Death row inmates have historically been permitted to select their final meal before their scheduled execution. However, the enduring tradition was abruptly halted by prison officials following an unconventional and contentious request from one convicted murderer.

Lawrence Russell Brewer, aged 44, was put to death on September 21, 2011, for the brutal killing of James Byrd Jr. Brewer, who had expressed no remorse for his actions in court, stirred controversy before his execution.

In adherence to the customary practice, Brewer was granted the opportunity to choose his last meal. Yet, he made headlines by requesting an extravagant spread that he ultimately refused to consume, citing a lack of appetite.

Brewer’s elaborate final meal request included a triple-meat bacon cheeseburger, a meat-lover’s pizza, a cheese omelette with beef and vegetables, three fajitas, two chicken-fried steaks with gravy and onions, a large bowl of okra with ketchup, a pound of barbecue meat, half a loaf of bread, peanut butter fudge with crushed peanuts, a pint of ice cream, and three root beers.

Following Brewer’s eccentric behavior post-order, Texas prison authorities opted to discontinue the practice of granting last meal requests to inmates. Instead, prisoners are now served standard meals, even for their final repast.

The decision to revoke the privilege of selecting last meals was swiftly implemented after Brewer’s execution, with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice confirming the changes shortly thereafter.

Citing Brewer’s extravagant food demand as the tipping point, American officials, led by Senator John Whitmire, directed prison administrators to abolish last meal requests, emphasizing the disparity in privileges between perpetrators and victims.

The revision to the last meal protocol came twenty years after another inmate, James Edward Smith, had his unusual request for a “lump of dirt” denied due to skepticism from prison officials.

Despite more than a decade passing since the alteration in Texas, public opinion remains divided on the stringent regulations governing final meal requests. Some individuals speculate that Brewer’s massive order was a deliberate ploy to provoke prison staff, suggesting he never intended to consume the food.

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