“To all of the racist white folks in America that hate black folks and to all of the black folks in America that hate themselves: in the infamous words of my famous legendary brother, Nat Turner, ‘Y’all kiss my black ass.’ Let’s do it.”

— Brian Roberson, convicted of murder, lethal injection, Texas. Executed August 9, 2000

Roberson was convicted in the stabbing death of James Boots, seventy-nine, and his wife, Lillian, seventy-five, who lived across the street from him in Dallas. Roberson was African-American and his victims were Caucasian. Amnesty International issued a memo before the execution urging action and “expressing concern at the prosecutor’s systematic exclusion of African-Americans from the trial jury.” Roberson claimed he was “juiced up” on PCP and liquor during the crime. His last words were alternately recorded as “You ain’t got what you want.”

Later that same year, Roberson’s twin brother, Bruce, was arrested for allegedly threatening then President-elect George W. Bush. In a New York Times article, officers reported that Bruce wanted “to take him down.” The piece continued: “Mr. Roberson told them that Mr. Bush ‘stole the election and he’s not going to get away with it.’ ” Bush had been governor at the time of Brian’s execution.

“Perhaps my execution will help to do away with capital punishment.”

— Robert Harmon, assault with a deadly weapon while under a life sentence, gas chamber, California.
Executed August 9, 1960

Despite the efforts of the American Civil Liberties Union, Harmon saw himself as too violent and bloodthirsty to go on living. A four-time convict serving ten years to life for armed robbery, Harmon was convicted of knifing a fellow inmate, a crime punishable by death. Harmon stated that if not put to death he would continue his attacks. He demanded that no one interfere with his sentence.

“I don’t care what you do to me. I am not afraid to die. I have nothing on my conscience. I never killed any one.”

— Anna Antonio, convicted of conspiracy to murder, electric chair, New York.
Executed August 9, 1934

Antonio, age twenty-eight, claimed it was fear rather than money that motivated her. A diminutive woman, weighing approximately one hundred pounds, Antonio had been married to a large, violent drug dealer who she claimed had abused her and caused the early death of one of their four children. Her apparent lack of grief did not help her case.

When the governor refused to commute her sentence, she said, “It looks as if they’ve all turned me down. God alone can help me. I’m not thinking of myself so much. I’m thinking what it will mean to the future of my children. Nobody can know how terrible it is to be here except someone who has been through it.”