Many friends at the funeral of Edward Green, executed some days ago

 Regina Schmal and I attended the funeral of Edward Green in Houston on Saturday.  There were hundreds of people there.  Even though the state of Texas did not think that Edward's life was valuable, it was clear that his families and friends thought otherwise.  Below is a short reflection I wrote on the day of Edward's execution. 

 

The Last Goodbye

 

Edward Green of Houston was executed this evening, October 5, 2004, at the Walls Unit in Huntsville, Texas.   His was the 14th execution this year in Texas and the 327th since the death penalty was resumed in the state in 1982.  Eleven more executions are scheduled before the end of the year.

 We hoped that Edward's execution would be stayed by the Governor or the courts because 280 boxes of misplaced evidence had been discovered by the Houston Police Department.   The Houston Police Chief,  Harold Hurtt,  as well as two Texas senators had appealed to Governor Perry to halt Edward's execution so that the boxes of evidence could be examined.  However, Perry refused to do stop the execution  as did the U.S. Supreme Court.   

 Dominique Green, whom I have visited on death row for many years, asked me to visit him on the morning of Edward's execution.   Dominique wanted to be out in the visiting room so he could say goodbye to Edward who would be visiting his friend, Regina Schmal, that morning.  Dominique and Edward had known each other for over 15 years and were best friends.   

At 12 noon, the guards came to take Edward to the Walls Unit in Huntsville for his execution which was scheduled at 6pm that day.  As Edward passed Dominique's visiting booth, he extended his handcuffed hands towards Dominique.  For about 3 seconds their little fingers embraced through  the wire mesh screen.   It was their last goodbye. 

 After they took Edward out,  Dominique and I just sat there in silence for about five minutes.   What can you say when the the state is about to murder your best friend?  

 Peter Miniel is scheduled to be executed on October 6;  Donald Aldrich on October 12;  Ricky Morrow on October 20;  Dominique Green on October 26;  Lorenzo Morris on November 2;  Robert Morrow on November 4;  Demarco McCullum on November 9;  Frederick McWilliams on November 10;  Anthony Fuentes on November 17; Troy Kunkle on November 18;  and Frances Newton on December 1.     

How many more "last goodbyes" will we have before we stop this evil practice?