Frequency of Themes in Last Statements from Death Row, Texas: April 1, 2002 to November 30, 2006, and December 1, 2006 to July 31, 2011
Themes | 2002–2006* % (N = 100) | 2006–2011 % (N = 79) | Pearson χ2 | p |
---|---|---|---|---|
Spirituality | 56 | 52 | 0.30 | 0.65 |
Regret for the offense | 36 | 39 | 0.20 | 0.76 |
Need for forgiveness | 32 | 25 | 0.96 | 0.41 |
Quotations from poetry or literature | 12 | 8 | 0.95 | 0.45 |
Love | 70 | 82 | 3.59 | 0.08 |
Apology to victim(s) family | 37 | 37 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
Apology to own family | 21 | 19 | 0.11 | 0.85 |
Anger | 25 | 25 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
Denial of the offense | 17 | 13 | 0.65 | 0.53 |
↵* Based on Foley and Kelly.4