Death Row Convicts Use Last Words To Root For Favorite Football Team

Would you use your last words to root for your favorite football team? Executed convicts have.

Monday, July 12, 2010 0:47 GMT

So says Robert K. Elder, who researched the final words of those sentenced to death for his new book, Last Words Of The Executed (University Of Chicago Press).

Elder says at least four of the executed used their very last breath to cheer on their football team, like convicted murderer Robert Comer who said “Go Raiders” right before lethal injection.

Elder was also surprised to learn how many of the doomed “crack jokes at the gallows” right before being killed.

He recalls one prisoner awaiting the electric chair who asked if he could have his lawyer on his lap during the execution.

Elder finds the final words of the most hated members of society interesting because, unlike most people, they actually know the time and date of their death so they can precalculate what they’ll say.