“I sincerely apologize to the families of Josie Curry, Michael Gregory, and James Riddle. I am very sorry for the pain that my actions caused to them. Hopefully, my decision to have this sentence carried out, without delay, will help you understand the sincerity of my apology, and will provide you with some closure. To those of you who have expressed forgiveness to me, I thank you. For those of you who have been unable or unwilling to forgive me, I pray that today will provide you with the peace you deserve.”

— David Mark Hill, convicted of murder, lethal injection, South Carolina.
Executed June 6, 2006

Hill, according to a South Carolina Supreme Court filing, “was convicted of three counts of murder after he walked into the Aiken County Department of Social Services office building on September 16, 1996, and shot and killed three employees,” after losing custody of his children. The next morning, according to the document, Hill “was found lying on the railroad tracks behind the building with his gun nearby. He had a bullet hole through the roof of his mouth and an exit wound in the top of his skull.

Although he was seriously injured, [Hill] was able to speak” and “admitted to the shootings.”

“Put him in the bad box. [muttering] Put him in the . . .”

— Joseph Windrath, convicted of murder, hanging, Illinois.
Executed June 5, 1896

Windrath muttered this phrase continually for several weeks before his execution. He was examined several times but was found each time to be mentally sound and responsible for the murder committed during the robbery of Carey Birch. The night before his execution, Windrath’s wife made a final visit to his cell. “Don’t you know me . . . ?” she asked. “Hang up Mannow. Put him in the bad box,” Windrath replied. Mannow was the name of Windrath’s accomplice, who testified against him.

“I now recommend my soul to the all merciful Creator of all Worlds and all Creatures, most ardently imploring the forgiveness, of may manifoldtransgressions, and that the redeemer would most graciously receive me to the arms of his everlasting mercy, when I leave the world.”

— Elisha Thomas, convicted of murder, hanging, New Hampshire.
Executed June 3, 1788

Thomas was headed to Portsmouth when he stopped by a friend’s house and went to have a few drinks with them. In a bar brawl, he killed—he insisted unintentionally—Peter Drowne, a friend who tried to intervene while Thomas was fighting another man. More than six thousand people showed up to see Thomas hang.