“Yes, I’d like to say I’d like to give my blessing to all the people that seeked to save my life, and I’d like to curse everyone that seeked to take my life. Farewell.”

— Van Roosevelt Solomon, convicted of murder, electric chair, Georgia.
Executed February 20, 1985

A former Baptist assistant pastor, Solomon sat in the electric chair for the murder of Roger Tackett, a Georgetown University honors graduate and convenience store manager. Outside the prison, the Associated Press reported, fifty opponents and eight proponents of the death penalty stood in the rain. One held a sign reading “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Another placard read “Let me pull the switch.” Newspapers reported Solomon’s last words as “I would like to give my blessings to all the people who tried to save my life.” A longer recording of his final statements was part of a collection of subpoenaed Georgia execution tapes, later made into the audio documentary “The Execution Tapes.”

“…Everybody has been so good to me. I love all of you very much. I am going to be face to face with Jesus now. Warden Baggett, thank all of you so much. You have been so good to me. I love all of you very much. I will see you all when you get there. I will wait for you.”

— Karla Faye Tucker, convicted of murder, lethal injection, Texas.
Executed February 3, 1998

Gaining worldwide attention from the media, Tucker became the first woman executed by the state of Texas since the Civil War. In a robbery for motorcycle parts with an accomplice, Tucker had at tacked Jerry Lynn Dean and Deborah Thornton with a hammer and a pickax. Police reported finding the ax still embedded in Thornton’s chest.

Tucker became a born-again Christian in prison and was the subject of a folk song by the Indigo Girls titled simply “Faye Tucker.”

When asked if he was ready:
“No, not yet. I want my breakfast first.”

After being refused food and read his death warrant:
“Everybody knows that and I don’t want to hear it. Let’s go now.”

He continued to utter curses and threats at the presiding sheriff.

— Frank Romeo, convicted of robbery and murder, firing squad, Utah.
Executed February 20, 1913

An Italian coal miner, Romeo shot a manager of a gambling house who was carrying the day’s take to his home. Romeo and an accomplice were chased nearly fifty miles before capture. During execution proceedings, Romeo appeared extremely agitated. Two guards had to support him into the death chair, and “desperately he tried to find an excuse to delay the execution,” according to reports.

The Washington Post recorded his last words as “For God’s sake, don’t shoot me—not that way! I know I chose shooting when the judge asked me whether I preferred shooting or hanging, but I don’t want to be shot—not now. Hang me, but don’t shoot me!”