convicted for the murder of a police officer in 1982 and sentenced to death.

Ahead of his execution on May 9, 2007, he made an unexpected request for his last meal.

On August 5, 1982, Workman hitchhiked to Memphis, Tennessee and robbed a Wendy's restaurant armed with a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol.

Advert

He had an unusual final request (Clark Prosecutor)
He had an unusual final request (Clark Prosecutor)

During the robbery, a silent alarm was triggered by an employee and three police officers rushed to the scene.

Workman tried to flee the scene and during the process, shot and killed Lieutenant Ronald Oliver.

Multiple witnesses testified they'd seen Workman shoot Lt. Oliver.

Advert

It's reported Workman experienced drug addiction and had a history of being abused as a child but this wasn't presented as mitigating evidence by the defense team.

He was ultimately found guilty of murder and sentenced to death.

Workman later hit headlines as a result of his last meal request - asking for food not for himself but others.

Workman requested a vegetarian pizza and for it to be given to someone homeless (Getty Stock Images/ Aleksandr Zubkov)
Workman requested a vegetarian pizza and for it to be given to someone homeless (Getty Stock Images/ Aleksandr Zubkov)

Workman's surprising final meal request

Workman requested a large vegetarian pizza and that it be given to a homeless person - the inmate reportedly homeless himself at the time he committed his crimes.

Advert

Alas, despite the kind intentions, CNN reports the request was refused by prison officials who said they don't donate to charities.

News of Workman's request being denied spread and multiple people decided to honor it themselves.

Donna Spangler was one person who heard about Workman's request being denied and decided to act, clubbing together with her friends to raise $1,200 to buy 150 pizzas to send to homeless charity the Rescue Mission.

She told CNN: "Philip Workman was trying to do a good deed and no one would help him. I knew my husband would have a heart attack - I put some of it on the credit card. But I thought we'll find a way to pay for them later. I just felt like I had to do something positive."

Advert

President of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Ingrid Newkirk also sent 15 pizzas to the Rescue Mission too.

Strangers chipped in to help fulfil Workman's final request (Getty Stock Images/ Patricia Marroquin)
Strangers chipped in to help fulfil Workman's final request (Getty Stock Images/ Patricia Marroquin)

She said: "Workman's act was selfless, and kindness to all living beings is a virtue."

Director of public relations for the Rescue Mission, Cliff Tredway, said at the time: "It's the story of a guy whose execution translated into a generous act. It's people donating to other people they don't know.

Advert

"It's about a group of people who society often writes off getting a pizza party today."

Rescue Mission employee Marvin Champion added: "This really shows the people here that someone out there thought of them."

Workman was ultimately executed at 2.00am on May 9, 2007.

Featured Image Credit: Murderpedia/Getty Stock Image

Topics: Crime, Food and Drink, True crime, US News, Death Row

Poppy Bilderbeck
Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
9 hours ago
10 hours ago
  • 7 hours ago

    Hulk Hogan’s daughter Brooke reveals shocking reason she didn’t attend dad’s tributes

    Brooke Oleksy shut down previous reports that she and her late father were on bad terms

    Celebrity
  • 7 hours ago

    Expert reveals the 3 common names you should never give your baby for surprising reason

    All three are strong names that are popular today, but there's a reason why this expert doesn't think you should name your child them

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    James Gunn responds to Trisha Paytas naming baby ‘Aquaman’ following bizarre Ozzy Osbourne conspiracy

    DC Studios' co-CEO has reacted to the internet celeb having named her baby Aquaman - something she revealed on the day Ozzy Osbourne died

    Celebrity
  • 10 hours ago

    Fans spot Kelly Osbourne's 'subtle' tribute to dad Ozzy as she pays her respects during his procession

    The Osbourne family and the rest of the world are grieving the loss of a rock legend

    Celebrity
  • Death row prisoner had heartbreaking reason why he left part of his last meal untouched
  • Final moments of death row inmate executed by method banned from being used on cats and dogs revealed
  • Infamous death row inmate had chilling final words for victims' families before mentioning Trump in 'confusing' statement
  • Last meal of death row inmate executed by lethal injection despite arguing it could cause ‘needless suffering’