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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Charlie Jones

Death row killer James Coddington's HUGE last meal and final words before execution

The final meal of a death row killer executed for his crimes has been revealed along with his chilling final words while he was strapped to the gurney inside the death chamber.

James Coddington was put to death in Oklahoma after murdering Albert Hale with a hammer 25 years ago following a row over cocaine.

He received a lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and was pronounced dead at 10.16am on August 25.

But before he was killed, he ate a massive last meal consisting of two cheeseburgers, two crunchy fish sandwiches, two large fries and a large soda.

James Coddington was executed on August 25 (News9)

The 50-year-old was executed despite a recommendation from the state's Pardon and Parole Board that his life be spared.

Coddington, who was reportedly experiencing drug-induced psychosis at the time, slaughtered his pal after he refused to stump up £42 ($50) to help him feed his habit.

After killing Mr Hale, Coddington committed at least six armed robberies at across Oklahoma.

During a emotional clemency hearing before Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board, Coddington apologized to Hale’s family and promised he was a different man today after years of sobriety.

Albert Hale of Choctaw was killed in 1997 after refusing to give Coddington money for drugs. (News9)

Coddington’s attorney said her client was fated to a life of addiction from childhood when his dad filled his baby bottles with beer and whiskey.

Despite the tearful pleas, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt refused to commute the convict's sentence to life without parole and declined to grant him clemency.

With his final words, as he was strapped to the gurney in the execution room, the doomed man forgave the Governor.

He said: “To all my family and friends, lawyers, everyone who’s been around me and loved me, thank you. Gov. Stitt, I don’t blame you and I forgive you.”

He then gave a thumbs up to his attorney, who cried in the witness room.

The murdered man's son, Mitchell Hale noted Coddington did not express remorse for the killing in his final words.

Mr Hale said: "We can finally move on. It’s not going to heal anything, but it closes this chapter.

"He never apologized, he never mentioned my daddy, never mentioned my family".

Coddington and his attorney during their clemency appeal (News9)

He continued: "So, there was no true remorse."

Coddington was the fifth Oklahoma inmate to be put to death since the state resumed executions last year.

Oklahoma halted executions in 2015 when prison officials discovered they had received the wrong lethal drug.

It later came to light that the same wrong drug had been used to execute an inmate, and executions in the State were put on hold.

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