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These were three separate death-row meal stories, not one inmate’s order: Robert Buell reportedly requested a single olive, James Edward Smith reportedly asked for dirt and was denied, and Steven Woods’s 2011 request included two pints of ice cream. The anecdotes are unusual, but they do not establish a definitive ranking of the strangest final meals.
What were the three unusual final-meal requests?
| Inmate | Reported request | What is established |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Buell | A single pitted black olive | A Guardian retrospective reports that Buell made the request before his 2002 execution. The Guardian’s account describes a request; it does not establish from this evidence whether the olive was served or eaten. |
| James Edward Smith | A lump of dirt | A secondary reference account says Texas denied the request because dirt was not an approved food. It was requested, not served. |
| Steven Woods | A large order that included two pints of ice cream | 2011 reporting lists the ice cream among the requested items. The available report does not establish that Woods ate it. |
Why did Texas end special last-meal requests?
The policy change followed a different case from the olive, dirt and ice-cream anecdotes. Lawrence Russell Brewer made an extensive request before his 2011 execution, then did not eat it. The resulting public controversy prompted Texas to end special last-meal requests in September 2011. Contemporary reporting says the special meal had been prepared from prison kitchen supplies; after the change, the person facing execution would receive the regular prison meal instead.
That was a Texas policy decision, not evidence of a nationwide ban. These accounts do not establish current final-meal rules in other jurisdictions.
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Not everyone asked for a special meal
A 2020 peer-reviewed study in Appetite reported that 55 of 310 people executed in Texas between 1982 and 2003 declined a final meal. That figure applies only to the study’s Texas sample and period; it is not a count for other states or later years. The study abstract reports the finding.
Quick Recap
SaleBestseller No. 3
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Ninja® CREAMi® 7-in-1 Ice Cream Maker, Ice Cream, Gelato and more, NC301
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Nostalgia Electric Ice Cream Maker With 4 Qt Capacity- Old Fashioned Ice Cream Machine Makes Frozen Yogurt or Gelato in Minutes- Vintage Wooden Style Ice Cream Maker with Aluminum Canister- Light Wood
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Nostalgia Electric Ice Cream Maker - Old Fashioned Soft Serve Ice Cream Machine Makes Frozen Yogurt or Gelato in Minutes - Fun Kitchen Appliance - Blue - 4 Quart
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Rank #2
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Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Machine, Fully Automatic, 2 qt, ICE-30BCP1ES
- DOUBLE-INSULATED FREEZER BOWL: Holds 2 qts of ice cream, yogurt, sorbet, sherbet, or frozen drinks (pre-freeze first).
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#1 Best Overall
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Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Machine, Ready in 20, 1.5 qt Freezer Bowl
- SUPERIOR FUNCTION: Mixing paddle makes frozen treats in 20 minutes or less (freezer bowl must be pre-frozen).
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