In French:
 “I love all of you. I love you Lundy, Levi, my dad. I have no grudges against anyone, or any of the things that have gone wrong. I would like to say to the world, I have always been a nice person. I have never been mean-hearted or cruel. I wish every body well.”

— Granville Riddle, convicted of murder, lethal injection, Texas.
Executed January 30, 2003

In his murder confession, Riddle said that while he did beat Ronnie Hood to death with a tire iron, he did it in self- defense. Riddle was also charged with robbing Hood’s house, stealing Hood’s wallet and pickup truck, which was found burned in a ravine. Prior to his arrest, Riddle had broken out of Potter County Jail during a substance abuse class. He was recaptured two days later with a .22 rifle, which he picked up from a previous robbery.

“I have a great deal I would like to say, but it would not be worth while to say anything. The State of Indiana today, in the sight of that Court house, is doing an unjust thing to one of her citizens. I say, as I have said before to this people and to the world, I am innocent of the charge. When that drop fails and my life goes out, it will be eternal peace. I wish to say no more.”

— William Merrick, convicted of murder, hanging, New York.
Executed January 29, 1879

The jury took only eleven minutes to find Merrick guilty of murdering his wife, Julia A. Merrick. During the trial, it surfaced that he had arranged with the janitor of a medical college to deliver a body about the time of his wife’s disappearance. He was seen buying a packet of strychnine in a saloon and, the next morning, leaving town with his wife in a buggy. That night, he drove around town “until his wife became cold enough to warrant delivery to the medical college,” according to a New York Times article. Julia Merrick’s nude body was later discovered in a ditch with the body of a baby boy with his umbilical cord still attached.

“I wish you all a restful conscience and a useful life on this life on this earth. I hope when you come through this door you will bring some little child that has no father and mother on this earth for protection. That is all I have to say on this earth, Good-bye.”

— John Patrick Hart, convicted of murder, hanging, Montana.
Executed February 10, 1888

Hart’s mother died when he was nine months old, and his father died when he was fourteen, leaving him an orphan presumably the “little child” he refers to. After the father of the young woman he was courting accused him of visiting brothels, Hart shot him. Following his trial, Hart told reporters that he felt justified in the murder because the victim had been trying to wrong him.