Hours before murderer Jamie Mills became the latest man to be executed in the U.S., he was granted a special last request: What would he like to eat on his final day? The man convicted in the beating deaths of an elderly couple told Alabama prison officials he wanted a seafood buffet, with three large shrimp, two catfish filets, three oysters, three onion rings and one stuffed crab. Mills got that meal before he was taken to die by lethal injection. The choice of a last meal is no guarantee. The age-old tradition is shrouded in controversy, ethical disagreement and even concern over how much the meal may cost taxpayers, reports USA Today. “Food is a focal point for all of us. It's a point of enjoyment and pleasure and comfort, and that's sort of its reputation," said Deborah Denno, a law professor who heads the Neuroscience and Law Center at Fordham University. “It seems that we would provide this for somebody who’s going to eat for the very last time, and that makes us feel better about ourselves. At the same time, it does seem very strange.”
Of the 19 states where capital punishment is legal and practiced, a USA Today analysis found 12 allow special last meals – and two of those impose a price limit. Six serve only prison food, no matter what a condemned person asks for − in other words, nothing outside what is in the prison kitchen. Kansas Department of Corrections spokesperson David Thompson said the death row meal policy in that state is "under review" and noted the state has not carried out an execution since 1965. Last month, hours before convicted murderer Brian Dorsey was executed over objections from dozens of correctional officers and Missouri's governor, the state served him two bacon double cheeseburgers, two orders of chicken strips, two large orders of seasoned fries and a pizza with sausage, pepperoni, onion, mushrooms and extra cheese. The infamous final meal that a condemned prisoner chooses before execution has fascinated the public and is a source of controversy. Some criminal justice advocates say it serves as a final act of compassion before inflicting the most severe punishment, while others argue it is a disgrace to the people forever hurt by their crimes and to taxpayers picking up the tab. USA Today spoke with government officials and experts to find out how the debate has played out in the 19 states where capital punishment is practiced.