Florida's strict rules to stop death row prisoners having 'extravagant' last meals
Rashi Agarwal
Featured Image Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera/Bob Daemmrich Photography/Alamy Stock Photo/Mark Jenkinson/Alamy Stock Photo
We've all heard of death row inmates going pretty lavish with their final meal requests, but it seems Florida has cracked down on this with some strict rules.
It's common for individuals facing death to have a last wish; whether it be indulging in a desired meal, expressing a final desire, or leaving behind a meaningful message to be engraved on their deathbed.
And it seems to have become a point of fascination for people in recent years, with the tradition stretching back for centuries.
For instance, Darryl Barwick, a Ford prisoner, had an 'extravagant' last meal prior to his execution on 3 May at 6:15 pm at Florida State Prison.
Advert
His meal included a feast of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, black-eyed peas with rice, and cornbread as well as cola and ice cream for dessert.
Barwick killed a 24-year-old, Rebecca Wendt on March 31, 1986, after he tried to rob her and followed her into her apartment after she went home from sunbathing.
Once Rebecca resisted, Barwick stabbed her 37 times and killed her to avoid going to prison.
He was convicted of first-degree murder, armed burglary, attempted sexual battery and armed robbery.
Meanwhile, Donald David Dillbeck had a last meal consisting of fried shrimp, mushrooms, onion rings, butter pecan ice cream, pecan pie, and a chocolate bar, after being sentenced to death for the 1990 murder of Faye Vann.
Not every request has been so extravagant, though.
Serial killer Ted Bundy refused to make a request and ate his standard meal of steak done medium rare, eggs over easy, buttered toast with jelly, milk, coffee, juice and hash browns.
But in the state, there are rules in place to prevent inmates from taking it too far with their final meal request.
According to Florida Department of Correction rules, the last meal of the inmate shouldn't cost more than $40 and should be able to be sourced locally.
The rule is not followed by every state, with the state of Texas actually ending its 'last meal' tradition after an execution of an inmate in 2011.
Lawrence Russell Brewer requested a final meal of two chicken fried steaks, a triple-meat bacon cheeseburger, fried okra, a pound of barbecue, three fajitas, a meat lover’s pizza, a pint of ice cream and a slab of peanut butter fudge with crushed peanuts.
However, once it arrived, he didn't eat a single thing.