NP - Last statements of the Texas executed

[David Morris]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1876368,00.html#article_continue

Henry Porter

Executed July 9 1985

Age 43

Age at time of offence 33

Crime Killing a police officer

Last statement "What I want people to know is that they call me a
cold-blooded killer when I shot a man that shot me first. The only
thing that convicted me was that I am a Mexican and that he was a
police officer. People hollered for my life, and they are to have my
life tonight.

"The people never hollered for the life of the policeman that killed a
13-year-old boy who was handcuffed in the back seat of a police car.
The people never hollered for the life of a Houston police officer who
beat up and drowned Jose Campo Torres and threw his body in the river.
You call that equal justice. This is your equal justice. This is
America's equal justice.

"A Mexican's life is worth nothing. When a policeman kills someone he
gets a suspended sentence. When a Mexican kills a police officer this
is what you get. From there you call me a cold-blooded murderer. I
didn't tie anyone to a stretcher. I didn't pump poison into anybody's
veins from behind a locked door [ ... ] I hope God will be as merciful
to society as he has been to me. I'm ready, Warden."