The final meal of death row inmate James Coddington has shocked the internet.
Now, although abolished in many countries, the death penalty is still retained in some parts of the world.
These countries include China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and of course, the United States of America.
The death penalty has been a part of the U.S. justice system for centuries…
And the penalty, which is often referred to as capital punishment, has been in action since approximately 1608… Yep, it’s really that old.
But it’s not currently legal in every state.
And as the years have gone on, it’s become more and more of a controversial and taboo subject.
Many U.S. states have now abolished the death penalty for a number of reasons…
Including the risk factors of executing an innocent person, the fact it doesn’t prevent future crimes, and the fact that it is both discriminatory and can be used politically, as per Amnesty.
Organizations such as Amnesty have been fighting for decades to have the death penalty abolished entirely and they have been trying to expose and hold to account governments that continue to use the punishment.
Many find the death penalty totally barbaric.
When questioned, it’s difficult to justify the state killing its citizens.
Campaigners argued that many of those executed over the last few years were killed despite suffering from serious mental and physical illnesses…
Which should have rendered the death penalty an unconstitutional punishment.
And some states have made huge progress in this field.
History was made by Virginia being the first-ever southern state to abolish the death penalty. Other states which have abolished capital punishment include Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, and Washington.
Virginia is now the twenty-third state to abolish the death penalty.
And many are hoping for other Southern states to follow suit.
But the latest inmate to be executed is 50-year-old James Coddington.
Following the murder of 73-year-old Albert Hale in 1997, Coddington faced the death penalty for his crime.
On August 27 2022, he was executed by lethal injection.
Coddington was twenty-four at the time of carrying out the crime.
He was struggling with a drug and alcohol addiction.
Coddington was reportedly enraged when Hale refused to give him money to buy drugs.
After killing Hale, Coddington committed a minimum of 6 armed robberies at gas stations and convenience stores across Oklahoma City.
Earlier this month, during a clemency hearing, Coddington apologized to Hale’s family and told the board that he was a changed man.
“I’m clean, I know God, I’m not … I’m not a vicious murderer,” he said.
“If this ends today with my death sentence, OK.”
Albert Hale’s son, Mitch, urged the parole board not to recommend clemency.
And Gov. Kevin Stitt decided to let the execution go forward despite a recommendation from the state’s Pardon and Parole Board that Coddington’s life be spared.
The panel had voted 3-2 to recommend clemency.
Coddington received a lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester and was pronounced dead at 10:16 a.m on Thursday.
He became the 5th inmate to be put to death in Oklahoma since the state resumed executions last year.
“Our family can put this behind us after 25 years,” Mitch Hale said.
“No one is ever happy that someone’s dying, but (Coddington) chose this path.”
Inside the execution room, Coddington addressed his family, friends, lawyers, and Gov. Stitt:
“I don’t blame you and I forgive you.”
Before being put the death, Coddington ate his final meal.
And it’s one that some are calling “monstrous.”
Coddington ordered 2 cheeseburgers and 2 fish sandwiches.
As well as 2 large fries and a large soda for his final meal.