John William Byrd, Jr. [SEP] convicted of
John William Byrd Jr.
John William Byrd Jr. (December 18, 1963February 19, 2002) was executed by lethal injection for the murder of convenience store clerk Monte Tewksbury. Byrd, who protested his innocence up until his execution had spent 18 years and 6 months on Ohio's death row.
The third execution since Ohio reintroduced the death penalty in 1981, Byrd's case was by far the most contentious capital case of the first three. His execution remains as controversial today as it was in 2002.
Crimes.
death sentence did not take a last meal. However, Lawrence Russel Brewer, a white supremacist gang member convicted for the high-profile hate crime dragging death of James Byrd Jr., ordered a large last meal and did not eat it before his execution. In response, John Whitmire, a member of the Texas legislature, asked the TDCJ to stop special meals. Whitmire stated to the press that Brewer's victim, Mr. Byrd, "didn't get to choose his last meal." The TDCJ complied. Brian Price