The final request of a convicted murderer on death row has provoked fury and disbelief, after he feasted on an extravagant last meal before his execution by lethal injection.
Brian Dorsey, 52, was put to death on Tuesday evening for the brutal 2006 murders of his cousin, Sarah Bonnie, and her husband, Benjamin. His chosen last supper was a far cry from the standard prison fare, consisting of two large cheeseburgers, two orders of chicken strips, two orders of french fries, a pizza with bacon, onion, pepperoni, sausage and extra cheese, two pints of ice cream, a pack of peanut butter cups, and five fried eggs.
However, the most controversial elements of his feast were a large portion of seafood mussels and a whole cheesecake, a choice that has been labelled a 'slap in the face' to the families of his victims.
Dorsey's execution proceeded at the state prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri, after a last-ditch effort to secure clemency failed. His legal team had argued that he had been a model prisoner and was deeply remorseful, reformed after more than a decade behind bars.
Yet, for the grieving relatives, the elaborate meal was a stark and painful reminder of the man who showed their loved ones no mercy. The couple was found brutally murdered in their home, with their young daughter left unharmed but alone at the scene.
The concept of a 'last meal' is a long-standing tradition in capital punishment, often seen as a final act of compassion. But in cases like this, it raises difficult questions about justice, remorse, and the ethics of the practice itself.
